From Oslo to Stockholm.Say goodbye to my 'sister nun' and to Astrid and
walk all the way to the bus station. As usual I get lost and I arrive just
on time to catch my FLIXBUS bus. This one is all white and half full/ half
empty. I have two seats for myself.Lucky me as it is a height hours
ride.All goes well. Even a sandwich in mid journey :)We arrive almost in
time 7.30pm in central Stockholm which I know so well. Bob used to play
right here, at the water front. But not this time. Unfortunately for me as
I have my Hostel 15 minutes walk from it.I have a surprise when I check
in. There is now an age restriction: 40 years old, no more :(But since I
booked on line and paid for everything....the young gentleman at the desk
let me in. The dorm is a mixed 12 bunks. Surprisingly the night is
quiet and I manage to sleep 12 hours almost straight :)September 27th.A
nice shower in the morning and a good day in perspective. My good friend
Bjørn-Tore from Norway offered me three tickets for the next three shows.
:) :) Thank you so much!That is a great relief I find a good book to
read for the morning and head walking to the Avicii Arena early
afternoon.It's a nice walk , in a relatively nice weather.I get lost :(
and arrive at 5pm.The buses are parked down below in the parking lot.The
Arena is huuuuge! A white giant dome !Doors open at 5.30pm. I try to sell
some of my postcards but without any success:(So by 7pm, as it's getting
chilly, I step inside.It is effectively giant and all in red.(the
seats).Someone said capacity 13000. Woah!Of course not fully sold
out. My seat is on Parkett row 16. Not too bad.:)I believe it's 8pm
when they take the stage.Bob walks to the piano, right away. No guitar
The sounds is muffled. Not as clear as Oslo.There is an echo. That
will improved by "My own version of you".Bob says ' thank you' after the
first song "Watching the river flow".After "I contain multitudes" he steps
center stage. He is all in black but wearing a pink silk large shirt :) .
He looks extremely skinny :("When I paint my masterpiece" will be with the
full Band. Much better :)On "Black rider" I focus on Charley Drayton. He
is again using the pearls on his cymbals. It sounds great. Thanks Charley!
:)Bob steps again center stage after "My own version of you". His pants
are too big; large and long. It looks like Bobby shrunk :). He is scooped
: his back not straight anymore :(:("I'll be your baby tonight" has a new
arrangement. Bob says "thank you" and added "thank you ladies lovers" ( if
I heard correctly)."Crossing the Rubicon" is my highlight for tonight. Bob
will say "thank you" again.Though the public is not so much enthusiastic.
Just quiet with reasonable applause.Before what should be "Serve
somebody"There is a long moment in the dark where I see Bob Britt and Tony
getting close to the piano for instructions. Did they change the key or
something I didn't get. ? ( I'm not a musician :( )But Bob starts with the
regular "you may be an ambassador to England or France..." But I don't
hear the line about " having fun in Las Vegas"????"That old black magic"
and Bob took off his jacket . Woah! He's now in his pinky shirt. :)After
"Jimmy Reed" he is center mike, in shirt.All bend and walking poorly.He
tries to grab the mike but without success. So he presents the Band at the
piano.He murmurs " walking walking with you in my head..." But add "I'm
just joking. Too bad!Love sick....would have been great!But it's "Every
grain of sand" with a long solo on harp.He says Good bye in pinky
shirt:)The performance was great , as good as Oslo but the sound was not
so perfect. And the audience was.....dead!The venue? way too large for
such a setlist that requires intimacy.Thanks to Bjørn-Tore was the
Tix.See you all in Gothenburg.

A beautiful concert in the fastly approaching swedish autumn chill. Bob
Dylan started at 8 sharp (or so we think being without phone locked away
into the yondr bag) to the hissing and applause of an estimated 10
thousand people audience gathered in the always bland Globen, but
nevertheless a public very attentive and spanning the many generations
Dylan attracts. The setlist was the usual one, peppered with very
interesting arrangements and prominent roles for the drum and percussions,
electric and acoustic guitars (Doug Lancio and Bob Britt, also in charge
of the group) and the violin by Donnie Herron. A very tight Most Likely
was an early highlight, then things went a little wobbly until a great and
solid My own Version of You and a very funny I’ll be your baby tonight,
sung and acted upon with laughters and innuendo (the alternate lyrics were
very rowdy, though). Key West was a masterpiece kept on track for its
entire meandering course. To Be Alone with You brought out more fun, and
then it was time for unleashing the electric chords of Doug and Bob on
Gotta Serve Somebody. The piano was always on the forefront after the
fantastic intro in I Made Up My Mind - a song usually bringing up emotions
and tears. Jimmy Reed was followed by the Band introduction with shouts
out to all members. The final Every Grain of Sand, with flawless singing
and all, had even an extended harmonica solo that arched back to vintage
Bob. A night to cherish and remember for me and my daughter who came to
her first (and hopefully not her last) Dylan concert.

Luigi Biondi

Bob is Bob and I got the feeling his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour is also a
restless farewell, a goodbye ritual. He is rebellious by nature and his
mind seems to be forever young but there are obstacles on the road.
Physical facts. It´s a sad sign when he´s strutting slowly on stage and
hardly filling his pants with his lean body. For how long will the old Man
be able to catch and rake in the big fishes on the wide ocean? This
concert was a beautiful exercise but the arena was half full (6 000) and
the applauses did´nt show the enthusiasm of yesterday. There was a more
restrained feedback, but true love and fidelity in the air. It wasn´t a
rocking show, but a slow walk on those Rough and Rowdy Ways. I recall
Bob´s very first entrance in Stockholm 56 years ago. Then, 1966 on stage
Konserthuset, the youngster stepped around, all obstacles controlled. Now
a future of other shape is ahead. Who knows what´s next? But in any case
Bob is eternal and his collected work isn´t finished yet. A man of almost
limitless creativity showed up In Stockholm and he did it with a trustful
smile.

Anders Tidström