I saw Bob Dylan...

[LuckyCharms]

In the year 2000 (I think, maybe 2001, not sure) in Canandaigua NY at an outdoor venue. He opened for Phil Lesh.

I went to this show by myself and stayed overnight at a nearby hotel after the show. It was about a 160 mile drive for me, one way.

It was still daylight out, and most people were still outside of the venue gates.

I somehow managed to score a second row ticket. I got to my seat way early, and was just sitting there drinking a soda when Dylan came on stage. There was no one sitting around me when he came out. He walked out with his band and they started tuning a bit. Dylan kind of casually looked out into the audience and probably took note of how empty it currently was.

Then he locked eyes with me and gave me a quizzical look. I don't want to exaggerate, but we probably looked at each other for maybe 3 or 4 seconds...which is a long time to have Bob Dylan looking at you. He then gave me a crooked little smile, turned his back to the audience toward his bandmates, and they started the first song. My guess is that I looked like someone he knew personally.

I've seen him 4 or 5 times in concert, but never this close to the stage. Sometimes the experience was underwhelming, but this show was good. I think Larry Campbell might have been in his band at that time? He always played with stellar musicians.

So here's a little bit shaky close-up video of Dylan at another show that same year. This was 25 years ago, and he was considered old then, and his voice was unliked by some. But I'll tell you, it's really something watching him perform up close. I personally love his voice, even in his later years. I love this song. And no matter what I or anyone else thinks of his voice, this man can bring me to tears.

[underpants]

1. We saw him 2 years ago

It was probably the worst concert I’ve ever seen. The band was good but he I couldn’t understand anything he sang. Zero crowd interaction. The one song they played that I knew was “Watchibg the River Flow” (Richmond specific I guess) and I could barely recognize it.

Hey, I saw Dylan.

[LuckyCharms]

3. At one of his shows, 1999 I think...it was pretty bad.

I don't know, he seemed to have a chip on his shoulder or something during that show. I thought it sucked. And we had bad seats also.

Saw him at the same venue though a few years later. We were sitting in seats behind the stage. Natalie Merchant opened for him. This time, Dylan seemed like a different person. Very gracious, and he made sure to frequently acknowledge the people in the cheap seats behind the stage.

His shows were always hit or miss. The Canandaiguia show was really good. It felt different being able to see him up close.

[Walleye]

2. I saw him perform in Wilmington, Delaware in 2004 at a club called Kahunaville

He had some connection to the owner and played for about 1000-2000 people that night. He was standing at the keyboards the whole time David Bromberg was sitting off stage during the entire concert. Bromberg had just moved to Wilmington. It was the easiest concert ever went to is, about 3 miles from my home, and I didn’t have to stand in line. I don’t know where I heard about it. I went with a friend, and I was amazed at the young kids that knew all the words to Dylan’s songs

[LuckyCharms]

4. I saw Bromberg open for Hot Tuna in 1975, and he amazed me.

So Bromberg just watched the whole show without joining him?

Your story reminds me of the time I saw Frank Zappa locally. Only a few miles away. Venue holds about 8,000, and only about 1,500 people showed up. Still, an amazing show.

[unblock]

5. Saw him when he toured with tom petty

Ton petty and the heartbreakers were amazing. Solid rock, deviated from the studio versions but still perfectly executed.

Dylan was... I'll say he fully deserved his Nobel, he's an amazing songwriter. But an amazing performer he is not.

Some performers have polarizing voices -- people either love or hate them. I love Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello. I hate rod stewart and bob dylan. And I know people for who it's exactly the other way around. To each his own.

Voice aside, Dylan was having an off night I assume. Pitch was off, timing was a mess, forgot the lyrics at least a couple times.


Had a similar experience seeing the pretenders. They were awesome. Iggy pop was up first. Ugh. Legendary in his own right, but not a good performance at all.

[LuckyCharms]

6. I can't really explain how i feel about Dylan concerts...

I guess if I didn't know the lyrics to most of his songs, I would say he sucked as a performer. But his lyrics pull something out in me.

Mick Jagger thought that Dylan had an amazing voice. I thought so too when Dylan was younger. Amazing. Now it's far from amazing, but there's something that stirs my emotions with his songs.

Kind of like Tom Waits, I guess. I don't think anyone would say that Waits has a good voice, or is an amazing performer...but Waits does it for me too.

[Niagara]

7. Holy fuck, Lucky

You're really going to get the Bob Dylan bashers whipped into a crazed frenzy! lol



My clients wife first saw Dylan in a bar when he was just an unknown musician. She never forgot seeing him. She said he was unstable sitting in a chair and then he picked up his guitar and started to play.


She got to see him a few times after that after he become well-known.


She does repeat this story often to me and that's okay with me!