Well, this was the polar opposite experience of the Nick Cave concert, in that Cave contorted himself both body and soul to interact and connect with the audience, while I'm not sure if Bob Dylan actually knew we were there. When I read KOL's statement in the Dylan music thread, "It is like Dylan and the song are alone together. Like the audience and the band have disappeared. Like time has stopped," I wondered what it would look like and now I don't, except by and large he was very aware of his band. It seemed like the 2,000 plus audience members were allowed to sit in on one of their jam sessions and the only time the fourth wall broke, was after the encore when the band all stood in a line and Dylan struck his signature, sea legs, hand on hip pose,
and took in the admiration of the audience. I do need to say, this was my experience from the second tier, so I don't know what kind of eye contact he was making with the up close audience. But here's the thing, I don't think I'd have it any other way. While other bands are pumping up the audience, Dylan's is letting their music do the talking. With a take it or leave it attitude, they do their expert thing and the hall goes into a type of dulcet, Dylan hypnosis, only to pull out of it, as suddenly the band is no longer on stage. Luckily they come back for two more songs, so as to seal the deal.
SetlistThings Have Changed
It Ain't Me, Babe
Highway 61 Revisited
Why Try to Change Me Now (Cy Coleman cover)
Summer Days
Melancholy Mood (Frank Sinatra cover)
Tryin' to Get to Heaven
This Nearly Was Mine (Rodgers & Hammerstein cover)
Honest With Me
The September of My Years (Frank Sinatra cover)
Pay in Blood
Tangled Up In Blue
Early Roman Kings
Soon After Midnight
Desolation Row
Thunder on the Mountain
Autumn Leaves (Yves Montand cover)
Long and Wasted Years
Encore:
Blowin' in the Wind
Ballad of a Thin Man
A word about Mavis! Or maybe three.
Freedom, love and understanding!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4bFasgr56AThree more words: She's a delight!