August 14, 2012
Review by Steven Thwaits
Just a few impressions of last night's excellent show in western
Montana. I made the journey all the way from home in Seattle, nearly a
thousand miles under my wheels in two days. But I suppose that's not far
compared to the distance traveled by Jose from Bilbao, Catalonia, whom I
met on the grass before the show. Bob clearly inspires some effort.
I liked the new band entrance, Stu first, already playing, followed by
the other guys and finally Dylan. Very dramatic; it was a thrill to see
the great Bard step out from behind the curtain, in the bright glare of a
low sun, joining us once again. He wore reflective shades against the
light and a broad brimmed hat, a dark jacket, white pants.
From the first moment he was entirely present and communicative. It is a
myth that Bob does not interact with his audience, just because he does
not banter with small talk. He communicates a great deal with gesture and
subtle facial expression. Open hands show appreciation and camaraderie,
smiles and bemused eyes show his good humor. And this is in addition to
the art, the reason we came, the deep communication of the songs. Under
the wide Montana sky it is clear that Dylan is happy to play for us, and
excited to jam with his stellar band.
As for those songs: Lately there has been a discussion on the boards
about the darkness in the music, as if it is anything new, or as if it is
a defining characteristic of the man himself. But since the beginning,
Dylan has tinctured hard truths with a bitter humor: back in '64,
teasing the crowd as they laugh at the intro to "Gates of Eden,"
chuckling, saying "yes, it's a very funny song!" Bob has always twisted
the dark strands of culture — greed, violence, vanity — together with
light – sometimes romantic, sometimes spiritual. In an age of celebrity
it is easy to conflate the man with the lyric. But we simply don’t know
where the character of the song ends and where the singer begins. But if
I had to guess, I’d say he’s in good cheer. On a summer night in the
west, he offers once again his beautiful and desolate tales for our
consideration, and often laughs.
A couple of the lovely dark bits: "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum." The
piano has worked a wonderful transformation on this song. I wish I could
describe it. They jam a very tight sinister jazzy bluesy thing, Dylan
really leaning into the vocals. I close my eyes and see Romney and Ryan
skewered together on Dylan's shish-ka-bob. Take your pick though of any
evil twins you can imagine. It's a non-partisan critique really. The band
just winds so tight you can see the smoke.
"John Brown" is a grim one he's played for 50 years now, and I can't say
that tonight's version is a true standout, but I enjoy watching him
center stage with harp, growling out the grotesque tale one more time. A
parent raises a soldier for her own sick glory. I don’t need Dylan to
write another protest song to prove that he is anti-war, anti- jingoistic;
this one will do fine, and he plays it often (you might say
"religiously").
The band and Bob enjoy all the rave-ups, "Thunder on the Mountain,"
"Highway 61," "Summer Days," and so do I, the piano also a great
change-up on these tunes. If only he would get the damn organ out of the
way so we could see his hands better on the keys. If you stand far right,
perhaps you can, I'm not sure.
The slow songs don't mean as much to me in these iterations, although
"Simple Twist of Fate" is sweetly played by Dylan on guitar, and "Spirit
on the Water," a song I am never excited by at the opening, won me
completely by the heartfelt singing Bob puts into it, and the hypnotic,
jazzy rhythms. This seems like a song Bob wrote for someone he really
loves, and anyone doubtful of Dylan's capacity for joy should listen and
watch closely to the current live rendition.
Okay, you get the idea. Worth the thousand miles for me. I love seeing
Dylan in a field in a smaller town. After the show I was entranced by the
happy faces in the dispersing crowd: beautiful sexy young women with
their lovers, old hippies, just regular people with hearts split a little
bit open by the great artist and his band. Looking at all of them on a
beautiful breezy night in western Montana, my own heart felt a little
broken, I don't know exactly why. I think Dylan, through the last 35
years (I'm 52), after I see him again live, brings out the youth in me,
the vulnerable soul, the longing. His music, dark and light, tears open
the mundane and routine fabric of life. All the loveliness and loneliness
and sad beauty of the world pours in. “Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ . . . “
Rock on through the Midwest and the East, Bob! See you in Seattle in
October.
Steven Thwaits
Review by Steven King
“The weather was hot, nearly 90 degrees“. Actually it was 91 when we
pulled in to the Big Sky Brewery to wait in line around 4:00. But it was
cool on Bass (think Tony’s) Creek at the Larry Charles Campground, our
name not theirs, by Stevensville. The night before we’re camped at Upper
Red Rock Lake. In the line, we were sandwiched between folks from Coeur
d’Alene & Boise. We’d come from eastern most Idaho so the Spud State was
well represented. Very pleasant crowd, we caught up on the Canadian shows
and exchanged our Dylan tales. Gates opened at 6:30 and in we went and
found our spot. The lot behind the Brewery was flat, stage facing south,
plenty of space, no chance of running out of beer, with a nice breeze.
Around 8:00, Stew came out first and starts playing and the rest of the
band with Bob appear and they’re right into Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat. No
opening act, no poet laureate intro, no Fanfare to the Common Man. Bob is
decked out with a white pants, white shirt, no tie, dark jacket trimmed in
red, gray western hat, and gold rimmed aviator sunglasses, which is good
because he’s staring right into the sun. He’s looking pretty sharp and
casual pounding it out on the electric piano. Good rocker to get things
going. Next he switched to the grand piano for Love Minus Zero/No Limit,
first time I’d seen it live and it was a very uplifting, heart felt
deliverance with some great harp. Loved it! Bob then comes center stage w/
harp & mike for Things Have Changed. He was really animated and into it
for a hard driving version. He laughed when he sang that Hollywood would
be better then Missoula, I don’t think he believed it. Then he follows
with Tangled Up In Blue, still center stage, solid version, always fun too
hear this one. Much different arrangement, shorter with new words for me.
Something about “coming down alone“. Mid song he move to the grand piano
(doesn’t play the electric again) which he did several times during the
night. Start in one place and move around to another. Just looking pretty
comfortable with the grand piano as an anchor. He follows with Tweedle Dee
& Tweedle Dum, a light rocker that sets us up for Visions Of Johanna on
piano. All time favorite and I’m thinking this set list is sweeeeet ! No
museum verse, but listening and watching Bob blow his harp into the
setting sun was a highlight for me. He follows up with a low key,
enjoyable, rolling along version of Summer Days. Next is Spirit On The
Water on piano with several harp breaks. Bob’s been smiling and laughing
all night but when he delivers the “you think I’m over the hill, think I’m
past my prime” line with a big smile, the irony is just a crackup. He
ended up center stage playing harp with his hand on Charlie’s shoulder.
This is followed by a good up tempo Honest With Me with a driving bass
drum throughout and Charlie‘s mean guitar. The suns down and the shades
are off and here comes John Brown! Donny on banjo, Bob center stage with
harp. Wow…… From there it’s Highway 61 on piano and we’re off in another
direction, thank you. There was this fun interplay between Charlie and Bob
that happened a lot in the closing numbers where they’d trade licks on
their instruments, a great effect. It kind of started on this one. Next
Mr. D straps on the Stratocaster for…… Simple Twist Of Fate. Just
wonderful, 3 different guitar solos, loved it , highlight #2. Very cool.
He follows this up with a up tempo Thunder On The Mountain. We’re dancing
in our spots again. What a great crowd, everyone standing all night, no
shoving or crowding, everyone can see, we’re all just moving to the groove
like one organism, everyone’s in their personal Dylan paraphernalia, the
band’s laughing, Bob’s smiling, good thing. Then Ballad Of A Thin Man,
Bob’s got the echo machine backing him up, fairly surreal. Great harp and
piano, great song. He seems to like playing it nightly. Must have a
favorite message in it. He follows this with Like A Rolling Stone, Charlie
has the big white Gretsch style guitar and Bob’s on the grand and they’re
playing off each other. Good one, what can you say about this one, #1,
with a band and a magazine named after it and it still works. Yikes. At
the end, Bob says, “ Well , thank you friends” and introduces the band.
All Along The Watchtower is next , good as ever. There must be some way
out of here but not yet. There’s a short break and he leaves us with
Blowin’ in the Wind. Bob’s on the grand, the band circle is tighter,
Tony’s playing a Stratocaster, and Bob didn’t just run through this one
for the thousandth time but he was on it like it’d just been written
yesterday. Beautiful. Thank you and thanks Missoula. They’re off and we
head into the night back to the Larry Charles on Bass Creek.
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