Bob Dylan - has he/will he ever play?

[Superscally]

I could imagine how amazing this would be on a hot Sunday evening as the sun went down or as a main headliner. Has he played before? Will he ever do so again?

[mozzy]

Played in 98. Was even worse than the weather. And that's from the perspective of a Dylan fan (his 2nd night at Brixton in 05 was one of the best gigs I've seen).

[DiscoDolly]

Played in 98. Was even worse than the weather. And that's from the perspective of a Dylan fan (his 2nd night at Brixton in 05 was one of the best gigs I've seen).

[tylerdurden]

why do people alwaysssss ask for dylan

hes SHIT live

even worse at a festival.

[Superscally]

why do people alwaysssss ask for dylan

hes SHIT live

even worse at a festival.

[beamends]

Being a huge Dylan fan I finally saw him at the NEC - the biggest disappointment ever. I'd rather he didn't appear than have to put up with 'Er Indoors saying "see, I told you so".

[Aphex's twin]

Saw him in 98 and really wish I hadn't. It was painful.

[Guest Flip]

Hes a poor mans Donovan!!

[marktea]

I have seen Bob live many times. There have been some incredible nights and there have been some that I have enjoyed less. What he has ALWAYS been in varying measures is interesting, challenging, frustrating, exhilarating, unpredictable, unique and uplifting. The thing is you just don't know what you are going to get. He has been around for so long and is such a chamelion that the best thing is to blank out any preconceptions and expectations. At the moment he is on good form live and is getting some great reviews.

The other thing you have to remember is that there is noone else out there with a back catatlogue to match his so there are no guarantees about what you will get or indeed how he will play any given song. As an illustration, here are the two setlists from his gigs in Stockholm on Sunday and Monday this week:

Sunday 22 March:

1. Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)

(Bob on keyboard)

2. Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power) (Bob on keyboard and harp)

3. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (Bob on keyboard and harp)

4. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again

(Bob on keyboard)

5. Tryin' To Get To Heaven (Bob on keyboard and harp)

6. Things Have Changed (Bob on keyboard)

7. Watching The River Flow (Bob on guitar center stage)

8. Blind Willie McTell (Bob on keyboard)

9. I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)

(Bob on keyboard and harp)

10. I Believe In You (Bob on keyboard and harp)

11. Honest With Me (Bob on keyboard)

12. Billy (Bob on keyboard and harp)

13. Summer Days (Bob on keyboard)

14. All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard)

(encore)

15. Cry A While (Bob on keyboard and harp)

16. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)

17. Forever Young (Bob on keyboard and harp)

Monday 23 March:

1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Bob on keyboard)

2. Lay, Lady, Lay (Bob on guitar)

3. Tangled Up In Blue (Bob on keyboard)

4. Chimes Of Freedom (Bob on keyboard)

5. High Water (For Charley Patton) (Bob on keyboard)

6. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again

(Bob on keyboard)

7. Love Sick (Bob on keyboard)

8. Desolation Row (Bob on keyboard)

9. Rollin' And Tumblin' (Bob on keyboard)

10. Make You Feel My Love (Bob on keyboard)

11. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)

12. One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below) (Bob on guitar)

13. Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard)

14. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)

(encore)

15. All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard)

16. Spirit On The Water (Bob on keyboard)

17. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on keyboard)

I have no idea what he would do if he played Glastonbury again but it would be unlikely to be a 'greatest hits singalong' type performance even if he did play his most famous songs. Bob would just get up there, do his thing and go. Many would absolutely love it, many would absolutely hate it, but I for one would never miss it. We use the word legend too much, but this guy is one.

[CardiffWanderer]

At the moment he is on good form live and is getting some great reviews.

[The Nal]

Im seeing him in May, that 2nd gig above looks right on the money.

Although Im not a fan of that "Bob on keyboard" stuff. Ive never seen him play guiitar!

Edited March 26, 2009 by The Nal

[marktea]

So glad to hear this - we're going to see him in Cardiff next month and this gives me more hope of a decent night! (Though I'm aware that nothing is certain where live Dylan is concerned.)

Edited March 26, 2009 by marktea

[beamends]

I have seen Bob live many times. There have been some incredible nights and there have been some that I have enjoyed less. What he has ALWAYS been in varying measures is interesting, challenging, frustrating, exhilarating, unpredictable, unique and uplifting. The thing is you just don't know what you are going to get. He has been around for so long and is such a chamelion that the best thing is to blank out any preconceptions and expectations. At the moment he is on good form live and is getting some great reviews.

The other thing you have to remember is that there is noone else out there with a back catatlogue to match his so there are no guarantees about what you will get or indeed how he will play any given song. As an illustration, here are the two setlists from his gigs in Stockholm on Sunday and Monday this week:

<snip list>

[BonnetBird]

When I saw him, every line of every song was sung in a monotone with a raised bit on the end - rather like the way Austrailians talk. He actually murdered his own songs, and there was about as much passion as a very bored person in a bus queue.

[William of Walworth]

Saw him in 98 and really wish I hadn't. It was painful.

[lee60]

The worst part about seeing him in 98 was the fact that I missed half of Doctor John's set on the Jazz stage. Now he really kicked ass!

[sifi]

I've got tickets to the roundhouse gig too, and I'm actually very nervous about the whole business. It's my first time of seeing him.

Marklea - One More Cup of Coffee? Marvellous. I'd love to hear that one live.

As far as Glasto goes, Eavis said that they "would have to have Dylan back at some point" in last year's Q magazine festival review thing. I think he did anyway, he said it somewhere.

I've been trying to work out what would be my ideal Bob set-list.

I've got it down a nice, cosy 65 tracks at the moment. And there isn't any room for Blowin' in the Wind in that number. I'd be made up if he played Stuck inside a mobile with that Memphis blues again mind.

Edited March 26, 2009 by sifimaster

[William of Walworth]

To be fair, if Bob came back to Glastonbury, I'd definitely give him another chance. I keep hearing that recent live performances from him have been mostly dire, but not all --- you might get a lucky break with catching him on a good night, and he could hardly be worse at Glasto than he was in 1998.

I'm sure he won't come this year, but 2010, 40th anniversary of the first Glastonbury, might be a good moment.

[marktea]

I've got tickets to the roundhouse gig too, and I'm actually very nervous about the whole business. It's my first time of seeing him.

[sifi]

The set-lists you posted look incredibly different. Of the two, I think I'd prefer the second one, but there are some absolute belters in the first one too. Summer Days, Forever Young and Señor for starters.

[marktea]

The set-lists you posted look incredibly different. Of the two, I think I'd prefer the second one, but there are some absolute belters in the first one too. Summer Days, Forever Young and Señor for starters.

Edited March 26, 2009 by marktea

[sifi]

The Oslo set-list sounds interesting too.

As I said, my dream-set list would be around sixty to seventy odd songs long!

[marktea]

The Oslo set-list sounds interesting too.

As I said, my dream-set list would be around sixty to seventy odd songs long!

Edited March 27, 2009 by marktea