One of the very best Bob Dylan shows I have even seen!!! and I've seen a good few, Bob and the band were firing on all cylinders at The O2 arena, another great start to a lengthy European tour, Bob was in fantastic voice, singing loud, clear, powerful vocals throughout the entire concert, he was well up to the challenge of the surprisingly subdued Dublin capacity crowd, staying very focused throughout the night and this was reflected in his instrumentation, Bob's show is still defying the odds by improving with age, at 70 years old Dylan can sure still shake a leg as he was very animated all night long, busting super cool dance moves, bobbing and weaving behind the keys as only he can, and playing a howling harmonica that sends shivers up the spine every time without fail, Killer organ grooves that weave perfectly throughout the songs, and he surprised me once again with his guitar skills, playing back and forth solos with the great Charlie Sexton on "Beyond Here Lies Nothing", Dylan even got so wrapped in his guitar playing that he left it on for a beautiful rendition of Modern Times classic "Spirit On the Water" which to my knowledge he never has done before, once again he didn't miss a beat with trailblazing lead guitar, Dylan's band must be credited too, Their skill and adaptability is staggering, at the slightest indication from Bob the band can all adapt in a split second and fall into to which ever groove or direction he may want to take and still continue playing as tight and solid as ever at the highest level, Truly one of the best bands around! The set list had something to please everyone, a great mix of old and new from a staggering back catalog that most artists could only dream of, "Forgetful Heart" from Dylan's most recent album was one of the many highlights of the concert, and this was reflected as the crowd drew to a pin drop silence and fell into the trance of a very heartfelt and poignant rendition, before erupting into a massive roar of approval and cheer, The mood shifted again quickly as the crowd were propelled into a different direction with a rocking new arrangement of classic "Highway 61 Revisited" which at some stages I thought would blow the roof off of the arena, the crowd couldn't stay seated as they were compelled to stand, dance and embrace one another in pure ecstasy as they roared in anthemic unison "HOW DOES IT FEEL!?" the familiar chorus line to 1965's envelope pushing epic, "Like A Rolling Stone" which has been a constant staple in Dylan's set for as long back as I can remember and at times seems all too familiar but this performance sounded as fresh as could be and the band drove the song home in fine style as if it was new material that needed to be proven, It even provoked a member of the audience to make an attempt at a stage invasion, that was quickly snuffed out by the security, There are always going to be naysayers, saying that they were let down because Dylan didn't speak to the crowd, if you want to hear all the "oh, its so great to be back in Dublin" cliches go see a Paul McCartney concert, which is fantastic in its own right but a little predictable for me, Dylan offers one of the most unique and special concert experiences to be heard and seen out there IMHO, His music does the talking!, I would highly recommend catching him live if you already haven't done so, a true master of the craft still at the peak of his powers! Come back soon Bob!!! and Don't you dare miss it!!!
The O2 Arena @
- Dublin @
- 06/10/2011 @
Favourite moment: The entire performance!!! Forgetful Heart, Desolation Row, Highway 61 Revisited, Spirit On the Water, Like A Rolling Stone, Too many to mention!!! @
Opening act(s): Mark Knopfler (Fantastic performance from the Guitar maestro and his backing band of virtuosos, set the tone and raised the bar very high for fantastic night of music! Highlights included: Sailing to Philadelphia, Hill Farmers Blues, Privateering, Done With Bonaparte, Marbletown. @