| Reviews Sioux Falls, South Dakota Washington Pavilion of Arts Mary W. Sommervold Hall March 22, 2026 |
Review by Mark Steck
Dylan "Does" Sioux FallsI went to, two concerts tonight. Both shows
featured Bob Dylan Live on stage. However, I only paid for one seat and
one show. How can this be? It pains me to tell you. Dylan was brilliant
early on, and at the end. For seven middle songs he elected to stink.
I'll go further and say that the stinky portion was intentional. Please
know that I've seen Dylan over 30 times. I love his music, his genius
and his mystique. Songs 1-5-I'll be your baby tonight. Not my favorite
song but it was well done considering it's the second night of this
tour. All band members were strong as was Bob on key boards. -Watch Tower
was about as sweet as it gets. The band play quietly and Bob's Vocals
were excellent as they filled the 2100 seat auditorium. Bob was pulling
this train. Yes, he still has it. At least I thought he did. -Long Black Coat
created a mood in stellar Dylan fashion. The vocals were strong as was the
subdued and tight band. -I contain multitudes is a song of depth. Bob pulled
this off in wonderful fashion. Bob Britt, Tony, and Doug leaned forward
watching Bob's hands on the key board. I've seen his band members members
for years do this. They watch Bob's hands because he's so unpredictable.
-False Prophet was another strong song. Bob's voice was strong and
understandable. Songs 5-12 SUCKED!. In fact "wheels came off".
"Things had changed". I say these things with trepidation as I have a
huge amount of respect for Bob. Indeed, the problem was Bob. He stopped
singing into the microphone. You could not hear him, or you could barely
hear him. The crowd was polite but between songs, random people requested
an improvement. "Bob we can't hear you", "sing louder". These
respectful requests were often and heard through the theater. The people
at the sound board tried to adjust. Feed Back ensued. Bob continued the
behavior. So, at first I thought that perhaps Bob is "slipping". However,
Bob's keyboard playing was excellent! His brief moments on the harp were
good. Further more song 13-16 he reengaged and finished up strong
vocally. Yes, I was miffed. I was also embarrassed as I had brought some
Bob newbies to the show. I've not booed at any type of event other
than professional wrestling. And that was in my youth. Once I concluded
this was intentional, I began to fume. During Rubicon, I pulled my hood
up. I wanted to boo. I came close but I didn't want to embarrass my
friends. In my heart of hearts I felt Bob was asking for this. Songs 13-16
Bob decided to please the packed house again. He finished strong. So why
does Bob elect to do these things? I'd reference the years of concert
mumbling. I enjoyed those and have kept going back. But this antic pisse
me off. On the ride home my wife and I talked about why. I've felt a
times he had contempt for his audience. Check out Dave Letterman's Bob
anecdote on Youtube. My wife, on the other hand had a differing thought
which I will not float here. I've said many times that I doubt anyone
knows much about Dylan. Joan Baez said of Dylan, "he’s unknowable".
So, "it ain't no use to sit and wonder why". Tony Garnier - electric
and standup bass, Anton Fig - drums, Bob Britt - acoustic guitar,
Doug Lancio - acoustic guitar
Review by Billy Lurken
I was quite excited for Bob in Sioux Falls. I don't think he's been
here for some 13 years, and the Washington Pavilion is a great venue for
shows. After a couple of drinks at The Carpenter Bar, we strolled over to
the Pavilion. It was a nice mix of ages for a Bob show. There was an
excitement in the air before the show. Highlights for me were definitely
Man In The Long Black Coat, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Don't Think
Twice, Black Rider, and Nervous Breakdown. The band was magnificent with
Tony actually playing bass lines on six string guitar for several songs.
But the real tragedy of the night was Bob's vocal mix. From what we
could hear, he sounded amazing. But he was largely inaudible for much of
the night. And it wasn't a sound man issue. The mic was like a foot
away from Bob for most of the night. He was fidgeting with it, so he knew
there was an issue. The crowd let him know it between several songs,
shouting that we couldn't hear him. He actually seemed to hear that and
acknowledged it, but nothing was really done to fix it. The band is
cracking. The setlist is good. If the vocals had been up in the mix, it
would've been a top Bob show.
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