Reviews

Bob and the band were in stellar form tonight.  The set list was unchanged from 
recent shows, with James Brown's "It's A Man's World" closing out the two-song 
encore.  On the whole, the concert was gentler, more tender, than in recent 
years.  It included the most luscious version of "Don't Think Twice" that I've ever 
heard.  "Make You Feel My Love" also had an exceptional sweetness to it.  Several 
songs had new (from last year, not this year's tour) melodies or phrasing, including 
"Cry A While," "When I Paint My Masterpiece," and even "Like A Rolling Stone."  
The phrasing changes in Rolling Stone seemed playful, almost inviting the audience 
to teeter on the edge before each chorus.  (Who said that Bob doesn't interact 
with the audience?)  He even seemed playful when he was center stage on 
"Scarlet Town" and "Love Sick."  "Early Roman Kings" was a bluesy number, quite 
different from the standard version.  Throughout, Bob's voice was strong and 
melodic, and he and the band seemed in perfect harmony.

When I saw this specific tour date added to the calendar a few months
back, I had a hunch Bob and His Band might not be getting any closer to me
this tour... I live in Hamilton County, north of Cincinnati, OH. More
concert dates would be added, but my original hunch proved true, he wasn't
coming to Cincinnati this time around.

Luckily I jumped and got a ticket before it got sold out. The EKU Center
was a perfect venue to see the show, a wonderful intimate house with great
sound, even a few touches of dramatic stage lighting throughout the brisk
2 hour show.

I wish it had been 2 more hours! 
A delightful evening of some new reworked song titles and being open to
appreciating the new arrangements is half the fun. I got misty eyed a few
times as did a few people sitting close by me, the emotional impact of the
show is “a corkscrew to the heart!” (Note: we got “Simple Twist of
Fate” not ”You're a Big Girl Now” in the set list, perhaps the one
nod to the new More Blood More Tracks official bootleg cd set Vol. 14 just
released, a few more songs might have been nice, but I wouldn't change a
thing from the night's performance. I wasn't expecting the second encore
song of “It's a Man's World” so that was a big surprise and very
enjoyable!)

The audience demographic this night did skew to the older fan set, but
they gave a warm embrace to Bob and the Boys, even if some of the folks
were bemused and bewildered by the sounds of the not-so-familiar songs (to
them) coming their way. Some comments I heard while filing out led me to
believe these concert goers might not have kept in touch with what Bob and
the Band have been up to Lo these many years, ...... but they were still
delighted and enchanted to be there! With HIM! After all these years!
Together! Again! (After the show was over, I heard one man exclaim,
“It's a great night to be alive!”)

I personally was absolutely bewitched by the intimacy of Bob's vocals and
his playful performance standing center stage with the mic on the stand,
coming out from behind the keyboards and giving us a show. The Band was
cranking on all cylinders and didn't lose control, even on some hairpin
turns at breakneck speed.

Thanks very much to all the folks who provided the set list and the review
I just read of last night's show, ..... even though I have seen Bob in
2006, and 2009 and I follow this treasure trove of a web site ..... (A
Real and True National Treasure! Quick, make a plaque and have Bill's site
endowed with National Landmark status!), .... it is wonderful to have this
record of the evening's performance and other people's impressions, .....
and of all the other many night's we can't get to in person, too!

As the poster decries... “Don't you dare miss it !”