I'm going to my first Bob Dylan show

[Tobin S.]

He's playing at the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio (near Dayton) on August 5th. We already have tickets and really good seats. He's Jen's favorite musician. I'm not really hooked on him yet, but I like the big hits and I'm always up for some live music. Have you ever seen Dylan live? What did you think?

[Heidi]

1. Please ask Jen to blow him a kiss for me.

I'm a huge fan of Dylan's work (music and painting), plus I think he has about the most lovely blue eyes ever (yeah, I'm shallow like that).

Here's of my birthday gifts last year from CMW:

[Tobin S.]

2. I sure will

I wouldn't be surprised to see Jen rush the stage, hop over his piano, and give him a big ol' bear hug. :D She loves him, too. I saw a documentary about Dylan one time and I guess he was about 65 at the time it was filmed. He seems to get better looking with age.

[jme0318]

7. Unfortunately....

I'm not in very good shape to be able to do something like that - plus - he has people who will take you down just for looking at him a certain way... He's beautiful though...

[alphafemale]

3. What can I say? He's a living legend. Yes. Absolutely go see him.

But he's not umm, exactly a "performer." In fact, it was almost as if he regarded the audience with contempt.

It was the strangest concert I've ever attended. He never acknowledged the audience or introduced the band members or anything.

[Tobin S.]

4. That's what Jen was saying

She's seen him many times and says he just comes out and plays and rarely says anything between songs.

[alphafemale]

5. I saw him several years ago.

My impression was that after all these years that maybe he has some kind of social anxiety.

[jme0318]

8. The first time I saw him....

My aunt was with me - and the only thing he said was "thank you" - although he did introduce his band that night... but my aunt - who is a huge fan - said "we should be thanking him!"... which is true...

He could just stand up there and I would think it was the most wonderful thing I have ever seen - or heard!

The last time I saw him - I was in the front row. The incense were starting to get to me.

[retread]

6. When we saw him last year it was all new stuff and the few old tunes were reworked enough

to be unrecognizable. He was friendly with the audience and inserted several sly jokes, tipped his hat to applause, and introduced individual members of the band during the encore. The band he toured with was excellent and both of us enjoyed the evening. I was amazed by his energy and enthusiasm. The show started early and ended at 10. Perfect, considering the average age of his audience, not to mention his!

[jme0318]

9. Leon Russell - special guest performer

Tobin S. forgot to mention that...

I have seen him with Willie Nelson - John Mellencamp (who should be thrilled he was asked to be on the same stage...) Merle Haggard and Amos Lee... Now Leon Russell... I would like to see Van Morrison at some point.

[DFW]

10. I saw him a few years ago here in Germany

His musicianship was inferior to mine (though I'll never match his lyrics in a thousand years).
It was the biggest letdown I've had in a long time.
I respect the man, I respect the legend. I did not respect the show he put on.

[graywarrior]

11. Tell him I'm still high from the night we spent together on Nov 20, last year

[abq e streeter]

12. Big Dylan fan here, Tobin...

Seen him 3 times. All three great (especially the opening night of his '74 "comeback" tour with The Band which was truly amazing). It helped ,I think, that I was so familiar with all his earlier stuff (and regrettably, only some of his more recent music)...I have also heard others off and on over the years (including the last time he was here) who are big fans come home disappointed at a what they perceived as a lackadaisical show. My best advice is to listen to a lot of his best stuff, which Jen can (and I guess already has begun to) recommend to you, and I am always open to giving recommendations if asked. Just soak it up in situations where you're relaxed, undistracted, and really listening. I don't know what this concert will be like. I , who have always been a staunch defender of his singing as being exactly appropriate for what he wrote, have even found his singing lately to be difficult to listen to sometimes. But I'm glad you're going. Any chance to see a living legend (and who deserves to be considered one) should not be passed up. I just hope you don't base your whole impression on him and what he has contributed, on one performance as a 70 year old, and that you give him a chance to work his magic into you via his records/CD's etc on your own time . That said, I hope you do enjoy the show. He's coming here this summer too and I need to get my tickets if it hasn't sold out (???) but with the knowledge that it may or may not be musically exhilarating at this point.

Ron

[Tobin S.]

13. 10-4, Ron

Yeah, I think Jen has everything he ever made. If I can do anything, I can listen and I have heard some of his less well-known stuff. I think he's been over in Europe recently and we looked at some of the play lists from over there. He's been playing stuff that is recognizable to me as well as some more obscure songs. Jen will get me ready to go, I'm sure. I think it will be amazing just to see him perform- 70 year old raspy voice and all. :)

[hibbing]

14. Hey Tobin

Hi,
I have seen him probably 20 or so times. They have all varied, some have been great, some have been horrible. I have found the smaller the venues he is in the better the show. As much of a fan of his, I told myself after the last one I saw that I will not go see him again and I will stick with the good live bootlegs I have and the official recordings. One consistent thing about him is his bands are always GREAT, so enjoy the music and I hope you both have a good time.

Peace

[Hayabusa]

15. Saw him a year ago

August 7th, I believe of last year. He put on a good show, but there were a lot of jerks in the crowd where I was who wanted him to a: play a guitar more than one song and b: play the older stuff.

I didn't mind. At the point, I didn't know a whole lot of the songs, but I really enjoyed the show. My mom said she even liked what she heard from the parking lot when she came to pick me up (got there really early).

[7wo7rees]

16. Saw him with The Dead about 15 years ago at RFK

The band was fantastic. He was energetic and engaging. I'll never prefer the Hendrix version of "All Along The Watchtower" over his again.

I later picked up the album Time Out of Mind because Daniel Lanois produced, and it performs beautifully as a starter album (at least for me).
More blues than folk, Elvis Costello said it was Bob's best. Won three Grammys, including AOY.

[struggle4progress]

17. Saw him once about 35 years ago