Dylan show question

[PigIron]

I didn't see Dylan until the Patriot show and I thought he was great.  He's been around a while and probably puts on a bad show every once in a while.  If you are going to see a really, really handsome man, maybe consider not going.  And has his voice ever been great?  I mean, he is in his late 60s at his point.  If any of the hip young things that get so much praise on these boards are still bangin out hit records at that age, I'll be surprised.   Go to see a great songwriter or classic songs or just because its Bob friggin' Dylan.  
 
 And take the kid.  If there aren't screens (although I'm pretty sure that there will be), Merriweather isn't that big, is it?  Either way, your kid will get to see Bob Dylan.

[Mr.Whippy]

Originally posted by Bombay Chutney:
 
 You need to know what to expect when you see modern-day Dylan.  His voice and style are very different now.  He basically sounds like he does on his recent albums.  If you can imagine the voice on "Modern Times" singing "Like A Rolling Stone"  - that's what you're going to get.  If that's not what you're expecting, you're going to be disappointed.  If you know that going into it, you're probably going to love it.

This is a great way to sum it up.  I've seen him about 15 times sine '89.  I think I saw one pretty off night in there (Cary, NC in '03) but most often it is quite amazing (I wasn't at the Fredrick, MD show, which sounds like an off night).  His voice is what it is, but he is very passionate about his music and in his delivery of it.  His style is just something that is not going to appeal to everyone.

[highway61]

I'm a huge Dylan fan, and have seen him 15 times or so over the last 12 years.  Just to echo what many others have said . . .  His reputation as a horrible live performer was earned in the early '90s, but he really found himself sometime around 1995.  From 1995-2002, he rarely had an "off" night, which is pretty amazing considering how radically different every show was.  Since then, he's been a little more hit-and-miss, partially because his voice is really just a shell of its former shell.  (Also, his present band isn't quite as exciting or inventive as Larry Campbell / Charlie Sexton band.)  But he is still "on" more often than not, and the Patriot Center show was a great example of that.  I went to Frederick, and that was an example of an "off" night (although I didn't think it was as horrible as some of you apparently did).  
 
 You just have to know what to expect with Dylan.  He is constantly messing with his songs, changing arrangements, melodies, tempos, etc.  You are likely not to hear much that you truly recognize.  On the other hand, all the tinkering makes you hear things in songs that you hadn't focused on before, at least when he's on.

[highway61]

Oh, and that picture above was from Newport in 2002 (his first performance at Newport since the famous 1965 "Dylan goes electric" show).  For reasons never explained, he wore a wig and a fake beard at that show, and never wore them again.

[Mobius]

he really found himself sometime around 1995.   [/QB]

First time I saw Dylan he opened for the Dead at RFK 6/25/95 (last Dylan show w/ them).  We weren't in a rush to catch Dylan expecting nothing but muddled disappointment (in light of his reputation at the time and the horrible Dylan and the Dead release from 87 tour).  Walk in mid-set shocked to hear a crisp, lively version of Maggie's Farm filling the Stadium.  Truly amazed.  The rest of the set was strong and then Jerry Garcia joined the band on guitar for the last few songs.  Dylan and Jerry both really happy and smiling.  Closed with Rainy Day Women - always my least favorite song on Blonde on Blonde but they made it fun - I even think they hugged at one point.  Sadly, Jerry died about 6 weeks later.