Everything about Bob Dylan's show at the Brady Theater in Tulsa was classic. Everything, that is, but the music.
The announcer’s throwback introduction, the stadium seats that are, in all likelihood, older than I am, and the show’s simple lighting and stage setup, all recalled pictures I’ve seen in books and magazines of Dylan’s tours in the late sixties.
But what came out of the speakers that night was definitely not exclusively from the Unmoved Mover’s heyday. Rather, the 67-year old chose to dust off a career’s worth of oddball tracks to play a 17-song set, sprinkling half of 2007’s impressive Modern Times throughout, and topping the night off with a couple of fan favorites.
In predictable Dylan fashion, a dapperly-dressed band re-arranged every song in the set to sound more like the most recent Dylan release, Modern Times. This formula boded well for most of the performance, though it made for a tough time with a couple of songs.
Dubbed The Never Ending Tour, Dylan’s been playing shows with his current band since 2005. The group is anchored by bassist Tony Garnier, but its real strength is in Denny Freeman and Stu Kimball’s red-dirt guitar licks, allowing time for the old geezer to rest his voice.
And what a voice it is. Most find Dylan’s singing… difficult to listen to. In old age, it seems he can only manage to gasp out his wildcat yelps, sour-milk gurgles, and sandpaper gratings in small doses. This seemed to alter the song arrangement, with unfortunate effects on classics like “Positively 4th Street.” That great accusatory tone that made him famous just isn’t there anymore.
This isn’t to say that the show was terrible and boring. Despite nearing 70 years old, Dylan was incredibly entertaining to watch. After strumming an electric guitar on the opener, “Watching the River Flow,” he spent the rest of the evening blasting church organ rhythms from a keyboard facing his bassist. In between songs, he hilariously sauntered around stage, and could barely keep his head from bobbing all over the place.
Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
I was very close to attending this show (didn't because I've seen him before and I've spent way too much money this summer all ready on concerts) it looks like I didn't miss too much. Thanks for the review.
2 - albert Insinger
Unfortunately even the old mans voice of younger dylan years isn t there. Strange because he sang like an old man when he was young. But now old he can t sing in the old mans voice. It has to do with singing properly. If you sing properly you can pull it off at any age
3 - tony
Here's the thing... Bob could never really sing... he dosnt have a singers voice (at points in his career it almost seemed like he could sing) the strength in Dylan... through out his entire career and why thousands of fans still pay to see this man is his songs, his writing, his ability to change: himself, his arangments, and his writing style. I will go see dylan if he's touring at 80. Catch this legend now while you still can as when he's gone... the world will know that a HEAVYWEIGHT, a STAR in Writing, SONG, story and ART has just burned out!!!! DYLAN is the MAN... him and NEIL are the only two left!!
4 - BillyBOB on from the mountian
DYLAN ROCKS BRO-HAM!! SCREW DA HATERS! If Dylan is good blame it on a lousy crowd cause Dylan feeds off the energy in the CROWD...MONEY DOESNT TALK IT SWEARS!
5 - BillyBOB on from the mountian
IF DYLAN ISNT GOOD I MEAN... MA never did teach me to write so well. I LOVE DYLAN AND NEIL YOUNG!!!
6 - Mark Saleski
yeah, i used to love it when Dylan could throw down like Steve Perry.
7 - Bernie Martinez
If you wanna hear a good voice go see Queen!
8 - JC Mosquito
Now I really gotta hear Dylan singing Bohemian Rhapsody:
"MUH-maaa/
Ah jus' KHAILHED uh MAIHN/
Puhd uh GUH uhGAINS' his HAIDH/
Puhudduh TRIGGuh, now 'es duHAIDuh....."