Reviews
Glasgow, Scotland
SEC Armadillo

October 30, 2022

[Laurette Maillet], [Steven Jackson]

Review by Laurette Maillet


From Nottingham to Glasgow.
I changed again my bus from FLIXBUS to National Express. 
Only....8 hours ride and direct.I can hardly breeze in the
morning and my head feels like a pumpkin. 
Well! It's Halloween . Happy Halloween!
I hope to crash in the bus and sleep all the way through.
I literally passed out for few minutes and no one pays attention. 
I ain't dead yet! I sleep a tormented sleep.And we reach Glasgow in the rain
and cold.
Luckily my Youth hostel is not too far and the staff really kind.
The female dorm has 14 bunks but clean and friendly.
After a warm cup of tea and hot shower I crash on my upper bunk! 
No show tonight! And for a change it's a good thing!
Morning in Glasgow October 30th.I feel slightly better. 
Can't afford to be sick. I'm not sick! I'm not sick! I'm not  sick!
Take a walk along the river bank for fresh air, blow my nose and cough.
Coughing is not bad. It gets the mucus out!
I need to do something to clear my head as well.
The Art museum is open, free and nearby....all for the best.
I spend some time in there wearing a mask and taking photos.
I discover EA Hornel. I really like his style. 
Walking back to my Hostel I stop at the "Castle gallery" to see more Dylan paintings. 
Some of the Asian series and the Beaten Path.
I relax before heading to the SEC Arena.

By 6pm a crowd is gathering but ..it's for the event next door; 
a wrestling match :(The Dylan crowd is slow to come and the rain doesn't
help me.
Shortly after 7pm a nice Lady says she has an extra ticket. 
She asks how much I'm willing to pay. I feel this is not the time and the
place to ask anything for free :(I say 20£. And she says ok.
I repeat 20£? She says fine. Whoa! Not too bad!I'm out of the cold and rain :)
The seat is 'gall'. Meaning all the way in the top.Top top top. Under the roof.
We can see all the aluminum protecting the pipes.I hope the sound
will reach so high!
The Lady is originally from South Africa, leaving here now for the last 7 years. 
Her daughter, next seat, is a musician. It will be their first Dylan show. 
I say nothing of the setlist :).
On time. Bob steps at the piano.The sound is remarkable!
As I can't see Bobby's face I focus in his voice.
He sounds like 25 years old Bobby.  Raucous and angry...
Moving center stage after "False prophet" and "My own version of you".
His shirt might be the light blue one????"Key west" is wasted. 
Bobby is confused in the lyrics.
He wants to move center but changes his mind. 
He knew he did wrong????Tonight he is the piano Bob. 
Bob Britt has to "slowdown" on his guitar.
Particularly on "Serve somebody".
The boys start with a heavy Rock and Roll rhythm but Bobby mentions 
Britt to "shut off"????, and starts a piano solo. Bad!
That entirely breaks the rhythm....no more Rock and Roll :
(A marshmallow sound.....If I heard well...he even turns to Britt and says 
"oh!Jesus!".
Britt and Tony will now be really tense, focusing on the piano.
"That old black magic" is great.
It must be the most difficult song to perform musically on that setlist!
No place for improvisation :)Bob puts his finger in his mouth few times. 
Not sure what he's getting out :):)Says "thank you everyone" twice.
"Jimmy Reed" could have been better...if only he could let the "poor" 
Bob Britt expresses himself without "fear" :
(Doug seems doing better, hiding behind the piano. 
And Charley as free as a bird :)
I'm wondering where the chock chock chock is coming from on
"To be alone with you".
"Every grain of sand" with a long harp solo.  
Play more that harp Bobby! Less the piano:)
Well! I don't leave my seat before the lights come on....Who knows?
And, yes. They will all come back for a second salute.
All align in dark suits and as straight as a Cathedral!Thank you Guys. 
You're doing a great job!
Charley Drayton on drums, Doug Lancio on second guitar, Bob Britt on
the other guitar, Donnie Heron on still guitar, and Tony Garnier on
Bass.
See you tomorrow ??.BTW... 
There is a video recording of "I
can't seem to say goodbye" :):):) 

[TOP]

Review by Steven Jackson


He’s Made Up His Mind To Give Himself To Us

Saw Bob Dylan in Glasgow last night at the Armadillo…

He. Was. Incredible. My best Bob Dylan show and that is saying something.
The venue, the setting, the people, the songs. He played almost every song
of the magnificent Rough and Rowdy Ways so it was just so new, so fresh,
so beautiful, so haunting. And the Glasgow crowd, the great socialist city
where everyone is kind like my gran and my mum and funny as fu** like
Billy Connelly and as brilliant as McIlvanney and Kelman just lapped him
up. The home of Red Clydeside. You know when Mandela was rotting in Robben
Island forgotten about by the world and slandered as a terrorist by
Thatcher, the people of Glasgow supported him. They wrote him letters in
prison and bestowed on him The Freedom of the City in 1981. The first city
in the world to do so. And Madiba never forgot it. He came here when he
was released from prison to thank the people of Glasgow. And so to Bob.
They fu**ing loved him. The roof came off at the end when Bob and the band
stood in formation, Bob with his hands on his hips, the old gunslinger, so
little and frail, but so brave and strong, Billy the kid, the protest
singer, the pied piper of civil rights, the finger-pointer, the
broken-hearted divorcee, the man who inspired the Beatles, the man who
threw it all away, the evangelical Christian, the old man, the outcast,
THE poet. The winner of the Nobel Prize of fu**ing Literature. The man who
is my best friend and who has enriched my life and given me beauty. He
just stood there 20 feet away! Lapping up the rapturous Glasgow applause.
He even did a curtain call for more. I don’t know if he has done that at
other stops on this tour and I don’t care. Chris and I had raced to the
front at the end and were so close to him. It was fu**ing unbelievable!

Sorry for swearing. 

Steven Jackson
West Kirby
Merseyside, UK

[TOP]

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