November 18 2008
Review by Peter Dare
Fifty years ago (in bob parlance, that would be the year 19 & 58), the
nuns at St. Theresa’s made me a member of McNamara’s Band (great ditty:
‘Me name is McNamara, I’m the leader of the band…’). Our band uniforms
were black with red stripes down the pants – exactly what bob was decked
out in at the Bell Centre in Montreal, last night. I took this as an omen
that he might play Mr. T-man (the tambourine being my instrument in
McNamara’s band) but no such luck…Overall, an excellent show though…On
the rebound from the Kingston show, last Saturday night, which as bobcat
Marcel noted ‘started very good then fell off a cliff’ …well maybe not
that bad, just hit a few potholes. If I had to compare the 2 shows, I
would give Kingston a C and Montreal a B+ (mind you, bob could croak the
phonebook and I’d give him an A+). His Lucky Lady duo of Lay,Lady, Lay
and Just Like A Woman, was better in Montreal. Heard John Brown & This
Wheel’s on Fire for the first time in concert – both most excellent. Had
a laugh during Ain’t talkin’ when the franco sitting next to me told the
2 anglos in front of us to cut the chitchat so he could hear bob’s
immaculate enunciation better… Keep it up bob, much appreciated…and if you
ever do a Theme Time Radio show on ‘Bands’ how ‘bout playing ‘McNamara’s
Band’.
So I ran...
Review by Daniel Guaiani
According to my calculations, with the help of Olaf Bjouner's extensive
chronicles, this was the band's 405th show. Tony Garnier 1st on the
seniority list, with 2026 shows under his belt. George Receli, 705. Stu
Kimbal 483, Denny Freeman and Donnie Herron 405. This was Bob's 2104th
show since the so called never ending tour began. This was my 12th Bob
show! Bob has been good to city of Montreal the last 3 years, playing 3
show in that span, the city where I was born and raised. Welcome back to
Montreal Bob, hope you enjoyed your day off on the 17th spent that
day touring this great sexy city. On with the show: I'd say it was an
average show, with a few songs (below) that covered the price of
admission. The highlights were; Lay Lady Lay surprisingly, Lonesome day
blues, Spirit on the water, Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, This Wheel's on
Fire, and Ain't Talkin'. The average songs; The Levee's Gonna Break,
John Brown, Stuck inside of mobile with the memphis blues again, Highway
61, Masters of war, and Like a rolling stone that finally got everyone
standing up. On with that later... The songs that were awful, and I
really mean awful, meaning that they should be retired if Bob Dylan and
his Band can't find alternate versions were; Cat's in the well, Just like
a woman, Summer days, (I loved this song live when Larry Campbell and
Charlie Sexton were in the band from June 1999 to the end of 2002, man I
miss that band), Thunder On the Mounain, which sounded like amateurs in
a garage band was playing it for the 2nd time together! All along the
watchtower, should be put to rest forever. The local english newspaper,
"The Gazette" listed 6400 in attendance while the french local
newspaper, "La Presse" listed 6604 in attendance. Those reviews can be
read at the following links, given you can read English and/or French:
The Montreal Gazette review, English:
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/arts/story.html?id=aaa09315-7c
0c-4654-96f5-df9c4bc3b95c
La Presse review, French:
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/arts/spectacles/musique/200811/19/01-802110-bob-
dylan-au-centre-bell-le-monument-garde-la-forme.php
Le Devoir review, French:
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/11/19/217117.html
Now, I don't understand people sitting down at a rocking concert! The show
was played at the Bell centre yesterday, yes it was an arena not a library. Well,
sit down if you want, but please don't bother the people standing up! If
you don't like to stand you have three options; SIT DOWN AND SHUT THE YOU
KNOW WHAT UP, or, don't get floor seats, or just stay at home and listen
to cd's, I suggest live ones or live bootlegs or even better yet a WATCH
A DVD! That way, your not limited to just sitting down, you can lie down
on the couch, kneel, hell you can even put a tv in your bathroom and
watch the performance sitting on the can.
Notes: If Bob or anyone in his entourage reads this, they should really
consider lifting the ban on taking photo's at his shows. If they want to
have a ban for the media that's fine. I personally don't care if I can
snap photos at a concert, but many people do and there is no stopping
them, especially in this day and age with cellphones with built in
cameras, videos and small digital cameras. Bob's camp should stop this
dictatorship and allow fans to take pictures. Why? Because I hate being
distracted by security and ushers chasing people to tell them that the
can't snap shots.. Not only is it a distraction but it keeps that staff
from doing it's job in case there is an emergency, instead they are busy
parenting the people in the audience.
Daniel
Montreal
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