If you ever get the opportunity to see Bob Dylan, you can’t go in with expectations. Throughout his career he never wanted anyone to expect anything from him, and he isn’t changing now.
You aren’t necessarily going to hear your favorites. It isn’t a greatest-hits show. The best way to describe it is as an experience.
On Thursday, Nov. 16, The Raconteurs opened for Dylan at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, NJ. I know they’re seasoned professionals, but their show surprised me. They played through songs from their debut album, and you guessed it, closed with “Steady As She Goes.” If you ask me, the highlight was their epic cover of Nancy Sinatra’s “(Bang Bang) My Baby Shot Me Down.” Jack White showed that he could step out of his expected musical element and still deliver. Not to ignore the rest of the band, who played fantastically.
Dylan and his band kicked off with “Cat’s In The Well,” and I felt myself lose it. I wasn’t even very familiar with the song. I was hooked on that one-of-a-kind Dylan charm that he’s been hooking people with all through his career.
That charm kept the audience hooked for the remainder of the show. There is something groundbreaking and unreal about watching Bob Dylan pick up a harmonica, regardless of what tune he’s playing.
However, sometimes the charm will lose its balance, and other times it will be at its strongest.
The depressing truth is that when it loses its balance, it’s bad. When “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” came on as the fifth song, one of my Dylan favorites, it took me about two and a half minutes to recognize it. Part of Dylan’s band’s job is to help mask that he can’t do all the old ones anymore. Songs have to be slowed down, and in some cases completely changed. His raspy and worn out growl can be haunting and intriguing, but also just depressing.
All of the recent material from Dylan’s chart topping “Modern Times” was reassuring and a pleasure to hear. He’s still got it, and his growl is a perfect fit for these pieces. “When The Deal Goes Down” and “Nettie Moore” were easy set highlights.
But nothing topped the power that came through with “Tangled Up in Blue” and “Highway 61 Revisited.” The performances differed from the studio takes, but were just as thrilling in a live setting.
When the set concluded with “Summer Days,” Dylan and his band returned to the stage for an encore of “Thunder on the Mountain,” “Like a Rolling Stone” and “All Along the Watchtower.”
Dylan and his band stood along the stage after the encore, looking out onto the sea of ecstatic fans. For a minute or two, everyone got out of their seats and took some time to absorb what they had just been witnesses to. His band exited to the left and to the right, while Dylan stayed for an extra moment.
And just like that, without a bow or wave, Dylan turned and walked into the darkness behind him.
And the audience didn’t bow or wave back, we just did the same: Turned and walked into the darkness, equipped with a sensation we’d be forever engraved with.
Leave a Reply