RACCONTI DAL NEVER ENDING TOUR

(cronache dei fans in tournee' con Bob Dylan)

Terza Parte
 

BOB DYLAN IN THE GLOBE (STOCCOLMA)
By Stefano Catena

Ecco il resoconto del concerto di Bob a Stoccolma.

Arrivo nella città il giorno prima, penso di gustare
l'atmosfera Dylaniana, penso ad un concerto strepitoso
di Dylan dopo aver ricevuto il Polar Prize (mi
aspetto che ricompensi il pubblico). Ma andiamo con
ordine.
Sull'aereo prendo il giornale locale norvegese e vedo in
prima pagina una foto di Dylan assieme ad un tizio
di nome Stern scattata dal basso verso l'alto, e un'
altra di Dylan con in mano l'attestato incorniciato,lo
guarda con la sua solita aria da "menefregrismo" o e'
la foto che da questa impressione.
Prendo il pulman che mi porta in albergo, per le
strade nessun manifesto,ne' in periferia tanto meno
nel centro della citta'.
Giorno del concerto, mi avvio nel luogo dell'evento.
Controllo la cartina della metro c'e' una fermata
GLOBEN, mi dico "e' questa?..."
Scendo, pochi passi e trovo una sfera gigantesca
che si erge in un centro che sembra una cittadella
attorniata da locali a vari piani dove si puo'
mangiare,visitare musei,dove ci sono alberghi annessi.
Ci sono i soliti bagarini che ti vendono il biglietto
per il doppio (piu' di duecentomila lire).
Entro all'interno di questa sfera per prendere il
biglietto.
Il biglietto non ha nulla di particolare e' un semplice
cartoncino piu' piccolo di una carta di credito con
stampato sopra in norvegese il prezzo del concerto,il
settore,l'artista,data e ora del concerto.
Ore 19.30 inizio. In realta' inizia piu' tardi.
La gente a mano a mano affluisce,si entra, prendo
posizione ,tutti i posti sono numerati, e per la prima
volta mi trovo a vedere Bob lontantissimo
(praticamente sono sugli spalti del palazzetto) parte
destra.
Dico la prima volta perche' questo, pur essendo il 9°
concerto di Dylan che vedo, i precedenti li ho sempre
visti davanti al palco, sempre nelle prime due o tre
file.
Si spengono le luci e c'è la solita voce: "Ladies and
gentlemen......BOB DYLAN!...".
Da dove sono e' microscopico e i componenti mi sembrano
vestiti di scuro.Attacca con un set acustico;
francamente, pur seguendo Dylan dal 1983, a tutt'oggi,
avendo filmati vari di concerti e avendolo visto molte
volte, capisco che e' una serata no dalla prima song
(anche se a volte passano 3 o 4 songs prima
che il concerto decolli ). Per poter fare un raffronto
mi azzardo...
Quando ho visto Dylan sulle gradinate del Palazzo della civilta' e
del lavoro a Roma il
5 luglio 98 mi sono detto "wow! Dylan e' in forma
smagliante,grande voce,e musica".
Poi a Lucca il giorno successivo appena imbraccia la
chitarra elettrica attacca con una voce smorta,fiacca
e si vede subito che la serata non e' piu' quella di
Roma,canta svogliatamente, non un saluto, forse uno,
sembra che sta piu' di la che di qua', tant'e' che
essendo lì vicino strillo "FOOORZA BOB!!!! SUUUU!!!!"
(come a dire: "Mettici dentro gas, dai piu' energia!"). E se
non ricordo male sembra riprendersi dopo meta'
concerto con Highway 61 dove con sguardo fulmineo
imbraccia la chitarra verticalmente... ma siamo gia' a
fine concerto....
Ritornando a Stoccolma ho avuto la medesima
impressione di Lucca; il set acustico e'
piacevole, Dylan non si discute e' un maestro, il
capostipite, insuperabile, sa usare la chitarra acustica
penso in un modo tutto suo particolare.
Mbe' dalla 1a alla 7a song non mi entusiasma o sono le
songs che meno preferisco; ma quante volte abbiamo
sentite sempre le stesse nei concerti? Perche' non
cambia e ti fa' un'acustica, che so', di Emmet Till, o di
Hattie Carroll, o pesca You're a big girl now, o If you
see her say hello o Dirge o Wedding song sempre in
versione acustica ??
O e' Garnier, il bassista, che suggerisce, e Dylan le
esegue controvoglia... Mi ricordo sempre in ogni
concerto che ho visto che in ogni song Garnier si
rivolge a Dylan e al cento per cento gli dice cosa deve cantare.
Inizia il set elettrico (anche se non siamo nel
1966...prima acustico e poi elettrico) con Ballad of a
Thin Man e poi via via con THC molto meglio dal vivo
secondo me per concludere la serata con un Rock puro:
Maggie's Farm!!!!
Certo Dylan per me e' sempre Dylan ma secondo me
stiamo sempre li', l'innesto di Sexton ha portato
qualche cambiamento, la batteria sembra piu' decisa, il
bassista sarebbe il caso che cambiasse con un po' piu'
di ritmo (vi rimando a quello di Siviglia dove attacca All
along the Watchtower....vedetevi il filmato)
Qualcuno dice di mettere le tastiere MAGARI! e le
Coriste.
Invece Dylan ormai scorazza con questa band e sound da
anni e mi viene in mente di chiamarla "Garage Road
Band".
E Dylan certo non pretendo di vederlo come il 1987 o
1986 che gesticola a destra e a sinistra
ma basterebbe che durante un'esecuzione ritmata
alzasse le braccia mollando la chitarra elettrica per
un istante e facesse con le mani rivolte verso
l'alto one, two, three (tipo FARM AID); basterebbe
poco e il pubblico andrebbe in delirio.
E' molto probabile che ho preso la serata storta come
quella di Lucca!!
Sappiamo che alterna serate sì a serate no, spero che
quelle italiane siano tutte Sì sia per le songs
sia per il modo di comunicare o esternare energia
che solo Dylan sa' come fare e quando fare;
per le songs e' ovvio il discorso e' individuale e
soggettivo (per i Dylaniani intendo); c'e' a chi piacciono
certe songs a chi altre, ripeto il set di Stoccolma era
poco coinvolgente.
Stefano Catena

Ciao Stefano e grazie per il tuo racconto dal Neverending tour anche se a quanto pare il concerto di Stoccolma non è stato esaltante. Mi ha colpito la tua impressione secondo cui Tony "suggerisce" a Bob le canzoni... Non so cosa dirti... Io ho sempre pensato che la scaletta la decide Dylan e che al limite a Garnier si possono imputare certi suggerimenti per gli arrangiamenti... Qualcuno ha letto qualcosa al riguardo?
Sono d'accordissimo con te sul discorso "cambio canzoni" visto che alla lunga quelle che girano sono poi sempre le stesse... La tua osservazione sul fatto che Bob non si muova sul palco si inserisce nel dibattito che si sta sviluppando sulla posta di Maggie's farm circa la scarsa comunicatività di Bob (anche se il concerto che ho visto io a Zurigo lo ha visto un pò più euforico del solito...). Nuovo voto a favore per la tastiera e le coriste anche se credo che non le rivedremo più (ma mai dire mai...).
Napoleon in rags
 
 

Non e' il titolo di un cd,o di un libro di Dylan ma il
resoconto del concerto di Dylan il decimo che vedo.
Arrivo a Modena nel primo pomeriggio tempo di dare un
occhiata alla cittadina e mi avvio verso Piazza Grande.
Nella piazza ovviamente non si puo' entrare,guardo il
palco,e chiedo allo staff security da dove si entrera',mi dicono
la parte opposta da dove sono io.
Nel frattempo cambio il mio voucher con il biglitto e
mi avvio verso "l'entrata principale"che
altro non e' una piccola stradina,gia con dylaniani
davanti alle transenne che danno l'ingresso
alla piazza.
Si sta in piedi in attesa,o seduti ,alla mia sinistra
c'e' chi vende libri,foto,di Dylan
accanto ad un erboristeria.
Nel frattempo comincia ad annuvolarsi e scende qualche
goccia.Mbe' sara' una cosa passeggera.
Non ho nulla con con cui riparami,se non togliermi la
maglietta di Dylan che indosso
e metterla in testa.
Cosa che non faccio poiche' smette di piovere.
Si comincia ad entrare. Si forma la calca mi fiondo
sulla "fila" di sinistra,una corsa verso il palco e
sono tra i primi,al centro del microfono di Dylan,in
quarta fila.
Alzo la testa e il tendone che copre il palco si trova
quasi al termine della mia testa.
Il palco e' posizionato al centro,alla sua destra c'e'
l'ingresso ad una chiesa così credo,alla sua
sinistra che sovrasta dall'alto tutto il palco una
gigantesca Madonna.
Lo scenario e' spettacolare.
Verso le 7 comincia a piovere un inizio leggero,poi
arriva l'acquazzone che dura per dieci minuti
sempre piu' violento.
Ora i fortunati della terza fila hanno il tendone del
palco che li copre,io che sono in quarta fila e
quelli dietro di me stiamo sotto la pioggia sempre
piu' insistente.
Finalmente il "diluvio" si ferma dopo non so quanto
tempo.
Arrivano i poliziotti che ci dicono di andare indietro
perche' devono far defluire l'acqua che sta sopra il
tendone...(dopo che eravamo fradici), io mantengo come
gli altri la stessa posizione e gli diciamo
che l'acqua dal tendone non scende, di dietro,arriva
qualcuno dello staff che parlotta in un
microfono,alla fine "capiscono" che l'acqua sopra il
tendone defluisce da qualche altra parte del tendone.
Mbe' il palco di Dylan e' ben attrezzato!!!
Si attende, gli adetti ai lavori cominciano a
posizionare gli strumenti a collegare i cavi a provare
le luci, la soluta routine.
Verso le 9 di sera si comincia a strillare,chi grida
,chi dice FUORI! FUORI!
9 e un quarto, Ladies and Gentlemen.....BOB DYLAN!
(preciso come sul biglietto).
BOATO! tra applausi inizia la prima song che non
riconosco ma non fa nulla.
Dylan e' vestito di scuro con una cravatta,e una
giacca che gli arriva a meta' gamba
chiusa con enormi bottoni sul davanti.
Riesco a vederlo bene in viso, ha gli occhi
semichiusi. La voce e' abbastanza buona.
Alla fine della prima song in un lungo applauso e
urla,Dylan dice Thank yuouu,non
mi ricordo se prosegue con everybody's.
E poi ti snocciola le classiche che ho sentito e
risentito, (set acustico)
Masters of War ha il solito ritmo e il pubblico me
compreso ascoltiamo la song quasi in selenzio.
Mi sembra ben riuscita Tangled up in Blue,riuscita nel
senso che Dylan ci mette una maggiore
intensita' quasi che la "sente" in modo particolare.
Tra una song e l'altra si sistema i capelli,a fine
song tiene in mano la chitarrra gironzola qua' e la'
in un certo punto parlotta con Garnier muovendosi in
modo chaplinesco nell'occasione in cui sembra dire al
bassista che sorride "four".
Durante il concerto noto Sexton che tra una song e
l'altra si affretta ad avvicinarsi a Garnier e Dylan
forse o per la song,o in che nota va suonata,non so'.
Finito il set acustico al rientro credo si comincia a
strillare a Bob "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TOU"
e Garnier indica facendo un gesto con la mano come
dire e' gia' passato.
Il set elettrico e quello acustico ho l'impressione
che abbia lo stesso sound dei concerti passati
(1996 -1998), con un Dylan impeccabile
nell'esecuzione,ma stiamo sempre li'.
Ad eccezione di Can't wait che mi e' piaciuta
veramente, e Forever Young cantata da tutti e tre
assieme con Tangled up in Blue queste sono le tre song che ho
preferito per come sono state cantate e suonate.
Ascoltando Don't think Twice mi e' venuto alla mente
il filmato che ho visto di Dylan assieme a Eric
Clapton in occasione del Crossroad Benefit 30/6/99,e
li' Dylan si puo' notare che la song la "sente" la
canta in modo strepitoso,cosa che non fa' qui a
Modena,e credo che non fara' in seguito.
Like a Rolling Stone e Blowin in the Wind scivolano
via in quanto le ho sentite dal vivo parecchie volte
come del resto tutta la scaletta del concerto,come
Rainy day Woman 12 & 35
E' ovvio che che anche io da li' sotto
sbraito,applaudo,mi dimeno come sempre, Dylan e'
sempre Dylan.
Ma ad esempio Gotta serve Somebody sentita e risentita
perche' non la sostituisce con che so' una Slow
Train Coming? Perche' non pesca qualche cosa
dall'album "Empire Burlesque" ?
The Answer my Friend is Blowin' in the wind!
Con questa si conclude il concerto con un Dylan che a
fine song ci ringrazia mettendosi quasi in ginocchio.
Una curiosita' ho comprato il Poster, che mettero'
assieme a quello originale "the paradise lost tour"
quello con Patty Smith , che accompagna il Tour quello
a tinte blu e nero con Dylan in primo piano,
ho visto che e' stampato in Germania, e'
il poster ufficiale o e' una riproduzione?
 

P.S.
Ho comprato il giorno seguente il Giornale del 28
-5-2000 riporto alcune cose forse interessano o forse
no non so neanche se si possono riscrivere per il
fatto e' vietato riprodurrre etc etc...
dice testualmente.....quanto a ieri tutto e' rimasto
segreto fino a prima del concerto in omaggio
all'artista notoriamente gelosissimo della propria privacy.Si dice
tuttavia che nel proprio camerino Dylan abbia preteso
una bottiglia di lambrusco secco,nonche' alcune
vivande tipiche della cucina locale,gia' apprezzata
anche in occasione della citata esibizione bolognese
del 97.
Del tutto inutile ogni tentativo di parlare con il
maestro,di avvicinarlo anche per un istante.
Finito il concerto,ha lasciato il palco protetto da
guardie del corpo e musicisti,minuscolo fino a
scomparire in quella autentica quiete
umana.......l'unico con cui Bob parla,in questo
tour,e' Roberto De Luca,organizzatore del giro di
concerti italiano.

Stefano Catena
 
 

Ciao Michele,
Here are my reviews of Berlin and Dresden. I've made them for my friend in
the UK, so probably they will need some editing and shortening. Anyway, they
are yours. (You can put a note saying the full reviews are in "Under Your
Spell" - Polish Fanzine)

(Nota di Michele: Ok Artur. Lo hai appena fatto tu...)
 
 

I arrived there at 8am and rushed to the hostel, they told me the room was
not ready, but I could leave luggage, drink some coffee and have a shower.
After all that I went to see what the hell was Berlin Arena. I'd tried to
memorize the map on the train, but in practice I got lost. I went well into
West-Berlin, so I had to get back. I walked along the remaining piece of The
Wall and thought about all those unfortunate Poles who had died just trying
to be free...
Anyway, I cautiously crossed the wonderful bridge over the Spree river and
walked along the old canal. It took about 40 min on foot to get to the
venue. It wasn't really very impressive, but who cares. It's Bob and Bob
only. I walk around it and asked a guard where I could buy a poster. He
didn't know, but showed me the way to Arena Buero. I soon found the arrow
saying "Buero - 15m" I noticed that wasn't true. There was no door
welcoming would-be patrons. Then I found a taxi waiting for somebody. I
asked the driver about the buero, and he said that he had just come here
with a fellow looking for the buro. I wasn't alone. Soon I found a man who
asked me in broken English where he could get a ticket. I said I was looking
for a poster and couldn't find the entrance to the box office. So we started
walking around the arena. Jean-Claude from Luxembourg had never seen the
Gold Bob's buses, so I showed him the cars. I noticed one of them was
opened, so I ENTERED BOB'S BUS!!! I saw.. an empty space... no seats.. only
two armchairs, a table and an acousric Fender. the rest of the items were
covered by an angry man who suddenly appeared just before my eyes. He had
been cleaning the windows. and heavily told me off for entering the bus. He
didn't know if the show was sold out or where the posters were. Just a
driver.

We entered the Arena through "BACKSTAGE: Musicians Only" door. No one even
tried to stop us. There was a wonderful sight in front of us. It was like a
steel works in progress. They were building up the stage. Jean-Claude told
me that he would speak if they were Germans and I if they were British.
English workers hired by Bob.... I stopped a man holding an amp and ask
about posters and he told me "try that side of the stage". So we went there
and I addressed my question to a man holding nothing.
'Do you happen to know where can one get a nice poster or buy a ticket for
tonight's show, sir?'
'I'm not in charge of posters'
'What about tickets?'
'I'm not in charge of that either' I felt there was something wrong with the
man.
'What are you in charge of then'
'What???'
"What are you doing here?'
'Bob wouldn't like it if I told you' and he disappeared behind wooden boxes.
'a good man to hold a spot light.. after war... ' I thought

So were again at the taxi. I suggested that we should try every
door we see. I hadn't finished verbalising my idea when I was sniffed around
by a young German dog with a tennis ball which found its place right between
my feet. I heard a German phrase after that. I only got "Er willst spielen"
so I kicked the ball away. In vain. It was beck between my feet within
seconds. The man carrying water hose was the owner and told me not to play
with Max, because it/he would never let me go. I asked about the office and
the max's master showed door with "EXIT" on... We got inside and open the
door with "blah blah verboten". There was a man talking on the phone. I
asked him about tickets and posters and he said we were in the right place.
Jean-Claude got the ticket and I asked again about posters. The German said
they were not for sale, but for 20DM bribe I got two. No sooner had we left
the office than I realised I had the rarest poster I could buy!
The usual poster looks like the one on Pagel's site. The one I have is
b&w with Berlin 23.5.00 on. These were only for promotion. Yippie!
The next few hours were boring so I'll skip them. Hotel, brunch, swollen
feet, meeting the lady who bought me the ticket, paying her back for it in
the poster, videocassette and a bunch of cdrs... a walk to the venue again
at 17:00
The waiting was very exciting. I got the impression I am in minority of
people knowing the previous setlist and being able to discuss the vital
question what was going to be #1 that night... I entertained people standing
next to me with a handy set of quiz question by which I somehow joined
Poland to Europe of their minds. Then the gates opened. I ran most hurriedly
to the stage I knew so well. I was about 5 meters away from the stage and
only two people in front of me. That was really hot inside! Everybody
started to sweat and a few girls fainted. 'No one would here would survive
what I did at the Led Zep's show in Poland '98.. a band of pitiful german
wusses..' I thought. Then I heard a man standing next to me enumerating the
following cities: Danzig, Warschau und Krakau. I asked 'what about Krakow?
That's where I from!' He couldn't believe that! He said that the World is
growing so Bob could play there, and he and his girlfriend would have a
chance to see a bit of Poland. The first Germans with a positive attitude to
me and the country!!! They both were about 25 so there's still a chance for
that barbaric ancient tribe....
I got a glimpse on an old lady (65+) being led to the side of the stage
and well hidden in the Al Santos' box. a few minutes later the lights went
dim, some started blistering and I spotted two hats behind the amps... Tony
and David then Larry (smiling unlike in London) and for the very first time,
Charlie Sexton - dressed up like a squire - black suit with the collar of
white shirt over the suit, slightly showing his chest, his mouth half-open
and wet hair. I heard all the women sighing deeply...He looked as if he had
just ended a show for Buddy or Elvis... He didn't impressed me with his
playing...
Anyway after David sat behind the drums I clearly saw a disorderly set
hair movin' behind the amps. That was he. All in white. The same shoes that
he had in London '96. He looked as if he had been just waken up. Half-closed
eyes and slow movements. Then I saw the man who was "not in charge of
posters" plugging BOB's guitar and giving it to him! Bob went to the mike
and his sensational 4-piece band was ready. Al Santos did his duty and I
recognised the song probably as the first in the arena! glory,
glory,.glory!!! Somebody touched me! Bob was so bored and tired!
During the song I was puzzled by one thing: all the instruments looked
brand new. The reflex of the light was so clear... there was no finger
prints on any of the instruments! The sound was very clear, much better than
on tapes! and there was the feeling of uniqueness in the hall. This wheel
was in spin. The Times were better than in London, because Bob started
singing from Come gather.. and not from "where ever you roam"... Anyway that
was the third time I heard this one live, so my theory was still right -
Every time I see Bob he does The Times. The both songs to me then were about
5 seconds!. After the second song Bob took off the guitar and the "poster"
man changed something at the Bob's fender amp and disappeared.
Larry started the riff and I felt I was blessed. Bob seemed to have
awoken by that time, his eyes opened wide and eyebrows were jumping... his
mouth were producing distinct words while the band was playing quietly... 2
stanzas, chorus, 2 stanzas, chorus, 1 stanza, chorus! The band did a
mistake! Bob looked at Larry with fire in his eyes and kept on singing
stanza lines... During the last solo Bob was DANCING!!! I saw that - I can
die happily! After It's All Right, Ma, Bob looked at the cuesheet (on his
amp, not the floor) and talked to Tony - a last minute change! Someting
simple - if the band screwed Only Bleeding they would murder Delia - Bob
surely thought. Larry wasn't told the song! And looked terrifed, the smile
he had showed us after the applause to Sometimes Even the President Of the
USA musta to stand naked somehow ballanced Charlie's attempts to pick up all
the ladies. But he wasn't so self assured. Bob turned to the audience and
started the riff - tah....tah-tah-tah...tah-tah-tah...tah-tah-taaaaah... And
I recognised the song right away. Love Minus Zero. I really digged the
arrangement - very harsh - probably not on the cuesheet. After the song I
shouted at the top of my voice "Tangled Up In Blue" and... a miracle
happened! Bob took my request! After that I was poked into my kidney. A man
with long grey hair, a face of Dr Mengele's son, two microphones sticked to
his chest, earphones and a mini-disc in hand. Shouting someting in German -
then I realised I would be on a bootleg!!! I tried to be quiet, but had to
shout COUNRTY PIE....when the "I'm-not-in-charge-of-tickets-either" man was
giving Bob an electric Fender. To my surprise I heard Gotta Serve Somebody!
Totally different song to what we heard in London. You'll hear one day.
I was mesmerised by the Things Have Changed - beautifully arranged,
better than in the US, "The last 60 seconds" were 95 sec's but who cares!
During Watchtower and Not Dark Yet I could not whisper a word. Fantastic!
Watchtower with Larry on Steel pedal guitar and Bob and Charlie on lead
interchangably... and Not Dark Yet... I always wanted to hear this one....
Drifter's Escape... people standing in front of me turned round and then
asked me to tell them what the song was!!! Poland was officailly in the EEC!
You know the arrangement from the us tapes. Much better than the 1995 one I
think. And the HARMONICA at the outro! That's what I waited for! Then the
credits... "The greatest drummer ever! David Kemper - the best drummer I
ever worked with" thanks ev'rybody! And Pillbox hat started. Wow. After the
first stanza a leopard-skin pill-box hat was thrown to the stage! Bob looked
at it but didn't react. After the song bowed down a few times...
The band dissappears. Total blackout. I see the taper struggling with
his md-recorder I lit my watch light and he manages to press the right
button. I heard someting alike danke schoenn.... then the lights went
brighter and Bob with sweating nose came back.
Encores. The best Love Sick ever! Not only the music, but also Bob's
facial expression were excellent, as if he added "believe me, ladies and
gentlemen" after each line. Maybe it won't sound exceptional on the tape,
but mind you he looked my way every 30 seconds....His phrasing was very
convincing... He sang the lines "Did I hear someone tell a lie?" in one
breath
LARS. I always wanted to hear this one. Another dream came true. Not a
lazy as some call it version... Quite good rocking version. The best song
ever written on the Earth. He proved that again. Thanks Bob.
During Forever Young, something strange happened. Bob was looking in the
space far off in on the right side. Everyone at the stage looked there too -
I'm sure there was nothing there - just blackness. Bob looked at the
audience and looked there again. I thought he was playing a trick with his
fans, I smiled and nodded my head in amazment. Bob answered with a smile.
He's a joker, man, I'm telling you! And I'm sure he saw my excited face. Bob
was in a really good mood. He started smiling and jumping sweating heavily.
Ooops, I forgot to say. Bob looked at the blonde girl in the first row
singing "You forgot to close your garage door" as if with a grudge and then
smiled and gave her an eye!!!
Maggie's Farm. I swear I though that was Tombstone Blues. Just the first
few chords were identical! Throughout the song Bob was swaying in his knees
as John Lennon used to. Then one of my favourites, Don't Think Twice, then
RDW.. Bob was smiling and jumping from Larry to Tony... I knew the 19th song
was inevitable. I put down in my note book - "19. Blowin' In The Wind" and
showed it to the people standing next to me. The second encore was...
Blowin'.. "How did you know?" "How many songs?" "neunzehn?" "Is it usual?"
I was answering the question for the entire song, so I don't remember it
very well. The highlights were: Somebody Touched Me / Gotta Serve Somebody /
Things Have Changed / Drifter's Escape / Love Sick / Don't Think Twice,
It's All Right
125 min. A must-have show. I will do anything to get the cdrs. After the
show people kept on reading my notes... someone brought me a 0.5l of Cola.
That's what I needed (how come Germans were so kind to me?)
I ran to the souvenir stand and got the last poster. Fortunately there were
some more outside the venue. But, believe me 250 posters per show ain't no
lie. I have three of them...

Berlin was the best show I've ever seen. Here's my ranking:

1. Berlin 23.5.00
2. Krakow 17.7.94
3. Dresden 24.5.00
4. London 27.6.98

Artur Jarosinsky
 
 

I Was At Bob's Birthday Bash In Dresden, May 24, 2000 (Where Were You?)

I first spotted a man wearing and selling such T-Shirts in Berlin. That's
what they have on the back. The front had: "On the night like this." Cheap
nasty pirates! 20DM each! Anyway, I went to the Berlin Ostbahnhof to get me
a ticket _nach Dresden_. Of course, no one spoke English there. For Bob's
sake I speak German too. When I opened the train door I saw... a group of
people standing next to me last night in Berlin Arena!

It takes two hours to get to Dresden from Berlin. All that time I was
thinking what the first song was going to be... gotta be something in
Blackjack Davey's whistling kind: loud and merry. I'm Ready To Go? nah...
Time would tell me...

I was to meet my Polish friend at the hotel, then get to the room, unpack,
and get ready for the show. We decided to go to the venue immediately. What
was really shocking was that there was one one Bob Dylan poster in Dresden.
At least we didn't see any others. When we get to the gate there were all
manner of posters but Bob Dylan's. I felt I was waiting for Bon Jovi or a
festival...

Anyway, after a couple of quarters when heard kissing guitars being plugged
in. Minutes to come presented a set of really weird riffs, including the
Tell Me That It Isn't true riff from the record, and not played in the USA!
So the rehearsal had begun. It lasted for a lil' bit over 60 minutes, and
included two takes of Things Have Changed with Larry singing (more details
in UYS #4). I saw the taper from last night, but not taping, so probably the
only record of the rehearsal was in my notebook...

When the gate opened, once again I forgot about my friends and took care
after myself. I felt somehow obliged to let an Italian lady first, but No
More! I run most hurriedly to the stage and to my surprise I got even closer
than last night! I stood between two men, and had a lovely sight on the
entire stage over their shoulders. Soon my Polish friend found me and the
Dutch ladies followed. There was about 90 minutes to the scheduled showtime
(for the gates they'd been opened earlier than 19:00!). To kill time we
started chatting. I must have sounded really strange to hear Polish in the
capital of German skin-head movement. After some minutes I was asked:
"Where are you from? Czech? Poland?"
"Poland." Said I, proud beneath heated brow.
"Really? That's good!" said a German with his harsh voice.
"Really. 10 hours by train."
"That's a long journey... You know, I know one man in Poland. He is a Dylan
collector, has lots of interesting things and is doing a Bob Dylan database.
He's name is Artur JAROCINTSKI. Do you know him??"
My friend almost fainted. I couldn't stick a name to that face crowed
with a Dylan baseball.
"Well, that's me. I am Artur Jarosinski." I said cautiously.
"Impossible! I'm Thomas Eckhardt, I..." I interrupted him here with:
"I know you! you have answered my Isis ad! How are you doing?!?"
"Right, we had our ads in the same issue! Oh well I can't believe that...
Artur Jarosinski... You know last year Bob was playing in Germany in
Muenchen '99, I met a man from Argentina whom I had known only via e-mail
corresponding... What a day!"
"You answered my questions about lyrics. I'm still hunting for some from
that list..."
"I cannot help you sorry. You have too much. Great collection... What about
that Database?..."
and the conversation was rolling on... at one point he did a very
embarrasing thing. Namely, he got on his toes and shouted, "Artur Jarosinski
aus Polen ist hier!"... My Polish friend congratulated me on being so
famous, still bewilderedly standing next to me with eyes agape.
All the discussion stopped when we get a glimpse of Mr Campbell on
stage grabbing an acoustic guitar. He was warmly welcomed just by a group of
enthusiasts. He smiled and vanished in the air behind bass amps... then a
lame Asian guy came on the stage and tuned up Tony's bass and Sexton's
electric guitar... For the second time I shouted "Maggie's Farm" and this
time he turned around to see who that freak was.
Another quater passed by, and the "not-in-charge-of-posters" man brought
Bob's acoustic Gibson. Big Jim checked the mikes and a man who must be Al
Santos hid in his partition. We were minutes away from Bob singing on his
birthday.
It was relatively bright, so when the lights went down no one really
understood IT WAS THE TIME. I saw a white Stetson walking out of behind the
stage, so I knew that David was the first member of the band to appear. Then
Tony, Larry, Charly... and BOOOOBB DDYYYLLLLAAAAN. All in black with a white
belt and Al Capone style (black and white) cowboy shoes. He got a grab of
the guitar and...
GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...
I am a rovin' gambler... we heard and I felt like a traitor! I'd had a
deckacards with me in Berlin to throw on the stage if the song is on first.
Now I had left the cards in hotel! I still wonder what would have happened
if a deck of cards landed between Bob's legs during the "whereven I meet
with a deck of cards I lay my money down" line... It was too late. I missed
the opportunity of my life.
Only when Song To Woody started had I realised Bob was looking the same
way as in Berlin - sleepy and tired. The song made me pround of being his
fan - who else wouldn't be afraid to play own song writted 40 years ago?
The following next songs, Masters, Mama, Tangled, were more than known
by heart so I had a time to look around the open air theatre... People tried
to sing happy birthday every time a song ended, but in vain - for Bob hit
the strings again (Does he used nylon ones now?) and another song started.
Next, from what I had considered a violin case, Larry took off a
mandolin. To Ramona. The harmonica played its skeleton keys in the sunshine!
It's not an old crooner song. That's a masterpiece! What way "Making you
feel that you must be exactly like them" should be inferior to "I try my
best to be just like I am, But everybody wants you to be just like them."???
Electric set started off with Country Pie. I couldn't believe Bob was
playing that song. Although I saw it on my video tape from Zurich 6.5.00, I
just couldn't believe my hero was singing a ditty with "Saddle me up my big
white goose / Tie me on 'er and turn her loose." That was his birthday...
Bob and Bob only... the next song was "new" Can't Wait - slower, more
beautiful, like a new song. I felt it with my entire body. That was the
highlight so far, Outshined even the harp solo on Ramona. That would have
been the best minutes of my life if not for a man who had been elbowing his
way to the stage shouting "Geschenk fuer Bob!" Three bottles of expensive
wine appeared before my eyes. "Hilf mir blah blah..."I heard. I dragged the
man in front of me and let him have a foothold on my hands. Minutes later he
was on stage confronted with a huge guard. He hadn't had a chance. He had it
coming. With one arm the poor man was thrown to the side. Al l he managed to
do was leaving the wine on stage and pushing it towards Bob. I never heard
of him later. Bob cuddled at the amps, but bravely hit with guitar and it
cried the Memphis Blues riffs. A lady next to me threw a teady moose (ooops,
I think Bob'd call it an elk) on stage and Bob burst with laughter...
He must have seen the wine, because the next song was Tom Thumb. "I
started out on burgundy / But soon hit the harder stuff"... Then Drifter,
Leopard and... Happy Birthday Dear Bobby... The encores started with Bob
smiling and thanking for our singing. Instead of Love Sick the loudspeakers
smashed with Thin Man. By that time I had my theory ready. Bob was playing
the song I missed in Krakow '94 because of Rain. All I needed was It Ain't
Me which pop out later that night. During the choruses to Forever Young
there were 6000 index fingers pointing Bob. Highway 61 closed the first
encore set. All that time I was thinking about his father. Is he the
character from the first stanza? Abraham Zimmerman? And what was the link
between bored roving gambler and the one from the opener? Hmm.. and I
wonder.
The last song was Blowin'. Every one sang along. After that Bob came
back alone on the stage and said "Thanks for coming to my birthday show.
I'll remember that". Everybody was hoping for 20th song, but technicians
were ready to pack up the equipment for the trip to Regensburg... Bob's
birthday bash was over. I was there. Where were you?

Artur Jarosinski

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è  una produzione
TIGHT CONNECTION
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