In concert, Dylan has moved away from the neo-bluegrass sound that served so well to reinterpret his standards: As his emphasis changed to new material, the music moved in the direction of the blues. By Monday and Tuesday, this had taken the form of a crack band led by protean guitarist Charlie Sexton and (often) Dylan's keyboard, which often recalled the contributions of Al Kooper on Highway 61 Revisited. As a result, Dylan delivered the best and most rocking arrangement of "Like A Rolling Stone" that I've heard him perform. This time, it didn't sound like a pro forma version of a great song that he didn't quite know what to do with. It rocked from beginning to end, as it should; if Dylan's delivery didn't bite, it searched for an answer to the great question: How does it feel to be on your own?
He opened both shows his gospel number "Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking," an implicit challenge that the audience lay aside its expectations of the show and take in the spirit of freshness. Oh, he'd make it go down easy: There would be plenty of the great old songs ("Lay Lady Lay," "Stuck Inside of Mobile," "Highway 61," "Ballad Of A Thin Man," and a Hendrixian "All Along The Watchtower") and the new ones would be delivered in an extremely palatable blues-rock package.
The second show, despite the sepulchral atmosphere of the WaMu Theatre, was a hair better than the first night's effort at the Moore, an old brown shoe of a venue that better suited the occasion. The band, however, was a bit tighter on the second night, plus Dylan constructed a set list around four songs from Together Through Life. That show had greater cohesion than the first night, although that performance was farther ranging, reaching back as far as the early Sixties with "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" and successfully referencing the late Eighties with a beautifully rendered "Shooting Star."
On the first night, Dylan did display his incomparable gift for the blues ballad through startling renditions of "Shooting Star," "Not Dark Yet," and "When The Deal Goes Down." On both nights, he showed his incredible connection to American song forms, moving seamlessly between folk, rock, country blues, electric blues, and amalgams of any given forms. The second show offered a more variety, especially among the up tempo numbers, which added to the strength of that night.
On stage, Dylan moved easily from keyboard to the guitar to sometimes simply fronting the band, clutching his harmonica like a security blanket while striking song-and-dance man poses. These last moments forged an oddly touching bond between singer and audience which, after all, wanted so much to hear the time timeless strains of Dylan's harmonica. We got that and more: A great artist who had finally found a sound he deemed worthy of his new material.
Set Lists
10/4/09 (Moore Theatre)
| 1. | Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking (Bob on keyboard) |
| 2. | Shooting Star (Bob center stage on harp) |
| 3. | Beyond Here Lies Nothin' (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on trumpet) |
| 4. | Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Bob on guitar) |
| 5. | Lonesome Day Blues (Bob on keyboard) |
| 6. | I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)(Bob center stage) |
| 7. | Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum (Bob on keyboard) |
| 8. | Not Dark Yet (Bob center stage on harp) |
| 9. | High Water (For Charley Patton) (Bob on guitar) |
| 10. | When The Deal Goes Down (Bob on keyboard) |
| 11. | Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard) |
| 12. | Nettie Moore (Bob on keyboard) |
| 13. | Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard) |
| 14. | Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage on harp) |
| (encore) | |
| 15. | Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard) |
| 16. | Jolene (Bob on keyboard) |
10/5/09 (WaMu Theatre)
| 1. | Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking (Bob on keyboard) |
| 2. | Lay, Lady, Lay (Bob on guitar) |
| 3. | Beyond Here Lies Nothin' (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on trumpet) |
| 4. | Spirit On The Water (Bob center stage on harp) |
| 5. | Honest With Me (Bob center stage on harp) |
| 6. | I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)(Bob on guitar) |
| 7. | My Wife's Hometown (Bob on guitar) |
| 8 | Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again(Bob on keyboard) |
| 9. | Forgetful Heart (Bob center stage on harp) |
| 10. | If You Ever Go To Houston (Bob on keyboard) |
| 11. | Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard) |
| 12. | I Feel A Change Comin' On (Bob on keyboard) |
| 13. | Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard) |
| 14. | Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage on harp) |
| (encore) | |
| 15. | Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard) |
| 16. | Jolene (Bob on keyboard) |
| 17. | All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard) |
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