It was my fifth Bob Dylan show (since 2003) and again it was a fascinating
rediscovery of several well-known and recent songs. As always, the
arrangements are so different that it takes some searching to know which
song it is. So, there are always new discoveries to be made. Due to the
sudden start of the performance, it took me a while to really realize that
it had started. But what a great version of All Along the Watchtower with
nice drums. I loved to hear Desolation Row, one of my favorite songs. The
accompanying musicians are all very professional and provided swinging
blues. These more up-tempo songs appealed to me the most, like Goodbye
Jimmy Reed. Bob Dylan playing guitar with his back to the audience or
playing the harmonica with one hand while stroking his wild curls with the
other, these are beautiful images that will stay with me. It was nice to
just go and see Bob Dylan by bike ;-) Thank you Bob!!

For only the third time in Belgian Dylan history the tour bus pulled into 
Antwerp - not Brussels. But to the fans this didn't make any difference. 
Five songs into the set, a playful rendition of When I Paint My 
Masterpiece - largely borrowing the melody from Irving Berlin's Puttin' 
on the Ritz - got the Belgian crowd as excited as ever: "I left Rome and 
I pulled into Brussels".

Bob looked great in his jacket of glitter gold, leaning over his baby 
grand piano, looking like an actor in an ancient movie. Dylan's singing 
was strong, his piano playing fierce and adventurous, and his harp was 
everywhere, at times suddenly in the middle of a song and for no more 
than a second.

Early on in the show we already got another highlight: an animated It 
Ain't Me Babe ("No! No! No!"), with a lengthy guitar intro by Bob, in 
his freewheeling, inimitable style, and attacking his piano at the end.

Later in the show a terrific version of It's All Over Now Baby Blue, 
with shifting tempo, Dylan's rousing harmonica and his wild piano 
playing, was a pure joy.

The setlist had barely changed throughout the tour, but every show I 
saw was a treat. Dylan's ever-changing piano and harmonica playing, 
constantly bringing new meaning to the songs, is sheer genius. As the 
tour went on the songs evolved, some in a dramatic way (All Along the 
Watchtower had lost its iconic melody somewhere along the road between 
Prague and Erfurt).

The band of course was outstanding, as ever. New veteran Jim Keltner 
with shades on the drums at 82 was a pretty cool sight. I didn't even 
recognize him when he came on stage at the beginning of the tour, 
thought it was some young guy. If you listen to his drumming on 
Desolation Row, you'll find that he actually is a young guy!

Dylan closed with another wonderful Every Grain of Sand, which got the
crowd out of their chairs at the end, followed by a long applause, 
with even Jim Keltner clapping his hands.

We can now officially declare Antwerp the second Belgian Dylan city. 
And now Gent is waiting for you Bobby!

This piece is written in loving memory of my incredible friend 
Dubravko S.V. Butina ("Bob is too good for Nobel"), who got to the 
essence of Dylan in his very own and humble way, and who will always 
be with us, wherever we go to see Bob.

Michael Moors
Belgium