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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsI saw Bob Dylan...
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
(194,687 posts)It was probably the worst concert Ive ever seen. The band was good but he I couldnt 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
(21,567 posts)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
(43,758 posts)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 didnt have to stand in line. I dont 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 Dylans songs
LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)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.
Walleye
(43,758 posts)Yes, Bromberg just sat off stage and listened. He hadnt really gotten back into the music scene yet after moving to Wilmington.
unblock
(55,876 posts)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
(21,567 posts)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.
unblock
(55,876 posts)He can actually sing pretty well when he wants to, listen to "I'm on fire" for example. But mostly he has a rough, voice that isn't a classically great singing voice, but it works amazingly well with the songs he writes -- rough, blue collar, suffering endless adversity yet standing tall and proud and finding some peace and happiness along the way.
Dylan's lyrics are indeed powerful, but I don't connect them with his voice. I'd just rather hear Adele sing "make you feel my love" than Dylan, for example.
LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)I love Bruce, and think he's a wonderful singer. Not because his voice is perfect, but because of what his voice evokes.
That's the way I like my music...
I'm a huge Grateful Dead fan. I've seen them live around 100 times, give or take. And I've suffered through some bad shows. But that's why I love them. They take chances that sometimes don't work out well. But when they had an "on" night, they would blow my mind and leave me stunned.
unblock
(55,876 posts)A former neighbor of mine used to be their road chef. She said there was always a couple of buses and a caravan of fans who would follow them the entire tour.
Niagara
(11,441 posts)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!
LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)and tell her that I'm jealous!
Here's a hug for you too. Thank you for the story!
quaint
(4,620 posts)I saw him four times with the Dead but I just dumped the ticket stubs...

LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)I only saw them on stage together once. I think in 1986? Orchard Park, NY (Buffalo).
Thanks for the pics of the stubs! I'll post a picture of mine someday. Here's a pic of my stub from the infamous Cornell (Barton Hall) show, 5/8/77.
I have the pic because I needed money one time, so I put it up on eBay as a best offer I think. Someone offered me something like $250 for it? I decided not to sell it and took down the listing.

quaint
(4,620 posts)The first time I heard that Dylan quote was Anaheim 1987 but he repeated it several times over the years.
Wow, there are times I would have sold my soul for $250.
Gonna keep all my New Year's stubs as my emergency fund.
LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)I have so many stories about all of the shows that I've been to. I bet you do too
I want to write a book about it some day.
if you have any good Grateful Dead recollections, Id love to read them.
Here's Dylan talking about Jerry Garcia's passing:
"Theres no way to measure his greatness or magnitude as a person or player. I don't think eulogizing will do him justice. He was that great, much more than a suburb musician, with an uncanny ear and dexterity. He is the very spirit personified of what ever is muddy-river country into the spheres. He really has no equal. To me he wasnt only a musician and friend, he was more like a big brother who taught and showed me more than hell ever know. There are a lot of spaces and advances between the Carter family, Buddy Holly and, say, Ornette Coleman, a lot of universes, but he filled them all without being a member of any school. His playing was muddy, awesome, sophisticated, hypnotic and subtle. Theres no way to convey the loss. It just digs really deep down.
quaint
(4,620 posts)If you include performances by Jerry's, Bobby's, Phil's bands, and Furthur and count each show (some Oakland New Year's runs were five shows), I've been to around 300 so it is hard for me to separate memories. I'll let the thought sit and maybe remember something interesting instead of just different.
The CalExpo shows were always during really hot weather and they had open showers in the camp for us. Being Dead Heads, most of us, fat or thin, young or old, got naked for the showers. The complex is controlled by the California Exposition and State Fair Police who do it there on horseback. They perhaps enjoyed the public nudity because when someone complained, they said there was no problem and they were watching to make sure no grab ass.
One year at the Eel River (one of my favorite places, why my avatar is a poster) KOA campground, some dude was too many beers in and hitting on his lady. He was loud, we all saw and 20-30 Heads almost simultaneously circled the couple and my hubby and his friend led the dude away to calm and coffee him. It was a cosmic moment.
Once at Irvine Meadows I was unknowingly dosed but it wasn't until Drums that I figured out the steps were not flattening in reality so I did not need to hold onto my aisle seat with both hands to keep from sliding into the orchestra pit. My concert behavior may need refining.
More some time...
LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)How the heck do you do 300 shows????? Damn!
Jerry Garcia Band. 1983. Early show and late show. Had 2nd row tickets for the early show. Same 2nd row for the late show, only a few seats over.
Early show...some woman was tripping hard. I got in my seat. She calmly walked up to me and sat on my lap. I had no idea who she was. I didn't exactly want her sitting on my lap, but she was tripping so hard, I didn't want to ruin her trip...so she sat on my lap for the WHOLE SHOW.
She sat on some other woman's lap during the second show.
quaint
(4,620 posts)I saw maybe a dozen shows in the 60s and 70s. When I was 32 my son started college. I met my later to be husband of 33 years when we both were able to take long weekends. I took care of my MIL and when she passed we learned she left us "all" her small savings. At the time we were financially stable so we started going to all the shows we could.
Grateful Dead played 177 times in California 1986-1995, we only made three of the Kaiser shows.
They played Las Vegas 14 times, same years and Vegas is almost SoCal (Oakland=404 miles; Vegas=260).
JGB played California over 100 times in the same period.
Add in the Bobby, Phil and Furthur shows and there you have it.
Since we usually camped and took our food to cook, we used Mom's gift for tickets, gas, and shirts.
LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)Stardust Mirror
(668 posts)into the vast parking lot, some of us purportedly in altered states, hearing, intermittently from different spots all around the lot, concert goers doing their Dylan imitations
what a trip
LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)You know what I remember about entering and leaving Dead shows?
The packed crowds...both entering and leaving.
Altered state, packed tight, happy...and everyone starts mooing and bahhhhhing, like farm animals.
MOOOOOOOOO!!!! BAHHHHHHHHHHH! BAHHHHHHHHHH!!
HELP!!
Mooooooooo!!!BAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
HELPPPP!!!! I'M HAVING CHEST PAINS!!!!!
red dog 1
(32,388 posts)We got there after the show started, and the capacity crowd looked like a giant "beating heart".
(We weren't stoned)
LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)red dog 1
(32,388 posts)LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)I envy you! i started seeing them in '77, but all on the east coast.
Those 1973-1977 Winterland shows were killer...mind bending.
And '78 when they returned from Egypt...
ProfessorGAC
(75,774 posts)My wife & I saw Dire Straits at Chicago's Uptown Theater.
Strictly by luck (like you) we got 6th row dead center. With the orchestra pit and 5 rows were were 20' from Knopfler all night.
I've gotten backstage passes and seen shows from the wing, but it's not like being able to make eye contact while they're performing.
GreatGazoo
(4,436 posts)I'm walking out of my apartment building at 7AM on a Sunday. Sidewalks are empty but a guy is walking toward me -- long tan coat with a fur collar, that flat cowboy hat, steely eyes. I'm thinking "This guy is trying pretty hard to look like Bob Dylan".
He gets closer -- It is Bob Dylan! What do you say? Quick what do you say that isn't lame or too familiar?
He is right next to me "Good morning Robert." (that is what he uses in the book)
He kind of grunts, "Ehhh"
Saw him between Wilco and Willie Nelson at SPAC last summer. People talked during his set but he was great. Opened with Positively 4th Street and the spell was cast instantly.
This guy's story is great:
Harker
(17,349 posts)those might just be the most beautiful eyelashes I have ever seen."
LuckyCharms
(21,567 posts)Because you owe me a new computer monitor.
I just spat my coffee all over it.
I'm not kidding...
Harker
(17,349 posts)"Lay Lucky Lay", or "Knockin' On Lucky's Door."
some_of_us_are_sane
(2,708 posts)at the (now gone) Pittsburgh 'Syria Mosque' theater. I remember being disappointed...(maybe expecting too much or too reified in what I expected a 'Dylan concert' to be like.)
There was a long opening by some band I had no interest in that went on too long. When Dylan finally made his appearance he seemed bored and mumbled along through some songs in a lackluster way and only toward the end, with "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Tambourine Man", did the night pick up.
Maybe I expected too much, but at least I got to see him "LIVE" at least once.