[ Bob Dylan - Bob Links - Reviews - 8/20/01

Reviews

Telluride, Colorado
Town Park
August 20, 2001


[David Link], [Brian Doyle]

Review by David link


We went to Telluride after Vail, and along I-70  passed the town of
Dillon. About 20 miles or so outside of Telluride, we see a highway
construction sign that is flashing a message that road construction will
be put off for a couple of days because of "Bob Dillon".  I always say
comedy is good on show day. They didn't spell his name right, either out
of ignorance or for good fun.
   Telluride is beautiful, but we saw some awesome rain and hail right up
untill about 45 mins. before showtime. I won't go into how awesome this
place really is, because one could go on and on about the beauty of the
mountains and cliffs and waterfall and rocks and.....
   So we went into the show at about 6:15 for a 7:00 start, which is very
late for me. As we were making our way to stage-right, I passed by Darrall
Hannah (spelling?) walking the other way, seemingly trying to be noticed. 
I forgot about that about 2 seconds later. So much for Hollwood.
   We walked right up to a spot second row, stage right, pretty much in
front of Charlie. A great spot, considering how late we got in! 
   I will not get into detail about each song; for  me the highlights were
a great Tough Mama, a beautiful Girl from the North Country, and a rocking
Cold Irons Bound. For the most exciting part of the show, I would have to
nominate A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall. About 30 seconds into the song it
started to rain for the first time during the show. People were freaking
out and putting on rain gear at the same time. Larry looked a little
shocked, and Bob just had a slight sly grin that said to me, "just part of
the plan, folks." By the time they started the next song, Girl of  the
North Country, the rain had stopped. Truly amazing. 
   This show was very well played and the sound seemed perfect. Lets just
hope the rain doesn't deter him from coming back next summer. 

[TOP]

Review by Brian Doyle



After a very long drive from Vail the night before I arrived after a bit
of a sleep over around 10am. Telluride is a very obscure place to travel
in Colorado. There are only a couple of routes from Vail and a good six
hours to boot. I did arrive to see the flashing "Dillon" sign from the
construction work and also noted that it might be a joke since Dillon is
in fact a small town that you pass through on the way to Vail, right off
I-70 west, as you head for the pass at Vail and 10,000 feet of glorious
mountains and majestic peaks. The locals featured it in the "Daily
Planet" on the front page the next morning. That is a free paper and is
very community minded. To put this show in perspective one should click
to www.Telluride and see what a small, majestic place this really is.
There is even a webcam for your viewing pleasure and it gives you a feel
for how unreal it was for Bob and the Boys to meander to an area best
known for skiiing and it's annual Film Festival. I would be remiss for
not thanking KOTO's community radio Events Director for not arranging
this very special two nights with Bob. Thanks Janice and Ru? at the tent.
I was glad to see the Public showers alive and well, and only a $1.50,
made it the best value in all of the valley. The expresso from Town square
got my head on straight and I was able to find my cohort, Jeremy. Then, it
rained, it hailed, it rained.....not a good sign in these Mountains that
take no prisoners.Then, about 303pm, it began to let up and the stage was
readied for the soundcheck. I was already in line, as you had to exchange
your tickets, for a very nice wristband, that said Yankee Doodle Doo Dahs
proudly present "BOB DYLAN". Well, on to the concert...... There is a
brief anouncement thanking KOTO and Janice, then the wonderful classical
music filled the mountain air...suddenly "ladies and gentlemen, .....Bob
Dylan. The band darts to the stage and start again with "Hummingbird",
which was a treat as I had only heard it live in Pueblo a few days before.
Then, a fairly good "My back Pages" which is not a very often played
number, a good "it's Allright' and then a somber "Searching for a
Soldiers's Grave" which kind of took me by surprise. Then, the holy of
holies, came out of the bag..."Tough Mama". Suddenly I realized I was not
at any ordinary Dylan show and it rocked the peaks. Then, on to a bit more
standard "It takes alot to laugh", but thinking to myself this was the
best show I had seen since 1974. Out of the bag next jumps "This wheel's
on fire" and you could feel the tremble as the air was getting colder. The
night had not yet taken over the day and the clouds loomed like dark
pillows of mist. A very nice "Stuck inside of Memphis" follows and then it
is time to strap on the acoustics for my personal favorite "Visions of
Johanna" . I always think you are lucky when he plays this, and tonight
the empty room heat pipes were not coughing, they were on fire. Then, as
aptly reported in the prior post, "A Hard Rain's a gonna fall" is up and
running. Then it starts to rain, and it really had not rained all evening.
Colorado weather can be so pissed off you can never trust it. Then, the
rain stopped, and a shiver went down my back. Too weird even for me, as I
looked around in amazement at the crowd. Bob, you must have some tight
connections allright!! Then, an amazing "Girl from the North Country", a
fine "Don't think twice" and then again, utter delight with a very
pleasing "If not for you". I kept thinking "what an inspired set list
tonight" and then another bit of TOOM, with "Cold Irons Bound", rasping in
the darkness now. Bob and his crew seemed happy that all was going well
and treated us to a splendid "Cat's in the well".  The usual encore takes
place, although I find it interesting that Dylan has expanded the first
set to 15 songs. They are back, sadly, because it heralds the end of the
show, but boy, another trick in the bag "Love sick". Has he ever played
those back to back? Then, into the end with a traditional "LARS", a
Hendrixsized "Watchtower", and the bittersweet "Blowing In the Wind" where
tonight the answer was sitting right in the middle of an old mining town.
It seemed appropriate. Really, how can you top this show?............ 

[TOP]

page by Bill Pagel
billp61@execpc.com

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