Bob Dylan concert review - October 5, 2009, Seattle, WA

PA Times | 10/6/09 | pissant

[Mr. Blonde]

Now you are making the Bob concert coming up here very very tempting. I would love to be one of the first to hear the live version of Shake Shake Mama. Coupled with his apparently more animated style recently it is enticing. But I'm already on the hook for Wilco this weekend and Drive-by Truckers the night after Bob. Three in one month I want to go to, when it rains it pours it seems (if only women worked that way).

Also this seems like a good place to share Cat Power's Song to Bobby. She has a few pretty solid covers of Bob's songs as well. Although from the way she sings it I think her version of "I Believe in You" is a little more secular than the original....

[pissant]

He’s really the ONLY one to have done what he’s done. A stellar folkie protest singer creating all time classics. A surreal rock and roll game changer creating all time classics. A country folk late sixties troubadour creating all time classics. An incomparable 70s singer songwriter creating all time classics. A Bible thumping Christian convert creating all time classics. And now a grizzled bluesman creating all time classics. Not a bad career.

[pissant]

He switches it up. Last night, he played no instrument except harmonica for 4 or 5 songs. Played Guitar on about 4 others. Organ on the balance.

[pissant]

Thanks. Yeah, that’s murphy’s law of concerts. They come in bunches.

[pissant]

I knew nothing about him until very recently, other than he was a good guitar player.

[a fool in paradise]

I saw James Brown a number of times and on the final tour he had the smallest band I’d ever seen him with. There was no one on keyboards except for James. He even played a tribute to Ray Charles who’d died that year.

Also I never saw him leave the stage or even take a sip of water.

[pissant]

Here’s a positive, but R rated review from the local arts rag.

Last Night: Bob Dylan Brings His Pure, Bizarre Magic to WaMu

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2009/10/last_night_bob_dylan_wamu.php

[pissant]

Hardest workin man in showbiz, they say

[GOPJ]

Great review - he doesn't disappoint. My all time favorite Dylan is Girl From the North Country

[pissant]

He’s got alot of good “girl” songs. My favorite....Girl From the Red River Shore

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjL7eTti4A

[Mr. Blonde]

I think Pitchfork does a pretty good job of explaining what is most interesting about his voice:

“Listeners who bridle even at Dylan’s 60s voice should, however, stay well away: This set shows the instrument in its progressive collapse into rheum and ruin. But only in terms of tone: When it comes to fitting voice to material, or threading the audience through a song, or capturing a lifetime’s lessons in a twist of inflection, he’s still one of the world’s best.”

He knows how to use his voice far better than almost anyone, but some people can’t get passed the sound of it to hear the technique he uses.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Thanks for posting this. I love "Spirit on the Water." And the fact Dylan opens this tour with "Gonna Change My Way of Thinking" is just splendid.

May all the world do likewise.

[pissant]

Another “change” song form the same period that I love is “You changed my life” released on the Bootleg Series.

You changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
In hunger and need
You made my heart bleed
You changed my life
You changed my life

Now the nature of man
Is to beg and to steal
I’d do it myself
It’s not so unreal
The call of the wild’s
Forever at my door
Want me to fly like an eagle
Being chained to the floor, but

You changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
In hunger and need
You made my heart bleed
You changed my life
You changed my life

Eating with the pigs
Off a fancy tray
I was bold, I was looking good
And to have a nice day
It all seemed so proper
And so elite
Eating absolute garbage
While being so discreet.

You changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
In hunger and need
You made my heart bleed
You changed my life
You changed my life

You were glowing in the light
Being peaceably calm
Well, how often does a man dance
To the beat of the balm?
Your eyes were on fire
Your feet were of brass
In a world that you made
You were an outcast

You changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
In hunger and need
You made my heart bleed
You changed my life
You changed my life

Truce makers and partakers
Of every selfish whim
Her running to meet me running to her
And you running back to him
Their destruction of my confidence
Was like a sharpness of the tongue
I said: Make my faith greater
But I was a little high strung

You changed my life
Came along in a time of strife
In hunger and need
You made my heart bleed
You changed my life
You changed my life

[don-o]

“It’s All Good” needs to replace Thunder on the Mountain.

[don-o]

Word, my brother.

[pissant]

I’m still waiting for Black Diamond Bay, dammit!

[Larry Lucido]

Have you heard clips from his Christmas album yet?

[don-o]

You have written the new intro....

Just add, “Please welcome Columbia recording artist, Bob Dylan!!

“I was blinded ny the devil
Borned already ruined
Stone cold dead as I stepped out of the womb...

(I can dream, can’t I?

[pissant]

Yeah. I was thinking no way I’d get it. But I might have to just for novelty’s sake. So very odd.

[swarthyguy]

>>The worst: Dylan touring with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

You must’ve caught them on a bad night.

When I saw them, not only the whole show, but the encore of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” with the Black backup singers brought tears to peoples eyes, including someone who was there in Newport in 64/65 when he went electric and was a fervent fan.