October 23, 2018
Review by Steven Kruh
Excellent show!! Twenty songs--all original Dylan compositions. He played
some terrific harp...on four or five numbers. Stripped down band--only
Charlie Sexton on guitar,--alllowed you to focus better on the
arrangements and musicianship. Two minor disappointments: not enough solos
featured (what was mostly offered was Dylan on piano); also, given the
small venue(s), small ensemble and emphasis on intricate and
roots/americana/intimate arrangements, I'd have hoped for more acoustic
instrumentation and music. Donnie Herron played electric(!) mandolin one
tune, amplifier banjo on another and amplified violin on a third (the
first encore tune, Blowing in the Wind)--all strictly as
accompaniment...and only the last as obbligato--and Tony played plenty of
upright bass; but, Charlie Sexton played exclusively electric guitar.
An odd highlight: I wasn't crazy about the straight blues-rock performance
of Gotta Serve Somebody--although it did show off a couple of really
pleasing rhythm-lead Sexton guitar riffs!! But, an alteration in lyrics
really blew me away. Dylan sang something about "you might be Father Time,
you might be Mother Earth." This was, finally(!!) for me his recognition
of something I've been harping on for thirty years: that Gotta Serve
Somebody "borrows heavily" from Memphis Slim's 1951 hit single, Mother
Earth. I was overjoyed when I heard those words escape from Zimmy's gifted
lips. A kiss on his forehead!
Click Here to return to the Main Page |
page by Bill Pagel
billp61@execpc.com
Current Tour Guide |
Older Tour Guides |
Bob Links Page |
Songs Performed |
Set Lists by Date |
Set Lists by Location |
Cue Sheets |