Reviews

This was the 17th time I have seen Bob Dylan and this was one of the best! 
I won't discuss each song; just what struck me during the show.

Several years ago when he began playing less guitar and a lot of keyboard, 
you could barely distinguish his playing.
Not tonight!
He played most of the songs at the grand piano and was quite audible. Chords 
were pounded and the left leg would go up like Jerry Lee Lewis. Or, he played 
some rolling chords and filler like Bruce Hornsby. But the fact is, he shouldn't be 
compared to anyone. He just played it like Bob. The band is already very good
and now his piano adds a great fill. I always liked The Jayhawk's songs when 
the piano was along and this was the feeling I had tonight. A few missed notes 
were A-ok. It's a live show.

Sometimes he is hard to understand.
Not tonight!
If you could not hear nearly every word, see your doctor! The problem this time 
is with you, not him. I have heard some other shows where he was much more 
understandable than given credit for but tonight, no doubt. Even song number 
one, "…Pillbox…." started out clear and precise. 

He can seem disconnected or not into the show. We don't really know but 
sometimes it looks that way.
Not tonight!
He commanded the stage. He sang. Really sang! He danced. He smiled. He 
pointed. He played to a few in the front row. His voice was amped up and he 
took control. He often seems timid or reserved at shows. Tonight he portrayed 
confidence. He seemed relaxed. "I know my song well before I start singing". 
The white pants with the black jacket emphasized his legs. He always seems to 
do a left-leg-jig but tonight he really was a song and dance man. He wasn't 
jilted. He was classy. It fit. His jump up from the piano seat with a point to the 
band at the end of most songs was amusing and has to make people grin.

He can sometimes play a staccato harp.
Not tonight!
He wailed!! He danced and blew his heart out at various times. He rocked and 
crouched and played and the crowd loved it. 

He grabbed and held the large crowd all night. The band clicked, there was a 
lot of energy, and the surprise with "Blowing In The Wind" was a real treat 
that others can write about. 

I hope he continues to lead the show this way. What a talented man in many 
ways and the show glows when he leads the way as he did tonight.

Leon Russell, the opener, sounds great. The crowd was polite but he deserved 
more. Leon is one of the most underrated rockers of our time. I have seen him 
several times and to me, he is always a treat. 

This was the 12th or 13th time I have seen Bob Dylan.  I agree with some of 
what the first Cincinnati reviewer said but not all.

One of the things I enjoy at his concerts is listening to the lyrics with a totally
different arrangement and being quick to name the tune.  I was challenged 
and it took longer at this concert, I can hear most of the words but not as 
much as usual.  My 28 year old daughter was naming the songs quicker than 
me!  The last concert I saw with Bob at PNC Pavilion was similarly not up to 
his indoor venue performances, I think the acoustics are bad though our seats 
were great.  When I saw him a couple years ago at an indoor venue-Northern 
KY University, he rocked it!

I agree that "he commanded the stage." "He sang" but did more 
growling/rapping as per the later years. "He danced. He smiled. He pointed. 
Tonight he portrayed confidence. He seemed relaxed. He always seems to do 
a left-leg-jig but tonight he really was a song and dance man. He wasn't jilted. 
He was classy.  He rocked and crouched and played and the crowd loved it."  
His harp playing was better than usual, but not great.  

Leon Russell, the opener, was no substitute for Mark Knopfler who was 
advertised when I bought the tickets, what a disappointment that he wasn't 
there.  Looks like he's joining Bob in October.  Russell did not sound great. 
Again, bad acoustics and his voice at the microphone was way too loud until 
he toned it down.  He did play some nice bluesy numbers and fun covers and
looked like Surfin' Santa.

It was disappointing that the introduction music just before Bob comes out 
nd "poet laureate of rock and roll" speech did not happen, you get used to 
that over the years, part of the excitement of seeing Dylan.  He also didn't 
have the Bob Dylan eye that usually graces the backdrop for his concerts or 
the Oscar statue that would have gone nicely with the "Things Have Changed" 
we heard on

About every third song he would start to get really rockin' then he'd switch 
to  a slow one or a slow version of upbeat songs which kind of took away from 
his overall high energy performance.  For example-"High Water," "Highway 61," 
& "Ballad of a Thin Man" were exciting.  Too bad they were preceded/followed 
by these songs that even the most devoted fans (like us) could live without: 
"Honest with Me," "Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dee," "Spirit on the Water," &
"Tryin' to Get to Heaven."

I love the echo sound effect he uses on "All Along the Watchtower."  Loved
the other songs "It's All Over Now Baby Blue," "Tangled Up in Blue," Thunder 
on the Mountain," but have heard way more rockin' versions over the years. 
Loved the banjo and totally different version on "Blind Willie McTell." "Visions 
of Johanna" and "LARS" were pretty awesome as well.  I wonder if he would 
consider a remix of some of his songs using his old voice like the remix of 
"LARS" from "Masked & Anonymous?!"  I think he is working too hard and 
needs to rest to voice, cut out the European tour to focus on his homey's
maybe!

I hope I don't sound as negative as the guy who reviewed the Indianapolis 
concert and said he didn't expect the "hicks" from IN to get Bob, (not all of 
us Hoosiers are "hicks" dude), and to leave halfway through the concert is just 
rude.  I am still happy I went to see Bob and will see him again at an indoor 
venue.  We are looking forward to his new album in a couple weeks.   Still 
love you Bob, glad to see you still doing your thing and loving it.  

Rick Bensman said it well in the review above. You had to be there. Glad I
was along with many others. Most knew they enjoyed someting memorable, to
say the least. Musicians were properly focused, each with their style, Stu
stoic & grand on rythum, Charlie no funny business & ON it... like Angus
Young (!?!), Donnie highlighting the high end, eyes on Bob, Tony, well...,
rock solid & amazing riffs on the low end. Instuments & arrangements were
pure, clean, uncluttered & supported the voice of the man & his music.
Encore: Blowin in the Wind..., the lights come up & it wasn't the Ryman,
but church was in session with a proper choir singing the refrain
and takin us to a higher place... It was a beautiful thing. The
neverending tour rolls on. Enjoy the ride boyz, y'all got the best seat in
the house!  

H. Finn 

Drove to Cinci from Detroit (5 hours) to catch the Baby Grand show.
Witnessed a frightening car fire on side of I-75, stopped at Neil
Armstrong Museum (RIP) and got in right on time for Leon Russell. His
sound is always rousing and so underrated. The history of this man is
remarkable and truly envied.

Grabbed a couple beers between sets and settled in for Bob and the band.
LSPBH was rolling pretty hard and clear and all seemed right with the
world. I've learned to stop worrying about the lyrics and singing and
focus more on how carefully Bob has morphed his way into that great
talented band as a part of the whole sound. Without pigeonholing the style
I just sense kind of a swinging, combo kind of thing. The baby grand seems
to be the main solo instrument up there and I really miss when the other
players  were able to step out a little more especially Charlie. But it's
great to hear them all once or twice a year live. I feel bad they have to
wear those heavy suits and hats when its so hot and humid in the summer.
Bob and Charlie at least didn't have the hats this time. Also the soul
singers during the encore were a welcome new sound that I hope he
keeps...that's one thing I miss about Leon's band from his club gigs.
Those girls just charge that sound up to a whole awesome level!

Well hopefully I can catch Bob's show in Detroit this fall. And I can't
wait to hear the new record with some welcomed set changes hopefully.
Sometimes after so many shows you just want to scream PLEASE play
something else! There's so many others that would be great to hear live
and the band would surely do them proud! From iPod

This was the 17th time I have seen Bob Dylan and this was one of the best! 
I won't discuss each song; just what struck me during the show.

Several years ago when he began playing less guitar and a lot of keyboard, 
you could barely distinguish his playing.
Not tonight!
He played most of the songs at the grand piano and was quite audible. Chords 
were pounded and the left leg would go up like Jerry Lee Lewis. Or, he played 
some rolling chords and filler like Bruce Hornsby. But the fact is, he shouldn't be 
compared to anyone. He just played it like Bob. The band is already very good 
and now his piano adds a great fill. I always liked The Jayhawk's songs when the 
piano was along and this was the feeling I had tonight. A few missed notes 
were A-ok. It's a live show.

Sometimes he is hard to understand.
Not tonight!
If you could not hear nearly every word, see your doctor! The problem this time 
is with you, not him. I have heard some other shows where he was much more 
understandable than given credit for but tonight, no doubt. Even song number 
one, "…Pillbox…." started out clear and precise. 

He can seem disconnected or not into the show. We don't really know but 
sometimes it looks that way.
Not tonight!
He commanded the stage. He sang. Really sang! He danced. He smiled. He 
pointed. He played to a few in the front row. His voice was amped up and he 
took control. He often seems timid or reserved at shows. Tonight he portrayed 
confidence. He seemed relaxed. "I know my song well before I start singing". 
The white pants with the black jacket emphasized his legs. He always seems to 
do a left-leg-jig but tonight he really was a song and dance man. He wasn't jilted. 
He was classy. It fit. His jump up from the piano seat with a point to the band at
the end of most songs was amusing and has to make people grin.

He can sometimes play a staccato harp.
Not tonight!
He wailed!! He danced and blew his heart out at various times. He rocked and 
crouched and played and the crowd loved it. 

He grabbed and held the large crowd all night. The band clicked, there was a lot 
of energy, and the surprise with "Blowing In The Wind" was a real treat that 
others can write about. 

I hope he continues to lead the show this way. What a talented man in many 
ways and the show glows when he leads the way as he did tonight.

Leon Russell, the opener, sounds great. The crowd was polite but he deserved 
more. Leon is one of the most underrated rockers of our time. I have seen him 
several times and to me, he is always a treat. 

This was my tenth Bob show and I have to say it was one of the best. PNC is a 
great venue with no bad seats. My perspective was back row center stage….my 
usual seat.  Leon Russell delivered a solid set of hits and covers featuring a band 
full of hot-shot players. It took the sound guys a few tunes to dial everything in
but once the sound issues were settled everything was pretty rocking. Special 
mention should go Chris Simmons who did a killer version of Robert Johnson’s
‘Walkin’ Blues’. Truly a highlight and show’s that Leon is not afraid to let the 
guys in his band shine. Leon Russell is a heavy-weight rock and roller who 
probably fly’s under the radar and doesn’t get all of the credit he deserves and 
the man can throw down on piano! I feel lucky to have seen him perform.

 

As the lights dimmed we were waiting on ‘THE INTRO’ but Bob and the boys 
just appeared and fired it up with ‘Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat’. Once again it took 
the sound guys a few minutes to get everything dialed in and it was evident 
that Bob was not digging the stage sound by a few jesters to his ears. I assume 
he was having monitor issues. But all was well…..as the set gained momentum 
and it was clear that we were in for a great show. Highlights for me were ‘Blind 
Willie’, Visions Of Johanna, ‘Things Have Changed’, ‘Ballad of A Thin Man’, 
'Tangled Up In Blue’ well…..ok all of it was pretty killer. As always there were 
new arrangements of old favorites and that’s what keeps it interesting. Bob 
looked to be having a good time leading the band through re-worked versions 
of ‘High Water’ and ‘Honest With Me’. All in all a great show. Bob and the band 
were in fine form and Bob’s voice was pretty clear. The harmonica work was 
also a highlight of the night as well as the addition of the baby grand piano. 
The piano adds depth and is a definite contrast to the Wurlitzer electric piano.
I was a bit bummed that Bob didn’t play the guitar tonight but oh well……the 
crowd got a good sing along going on ‘Like A Rolling Stone’, and some great 
reverb was added to ‘All Along the Watchtower’ giving it a eerie vibe.

And as if that wasn’t enough, during the encore Bob emerged with the McCrary 
sisters for a “little Sunday-go-to meetin’” backup vocals on ‘Blowin’ In the Wind’. 
Once again a successful sermon is delivered at the first church of Bob. Amen 
brothers and sisters!

Keith Nance

No frills or fanfare. Just walk out on stage and start playing and
singing.  High energy. Having what certainly looked like fun. Vamping to
the crowd from the piano bench.

Bob was in fine form, and his band was solid.  Tony grinning from ear to
ear at Bob on a few occasions. Bob laughing and smiling when he seemingly
forgot lyrics or repeated lyrics from previous verses.  Singing, growling,
shouting, staccato-style on occasion. It all worked marvelously!

Bob on the piano is great.  It adds something different to the sound.  It
might 'mellow' the band's overall sound (on balance) but there were plenty
of moments where the sound swelled and the jams were inspiring.  His
harmonica playing was great; not just an occasional 'toot' but really
getting in to blowing the harp.  A very welcome presence indeed.

Some highlights....
Baby Blue - superb and surprising.  This was when the piano sound made
itself clear and the sound jelled.  Bob's vocals were excellent.

Things Have Changed - very well done.  Vocals were again wonderful. Bob
makes this song seem like an ancient, timeless classic, like it came from
long ago, far away.

Blind Willie McTell - Wow!  Awesome, great, wonderful.  A beautiful
surprise gift.  "God is in his heaven, and we all want - well, we all want
what's HIS!" I appreciate that 'ad-lib'. Bob was singing at his best on
this one.

Spirit on the Water- Tony on standup bass, Bob banging on the piano keys
and singing like he meant every word!

High Water (for Charley Patton) - More standup bass from Tony, with Donnie
adding banjo.  A great sound.  these tunes that remember old-timers are
some of Bob's best.  The band was solid on this one.

Visions of Johanna- what can you say? His piano playing here was perfect
for this song.  His vocals were brilliant too.  So glad he included this
one in the set list.  George's drumming (with brushes) here was nice, too.

Highway 61- even though you suspect this one will be played, it is still
great. The band had fun, letting,loose a little.

Trying to get to Heaven- beautiful, perfect.  Could bring a tear to
anyone's eyes.  I wasn't expecting this....

Thin Man- seemed like a crowd favorite, and for good reason. 

Rolling Stone & Watchtower- nice, jamming, having fun, getting louder. 
Watchtower vocals were particularly effective.

Then....for an encore....what is this? 4 shadows near the front of the
stage?  Who are these people? Wait.....4 women? Holy smoke!  Blowin in the
Wind the way it should be done.  When Bob sings with women backing him up,
it is beyond description.  And Bob wore a hat out for this one? What in
the world is going on?  At the end of the tune, all I could think of was
the quote from Bob some years ago, as he accepted some award.... (and I
paraphrase)....."the stuff we got will bust your brains out"

Thanks Bob for a great show.  Folks, catch him when you get the chance.

Another amazing show by our man Bob! I had not seen a show since last summer 
and "Things Have Changed." It's amazing that at 70 years old Bob is constantly 
reinventing himself and his songs. During this show he was as animated as I've 
ever seen him, moving gracefully--even during the middle of songs-- from center 
stage with his harmonica to pounding the ivories at the grand piano. The song 
and dance man danced, crouched and pointed at the crowd while the piano man 
did his best Jerry Lee Lewis impersonation---sitting sideways on the bench facing
the crowd and lifting his leg up to give it a wiggle. For a second I thought we 
were seeing young Robert Zimmerman pounding the piano during the talent 
show back at Hibbing High School! Almost every song has a new arrangement to 
showcase Bob's idiosyncratic piano playing. I liked the experimentation and 
thought it worked really well on Things Have Changed, for example, though I 
missed the old arrangements of Blind Willie McTell and Honest With Me. Still, 
that's why Bob shows are unique---you never know what you're going to see 
and I'd much rather have the highs and lows that accompany that approach. 
The closing scene of Bob surrounded by the McCreary sisters harmonizing on
Blowin' in the Wind was absolutely unforgettable. I drove 6 hours to see this 
show and can't wait to do it again as soon as possible! Praise Bob!