Review

Bob & his Band made it back to Jackson, Wyoming after 7 years. He gave us what
we wanted, a rockin’ good time on a warm summer night. That was a treat since it
ended the evening rain cycle we’d been in with snow in the high country the
night before (didn’t really want another rain show like Deer Valley in ‘08). We
got there early and did some catching up with the rail crowd which is always
fun. The Dough Rollers started off the evening with some classic old blues. Then
Bob and Company took the stage right at sundown with Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat
as a fun opener, Bob on keyboard, looking sharp in his white flat brimmed hat
with red feathers and a bolo tie with a gold eagle in flight on it, (maybe a new
purchase), a black suit with brass buttons and a white leg strips. Then he picks
up the guitar and parks beside Charlie for To Ramona. Pleasant surprise, this
tune. He stays with the guitar and there’s a nice long intro into Stuck Inside
of Mobile with smoked eyeballs and a smile from Bob. Back to the organ and Just
Like A Women, with spaced phrasing so the crowd could do the chorus then Bob
would follow with the chorus. I’d not heard this before and he did it throughout
the night which was great to get the crowd into things. Then came Rolllin’ And
Tumblin’, Charlie playing with a slide on his guitar, getting lowdown, front and
center and Denny on electric mandolin. First time I’d heard this one live and it
had a sweet sound! This is followed by I Don’t Believe You (She Acts like We
Never Had Met) with Bob out front with the harp. I caught Bob checking out the
crescent moon as he was singing. We got a lot of harp through the night and I
loved it. Then the surprise of the night for me with Hollis Brown followed by
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll. Denny was on banjo for Hollis and electric
mandolin on Hattie, Tony on standup bass for both. Very slow, solid and
deliberate deliver by Bob on these two powerful songs. Hattie had those
reflective pauses which really added to the feel. Then they moved on to a hard
driving Cold Iron Bound , Bob up front with the harp again. It was pleasing to
hear Charlie back up there with Bob, I hadn’t heard him since Aspen in ‘02. He
really livens things up, wonderful guitar work and just kind of all over the
front of the stage. Fun to watch him watching, reacting to Bob. This one’s
followed by a mellow sing song When The Deal Goes Down with Bob back on the
organ and his harp. Bob’s organ was high in the mix and this had one of many
solid organ riffs in it. Now we’re up and rockin’ again to Highway 61 Revisited,
one the fellow with me was hoping to hear and Charlie was all over the guitar
breaks. “Abe said What?!” Then a smooth Spirit On The Water with more sweet
harp. Next a long up tempo Thunder On The Mountain, with Bob really singing it
up, smiling and laughing with Charlie and Denny, good stuff. After that, Ballad
Of A Thin Man with Bob back up front with 2 harp breaks, WOW, clear and clean
and into the singing here! This led to the break. Bob finished us off with three
great rockers that got us all wound up. Like A Rolling Stone had the pauses that
begged for sing alongs and a long guitar break for Charlie on his metal
telecaster. Bob had an amusing smile with the “pawn your diamond ring babe”
line, maybe because he was sporting one on each hand. Jolene was another I’d
never heard live and kept us up and dancing. Afterward Bob introduces the band
and starts into All Along The Watchtower, giving us the sign to start clapping
and really pounds it out on the organ. Everyone singing, swaying, dancing and
the shows over………… What a pleasure to spend the evening with this man and his
band. Thanks for stopping by Bob, we loved it ! If you get the chance to see
him, don’ you dare miss it.