I'm running this series at a dylan board and thought I'd drop it here for those with an interest in looking back.
Detroit, Michigan
State Theater
March 16, 2004
Silvio
Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
Cry A While
Boots Of Spanish Leather
Watching The River Flow
Make You Feel My Love
Highway 61 Revisited
Tell Me That It Isn't True
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
Cold Irons Bound
It Ain't Me, Babe
Honest With Me
Shooting Star
Summer Days
Cat's In The Well
Like A Rolling Stone
All Along The Watchtower
Get Out Of Denver (song by Bob Seger)
Band Members
Bob Dylan - piano, harp
Larry Campbell - guitar, slide guitar, pedal steel, cittern
Freddy Koella - guitar, slide guitar
Tony Garnier - bass
George Recile - drums
Richie Hayward - drums
tonight opens with Silvio. normally it’s up there on my “least want to hear” list, along with Maggie’s Farm, but in the opening slot it’s out of the way early and it suits the bands proclivity to come out rockin’. only the second outing this year and it hasn’t been played since.
Senor (Tales of Yankee Power), one of Bob’s all-time great #2 songs, is the first sign that things are going to be different tonight. it’s not as powerful as it was back in its early days but it’s still an epic song and always a welcome treat. Bob warbles the opening “Senor....” and you’re drawn in with the first stutter. Freddy was accused of butchering an earlier version of this song with a lame attempt at a solo. if you listen carefully to that song (from St.Louis March 3, 2004) you’ll hear it’s Bob that messes it up by forgetting to start the verse on the first line. this version comes with a Freddy solo around the 3 minute mark and another more extended one around the 4:40 mark to the end. much improved, even with the minor lyric flub on the ‘tables/cables’ rhyme.
a top-notch Cry A While lets the guitarists and the band really get their timing down, a workout for one and all. still no pedal steel as we get a focused Boots of Spanish Leather. Bob walks his way through the story, his mood changing from a forlorn, love lost whimper to despondent puppy-dog whine and finishing with a bitter...as you wish! isn’t it funny how the ones that cut the deepest seem the most beautiful?
next is Watching the River Flow for the 9th time in my Bob-career. this song never reaches the level of the recorded version for my ears but it’s sounding better now than in the early 2000’s where I caught most of my renditions.
I no longer get sucked into thinking I’m going to hear Born In Time when the band strikes up Make You Feel My Love. a little lame tune Cece likes it, so I can tolerate it. he seems to overcome the maudlin sentiments with a wonderful faked-sincerity that makes you respect and fear him at the same time.
we get the first repeat from last nights show with the new Highway 61 Revisited. this one really picks up the audience. the solos are not as long but there are more of them. Freddy and Larry play off against themselves in this one, much like the new arrangements in HWM and Summer Days. it’s like a series of dueling guitars. fun to watch and both players get their props from the appreciative crowd.
Tell Me That It Isn’t True marks two in a row repeated from the previous show...Bob, you're starting to bore us.
problem resolved with a very clean and crisp performance of Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again. this song has suffered from the ‘Times syndrome’, you know, where Bob could care less about how it comes across? not this evening. the melody is about 80% recognizable with Larry doin’ the slow-drifters riff at the end of each chorus. Freddy adds some little plunky lines early on to give the song a slightly different feel. he reappears at the 3:10 mark for a smoother solo before the song takes on its usual tenor. Bob’s right into it though, a curdling.... “bloodlikewiiiiine...” and a, you couldn’t say surprised.... “ahhh I didn’t know that...” keeps the listener transfixed.
next up, the showstopper, an echo-laden, Cold Irons Bound ushered in with a crying solo and George’s tympani ring flourish to gunshot pounding of the skins. within a minute we’re “waist deep in the mist” looking at the reverberating “...walls of pride...walls of pride”. George just drives this song, rat-a-tat-tat followed by the big pounding guns. the show could end here and you’d still be fighting to get your breath as you exited the theater.
but we’re not done yet, not nearly.
a single crack on the skins to get our attention, Tony’s heart-beat bass and Bob’s plaintive harp lead us into the new It Ain’t Me Babe. another song saved from the bin of ‘pleasant but ho-hum’ as Bob’s cut-off lines lead into a flowering chorus. George reins everyone in and the next verse starts. the ebb and flow continue through the song and the painter has created yet another masterpiece out of an old canvas he had left laying around. Freddy’s solo replicates the pattern, short choppy chords that build into a flourish aided by Larry coming in and Bob’s harp to wrap it up. an absolute triumph.
Honest With Me and Summer Days have both found a new sound. they usually wrap themselves around one of Bob’s more poignant songs (Saving Grace, Every Grain of Sand, In the Summertime...well, not yet, but soon we hope). tonight Shooting Star is the song that get’s the bookend treatment. the two pillars of the pre-encore are much more restrained than they were in Charlie’s days. once again, it’s Freddy’s almost plodding attack on the strings and fret work juxtaposed against Larry’s more melodic and circuitous licks that give these tunes new life.
Shooting Star is always a treat, this is the third time I’ve had it live starting in Strasbourg 2002, Niagara Falls last summer (man, was that already LAST year?) and tonight. it’s been stronger every time.
the encore is pretty static these days. Cat’s in the Well has found its way into the set list again and soon I’ll know more than “...cat’s in the well....” and “...back alley sandy...” from the song. standing over to my left tonight is the pool’s backalleysandy, in from Ohio to hear her song. this ends with a lovely drum-shot segue into a crowd pleasing LARS.
Like A Rolling Stone is this years Summer Days. a 125 meg blowout. it had disappeared from the set list for short periods over the last few years but Bob’s found a new passion for the song and it provides a fresh spotlight song for Freddy that limits Charlie comparisons.
All Along the Watchtower features, as always, George’s ominous beat and a more aggressive solo from Freddy, longer notes, followed by some subtle underneath rhythm work to lead into the chorus and next solo...this time from the other side of the stage where Larry does his work.
as the song finishes I leave Cece in her seat and make my way to the exit, looking to call the set list in to chinadoll. -ryan-’s on the rail, or close to it, with grimace1 tonight so I should be in the vehicle before they reach the door. of course, I heard about the New York shows in 2002 so I was not going to clear the venue doors before the house lights came on...which, tonight, they didn’t.
the band returned to the stage to unleash an almost letter-perfect rollicking version of Bob Seger’s Get Out of Denver. a debut destined to be a one-off. Bob was leaning over the piano pounding the keys, legs akimbo as he transports himself back to the stage of Hibbing High. oh, he’s using a lyric sheet but you try this song...it’s still not easy. they pay proper homage by keeping up the tempo throughout. this isn’t accomplished without a little forethought and some planning. it helps to have a crack band but this comes off way different from the myriad of passable covers we got in the early 90’s. a substantial improvement over the summer of 2003 covers with the Dead. I mean those were fun, but a little loose at the edges. this song was bang-on, like it’d been in the set list for a year. he absolutely nails the last verse still singing at a breakneck speed. great job.
we end up with 12 different songs from the opening show. thank you Bob.
everybody was buzzing about “Get Out of Denver” as we congregated for the post-show. Bob Seger was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame yesterday and this was Bob’s nod. Prince was inducted too. he even comes from Minnesota. could we get Purple Rain tomorrow? tonight we decide to join handlevandal, HenryPorter and a slew of others in Greektown for a bite to eat. handlevandal's directions had us turning onto a one-way street the wrong way. (I wasn’t turning the wrong way, I was turning properly, just driving the wrong way…well not driving the wrong way, I was driving properly, just going the wrong…er, nevermind). we quickly corrected the problem, skirting into a driveway and pulling a u-turn. she chose to just make her way to the restaurant…it was a two-way last time she was there and if they didn’t have the time to contact her and let her know then she wasn’t about to lose precious Bob-time. we all made it safely to the Pegasus or the Pythagorean Beery or some other aptly named Greek restaurant. not to bleat about it but there was lots of lamb on the menu. Rosie1 and I took turns flashing the crowd…pictures later. charlespoet found the waiters scrumptious and the food consumable too. when asked if he was ready to order, Louis the King said, “wait a minute son.” and the band played on…in our heads anyway. most of the crew was on their way back to Jacki’s place while Cece and I poured back over the border. another one down and we’re all left wondering how he’s going to top this tomorrow.
Wednesday March 17, 2004 State Theater Detroit MI
the snow’s disappeared but it’s still plenty cold today. we eat on the Canadian side of the border at Top Hat World Class Ribs…and they weren’t kidding. steaming, succulent ribs, falling off the bone, melting in your mouth…man, I’m hungry. with a wonderful meal under our belts were across the border for the final time to hook up with the Krewe.
tonight we’re parked in the ‘close’ lot (15’ from the door instead of 63’) and have our spot in the bar. -ryan- and I head up to Hockeytown shortly after arrival to post some messages on the pool board. he’s wondering (this is no shit) whether Jack White might be at the shows. I knew the Stripes weren’t on tour because I plan to latch onto a half-dozen of their shows next time they come within driving distance. we were slated to see four consecutive shows last summer in front of three Dylan-Dead shows but Jack broke his finger. I’m over it now, almost. it was my opinion he’d definitely drop in to see the show if he were in town and Rene Zellwegger let him go out with his buddies. (the shows were ending early so there would have been no problem being home before curfew.) neither of us came close to speculating on whether he would be guesting, but the new Motor City Madman was on our mind. I feared Nugent might drop in for a few chords of Hwy 61 too.
heading back to the venue we run into a very excited Henry Porter. seems ‘M&A – the taper’ burned off a copy of the show from last night. charlespoet, he said, had the disc and we could listen to Get Out Of Denver! unfortunately, when HP approached charlespoet he was met with a cold shoulder and an ‘I’m a little busy right now’. seems we’d interrupted the ‘curry favour with the crew’ part of the day. I believe arrangements were being made for early entry to the venue or something along those lines. no time to find a few minutes to spin the disc. I can understand that, who needs to be inconvenienced, eh? HP seemed a little nonplussed but I just shrugged. copies were to be made later at handlevandal’s so there was no reason to prostrate himself so charlespoet would part with the discs.
again this evening, they opened the doors to the venue a half hour early to let people in from the cold. this time the outside line was almost completely in the building before the bar doors opened. kind of like a lottery, it was. last chance to pick up some tour mementos and to our seats to chat with kisskissmary and jersey jon.
the crowd tonight was stoked, maybe a tad under the reading on the previous evenings meter.
a brisk version of Wicked Messenger starts the night off well. Drifter’s twin, and they both do the job they are intended to…get the blood flowing.
back to the pedal steel for a reprise of Baby Blue, nice enough in its new arrangement but not quite vibrant enough to hold my interest. Tweedle in the third slot is, once again, out of the way.
Under the Red Sky is rare enough that I still consider it a treat and the way it’s done makes it a worthwhile inclusion in this more eclectic manifestation of Bob Dylan’s band. tonight marks the tour debut of the song. it’s followed by another oldie, reborn rather than dyin’, It’s Alright Ma. always a crowd pleaser and tonight it wasn’t like root canal.
other highlights include the delightful Down Along the Cove. this song can’t fail to bring a smile to your face. he sings like the sweetest bird you ever heard...without even tryin’.
next up is the new Moonlight. I like the funky intro but am soon finding myself let down by the delivery. I think the song is just weak. it’s better than when he tried to sing like a bird caught in an updraft, but it’s still no more than an excuse to dabble in a jazzy sound.
he’s still mixing up the songs nicely as we get High Water, Girl of the North Country, Man in the Long Black Coat and Every Grain of Sand along with the usual suspects in the second half of the show.
as the band exits after Watchtower, -ryan- and I head down to the exit, taking the same care I did the night before not to go outside the doors. again the lights are late coming on and we meander onto the back of the floor to see a figure take up position at centre stage. from where we are, it could be G.E.Smith, long reddish-blond hair was covering his face. I believe he’s guested once in Ann Arbor, so it made some sense. we make our way back to our seats beside Cece as the song starts up. only when we’re finally standing at our seats do I realize the guy’s too tall to be G.E. and the song is vaguely familiar. -ryan- identifies the song as Ball and Biscuit just as my neural synapses are registering that it’s Jack White on stage and Bob is singing a White Stripes song. and not just any White Stripes song, probably the only one they have over 3 minutes long. Bob’s using the lyric sheet again and the song, while not as tight as last nights cover, is pretty impressive. Jack opens up a bit for a shared solo with Freddy after the first verse, then he sends the crowd into a frenzy with his vocal delivery of verse two. back to Bob for the next verse and some shared chorus stuff.
I’m transfixed. it seems so right and such a great honour for Jack.
Jack-freakin’-White! get the f*ck outa here. he seemed so…humble. head down, hair covering his face. his guitar flourish was intense but not theatric. when he sang his verse, his voice cut through the din, tattooing this concert as a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. his deference to Bob was touching in its simplicity. a short bow, handshake, a hug and some pictures. smiles as big as all get-out from Bob. now, that was worth coming out for.
on this final night we stop in at the casino to grab a late night meal and spend a little money…ended up making around $60. no thanks to the Roulette table that sucked a quick bill out of us. it was the two pairs at Let It Ride that paid the way. an hour or so here and time for lights out. then time to head home.
Ball and Biscuit
Under the Red Sky
Man In the Long Black Coat
Toronto, Ontario
The Phoenix
March 20, 2004
To Be Alone With You
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Maggie's Farm
Desolation Row
Tangled Up In Blue
Million Miles
Positively 4th Street
If You See Her, Say Hello
Standing In The Doorway
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Bye And Bye
Honest With Me
Summer Days
Like A Rolling Stone
All Along The Watchtower
Saturday March 20, 2004 Phoenix Theater Toronto ON
tonight’s the night! we’ve been waiting for the Phoenix show since it was announced.
800 people.
Cece and I are planning on heading up to the balcony, where there are tables and chairs. MisLucy’s husband, froggie courtin’ at the pool, is going to save us a table. august west, srk and rambling gambling willie are scheduled to join us. we’ve got a good spot in line, but our friends have even a better spot. BUTL and MisLucy have been up front since early this morning and the rail is a-waitin’. I’d bought a couple extra tickets when this show went on sale and they ended up going to a worthy cause. one to Mick, who was in from England, another to Adam from Toronto, who had braved the snow in Detroit just last week. outside the venue, scalpers were buying tickets for $150 and selling them for $300.
never crossed my mind to join in on that scam. I’d much rather sell them at face to a fan/friend than at a profit to a scalper or stranger.
bought a pre-release of LIVE 1964 from the Sony truck before the show. will probably never listen to it since I heard it about three times this weekend as this truck filled with Bob product has been following us around.
our seats are terrific. the four chairs to a table give us plenty of room. by show time, the crowd behind our tables is jammed tight and we can still stretch our legs out. we are closer to the stage than we were at the State and the band is right on top of themselves. the stage is so small there’s only one set of drums tonight and Freddy’s almost invisible behind Bob’s piano. it's a great little club located just off from the madd(en)ing crowd in downtown Toronto's historic Cabbagetown District. very intimate. there’s no underestimating how important the venue and surroundings are to your enjoyment of the show. even though we were close at the Ricoh, the cavernous arena took away any semblance of intimacy. it’s easy to be distracted in the larger venues, causing you to miss the subtle nuances that just make every Bob show. at the Phoenix, we were perched at the balcony, absolutely focused, and the boys did not disappoint. most others in our crew found their spot on the very limited rail. as MisLucy said: “when I saw how small the stage was…I started to cry.”
in Detroit, we got 10-11 different songs each night of the stand. this is up substantially from early in the tour. there were a couple nights with 6-8 different songs from the preceding night but usually it was in the 2-5 song range. on this second night in Toronto we get 12 songs in a row that had not been performed at any of the previous 4 shows!
To Be Alone With You...ahh I love it when Bob talks dirty. first time on this tour for this song, a foreshadowing of things to come. an open invitation to come along for an intimate evening. some tasty licks are traded between Freddy and Larry, the crowd is electrified. altered lyrics seem to be picked out of the air randomly, reminiscent of the version from the ‘blackout’ night on the 26th of April in New Orleans. not THAT blackout, the one that came in August, MY blackout night. “thank the lord...sweet reward” indeed.
somewhere during this song, we heard the faint whisper of a harmonica. Bob’s hands were nowhere near his mouth so I thought it was a pretty good trick. ramblin gamblin willie nudges me and points to a chunky wanna-be hippie sitting two tables over. seems he’d brought his harp along because he heard Dylan was in town to jam with ass. a sign on his table read: “reserved for whetstraw’s friend from the Village.”
Bob’s into a lively rendition of I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight. the crowd responds with loud cheers at the line “...tonight’s gonna last all night....” my guess is half of them were in Detroit and they figured that meant an extra song. more wild cheers for the title line. when you couple this song with the opener it seems we’re not being entertained tonight, we’re being seduced.
normally Maggie’s Farm would leave me unimpressed and probably not very attentive. but songs, and their roles, change depending on where they are located in the set list. this song hasn’t been in the third slot since 1999. I always remember Springsteen saying he wanted a hard rockin’ tempo changer in this spot because it set up the rest of his evening. and it did so tonight. following this successful first outing of the year, Maggie’s Farm would open every Saturday night show right through to the end of the November tour, and counting into 2006.
Desolation Row follows. an intense reading taking on some of the characteristics of the ‘staccato’ delivery he’s been utilizing since the middle of 2003. he’s really out there tonight in the vast nothingness of the Row. his voice echoing the futility of imagining any other existence outside this exile. long, graspy, vowel extensions punctuate the performance. these classic songs are a good test of Bob’s commitment to the show, some have lost the energy that carried them, others the passion. the end of '03 marked a turning point, though. old is new again, things are changing. I attribute most of this to taking the leash off Freddy when he got back on his own continent last fall, but something happened that has caused Bob to breathe new life into old tunes. another first for the tour but Bob’s nowhere near finished shaking up the set list. this song is the start of six consecutive brilliant songs.
Tangled Up In Blue makes its second appearance on the tour. a new stripped down arrangement for the year, the song is driven by George’s cymbal work. it’s moving along nicely, not being dragged down by the complexity of the three guitar attack that tended to drown out the story in recent versions, primarily the 2002 versions. the song was fading fast after 52 performances in that year. in 2003, it had only 6 outings, of which I caught two. this is the third performance this year (there will be 8 in total) and it just explodes tonight. the crowd follows in time, a loud cheer going up at the first title line. after a few verses we get Freddy’s extended solo and then the verse with the altered lyrics.
now I enlisted the help of some poolers to get the lyrics right. here’s what they thought they heard:
dude’s rendition
“...stopped there in for a beer
a deep fork trottin' in the side of her face
I don't even drink beer here!
a deep throat job and the sun came down
she was just about the same
standin' there right beside my chair
I knooow your name!
she made a little suckle underneath my breath
she stu-died the caaaards
a lady wrote down in the hood of my face
I know you're miiiine
in blue
tangled up in blue”
close, but not quite.
this was VirgilCaine’s hearing:
“...stopped in for a beer
I been fools tired’f every side of her face,
(and) I don't even drink beer, here.
she grew tired when the sun came down,
she was just about to say,
she was standing there, right beside my chair,
I know your name.
she lit something underneath my drink...
she slipped me the ganga.
when we rolled down to hood by day,
I know your mine- in blue.
tangled up in blue”
they seemed to agree on the finish anyway.
Cece and I have turned our ears to the verse and this is the best we can come up with:
“...stopped in here for a beer
a deep hope shinin' in the side of her face
I don’t even drink beer, I hear
in no time when the sun came down
she was just about to say
she was standin’ there right beside my chair
I knoooooow your name
she giggled something underneath my breathe
she slipped me the Times
label down and the hood of my cape?
I know you’re mine in blue
tangled up in blue.”
not an easy task. took me 17 hours to write this thing but 14 of them were spent listening to that verse.
Million Miles is up next and I think this song is a showcase for Freddy’s styling. it sounds so much better now than when it got steady play back in 1998/99. it was only tried once since then in 2001 before its rebirth late last fall in the final three night stand in London. it’s absolutely reborn. a major work being given the treatment it deserves.
srk gets his favorite song next as Bob launches into Positively 4th Street. it’s great being at shows with these relative neophytes. they’re always getting something new. but I’m getting new stuff too. even though I’ve heard them a handful of times, this being my 14th live 4th street, they sound fresh and vital this year. in years past, they all too often were merely fodder for the masses.
partway through this song, we have the return of the harp, yet Bob’s hands are nowhere near his mouth. it’s not noticeable on the tape of the show but it, nonetheless, cut through the dark enough to catch my attention. since srk was leaning forward listening in rapturous wonder I had a clear line. Cece had just finished her drink, not counting the melting ice water, so I lifted her cup and tossed it at the extant band-member, dinging him on the side of the head. now, outside of his immediate family, I’m sure he doesn’t get this kind of treatment everywhere. he seemed suitably chastised, though, as his harp found his pocket and wasn’t heard from the rest of the show. FTR I was on my way over the tables to grab that harp the next time I heard it.
now where were we? oh, right, 2/3rd’s of the way through the most memorable concert of this century.
the return of If You See Her, Say Hello, the ‘blue hair’ version, is next. nice upbeat arrangement of a heart-wrenching song. an additional twist to the new lyrics found when he interjects.... “I’ve never gotten used to it (why would I?)/ I just learned to turn it off...” not quite the ‘watch it from the rear’ venom from the early 80’s but the “...I sure hope she don’t...” line cuts deep.
the final song in this amazing run is the rarely played Standing in the Doorway making its first 2004 appearance. now we’d been teased by the two verses that were included on the M&A DVD but this isn’t that arrangement...exactly. but pretty close, which is saying a lot. the song starts slow and begins to pick up momentum on the ‘buuuurn / turrrrn’ rhyme. the pace of the song never really increases but Bob’s inflection gets more intense at times, choked at others. a real hypnotic performance.
Don’t Think Twice breaks the spell somewhat. a more familiar tune somewhat stripped down. the three-guitar flourish that ended the song the last few years has been replaced by a funky little finish by George.
song 12 introduces us to the silky smooth jazz stylings of the Bobby Dylan Quintet. a neat little version of Bye and Bye. a minor song compared to the tidal wave of emotion that preceded it in this show, it serves to let us catch our breath and regroup.
let’s recap.
that’s 12 songs straight that have not been played in the last four nights. six are tour debuts. five for only the second time on the tour. one for only the third time.
the night’s running late, actually the show started about 15 minutes later than expected. at this point, we get the close of the show with Honest With Me being played back-to-back with Summer Days, a rare occurrence.
we lost a chance to hear In the Summertime, the song slotted to be played, with no alternative choice next to it. good luck to the rest of you, hope it shows up.
for the first time this tour Cat’s in Well is dropped so we don’t get the segue into LARS. (note: Cat’s was also dropped later in the third Boston show, replaced by Down Along the Cove...seems Bob liked the change in pace that was forced on him here.)
Watchtower closes the show after the band intro. it opens with a longer than normal intro because Bob’s mic wasn’t working. this is the second time in the past few nights this has happened...a little weird. strangely enough, it almost works on this song that starts in the middle and ends at the beginning to have Bob start in the middle of a line. another spotlight song for Freddy he gets a nice hand after his solo. he’s got to compete with George’s incessant pounding of the drums but it’s a fun battle to hear. tonight the crew adds the echo effect on a few lines, most notably “...the wind began...wind began...to howl....” Larry’s solo is just as well received before Bob plunks out a few chords and then a few chords more until the audience has to respond to his solo. the band builds it up and George knocks it out
no extra song...what a rip-off.
Postscript Note: post at the Dylanpool by SRK:
Cost of driving to Toronto: $50
Cost of ticket to Phoenix show: $70
Cost of beer (multiple): $6
Cost of leaning forward in my seat when Bob breaks into my favourite song (4th street) so Marcel has a clear line of sight to chuck a cup at the moron 2 seats over from me tooting on his harp: priceless.
much like the second night in Detroit, the crowd is buzzing as they mingle outside the venue. we lost a song tonight as there was a 10:30 p.m. curfew. the venue is used by the alt-rock crowd as a club on the weekends. Cece and I pass one of our nieces commenting on the ‘old folks’ as we leave the show. plans are being hatched, some are heading back to Mississauga, others to a bar on the Danforth, Toronto’s version of Greektown with less ‘one-way’ streets than Detroit. we opt for food.
inside a restaurant, where we sought shelter from the cold there’s a lady on the stage, not singing Memphis in June but rather covering post-60’s AOR artists. we treat her kindly, she had no tape for us. someone bought her CD though, and I believe, left with her phone number. drinks and chat and laughter. BUTL makes it up late after having offered to drop Uncle Sweetheart off at the subway. august west and girlfriendmimi invite us all over to their place for more late night chat. august west treats us to a sampling of his extensive Grateful Dead collection, including a heart-wrenching version of late-Jerry performing Visions of Johanna. the rest of the evening is spent sampling the evenings show…the altered lyrics in TUIB were the main attraction, the ‘had to be there’ highlight of a terrific 6 song run in the middle of this show.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Corin Raymond
Toronto's Troubadour
Corin Raymond works the stage...most everynight, then he works the aftershow. All with a smile as he's paid to party.
I've had the pleasure of being introduced to Corin by CR Avery as he's opened a few nights in one configuration or another.
He's captivating onstage; Corin finds a child-like joy in playing music, telling stories and entertaining his friends. Can't help but leave the bar feeling just a little bit better.
He's out west now, heading home in the next week or so where he will resume his Thursday night residency atThe Cameron House . If you don't see him there, check out his MYSPACE page.
Drop in and see him if you're able. You can thank me later.
This past February he showcased his latest record, There Will Always Be A Small Time, while opening for CR.
Stealin' My Heart
Better Him Than Me
If Wishes Were Horses
?That's Life
?I Love Gettin' High
Blue Mermaid Dress
There Will Always Be A Small Time
I've had the pleasure of being introduced to Corin by CR Avery as he's opened a few nights in one configuration or another.
He's captivating onstage; Corin finds a child-like joy in playing music, telling stories and entertaining his friends. Can't help but leave the bar feeling just a little bit better.
He's out west now, heading home in the next week or so where he will resume his Thursday night residency atThe Cameron House . If you don't see him there, check out his MYSPACE page.
Drop in and see him if you're able. You can thank me later.
This past February he showcased his latest record, There Will Always Be A Small Time, while opening for CR.
Stealin' My Heart
Better Him Than Me
If Wishes Were Horses
?That's Life
?I Love Gettin' High
Blue Mermaid Dress
There Will Always Be A Small Time
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Jack Whites Red Hot Blues Vol 3
I first put this compilation together back in 2005 to create the best 80 minutes
of Jack White I could find. It was apparent then, and it's abundantly apparent now, that this guys knowledge of music and interpretive talent transcends the bounds of what we know as The White Stripes. This was an illustrative record.
Since then the dude's morphed a few times. The Stripes have exploded and pushed the envelope as much as can be done with a duo. Jack's found other avenues to develop, The Raconteurs and the Dead Weather. It's time to update the record.
No easy choices. Good songs got dropped because the audio quality was slightly below par (House of The Risin' Sun and Dyin' Crapshooters Blues the most disheartening losses). Songs got added that may not stand the test of time to reappear on Vol 4 in 2015, but they sound great now. (300 MPH, Bang Bang)
So fire up your walkmans (or that microchip imbedded in your brain, I'm a little behind on the technology) and enjoy!
Jack White's Red Hot Blues Vol 3
Track 01 I Just Cant Keep From Cryin/Death Letter 2005-08-17 Los Angeles CA
Track 02 Lord Send Me An Angel 2001-03-01 Silverlake CA
Track 03 300mph Torrential Downpour Blues 2007-07-24 New York NY*
Track 04 Carolina Drama 2008-06-05 Toronto ON*
Track 05 Lafayette Blues 2001-09-14 Houston TX
Track 06 Bang Bang 2006-07-19 San Diego CA*
Track 07 Hello Operator 2005-09-16 Toronto ON
Track 08 Little Bird/Got Your Money/Little Bird 2004-08-01 Naeba Japan
Track 09 St James Infirmary Blues 2005-09-19 Providence RI
Track 10 The Big 3 Killed My Baby 2005-09-30 Detroit MI
Track 11 Blue Veins 2008-06-05 Toronto ON*
Track 12 You're Southern Can Is Mine 2001-03-01 Silverlake CA
Track 13 Union Forever 2007-07-01 Saskatoon SK*
Track 14 Stop Breaking Down 2002-06-30 Los Angeles CA
Track 15 Stones In My Passway 2005-09-21 Boston MA
Track 16 Instinct Blues 2005-09-30 Detroit MI
Track 17 Fixin To Die Fist City 2006-03-09 Osaka Japan*
Track 18 Will There Be Enough Water 2009-07-24 Detroit MI*
*tracks added to this comp
tracks removed
Track 03 Ball & Biscuit > Instinct Blues > Ball & Biscuit 2005-09-16 Toronto ON
Track 04 House of the Risin' Sun 2005-09-09 Indianapolis IN
Track 06 Sister Do You Know My Name 2005-08-17 Los Angeles CA
Track 11 Lovesick 2001-11-29 Montpellier France
Track 13 Dyin' Crapshooter Blues 2001-06-03 Detroit MI
Track 17 Let's Build A Home > Goin' Back to Memphis 2003-07-02 Chicago IL
Track 18 Outlaw Blues 2003-11-24 Camden NJ
Track 19 Rat Tease > Take A Whiff On Me 2003-05-30 Vienna Austria
Track 20 You Can't Get That Stuff No More > Death Letter 2005-09-13 Louisville KY
Track 21 Boll Weevil Blues 2005-08-17 Los Angeles CA
of Jack White I could find. It was apparent then, and it's abundantly apparent now, that this guys knowledge of music and interpretive talent transcends the bounds of what we know as The White Stripes. This was an illustrative record.
Since then the dude's morphed a few times. The Stripes have exploded and pushed the envelope as much as can be done with a duo. Jack's found other avenues to develop, The Raconteurs and the Dead Weather. It's time to update the record.
No easy choices. Good songs got dropped because the audio quality was slightly below par (House of The Risin' Sun and Dyin' Crapshooters Blues the most disheartening losses). Songs got added that may not stand the test of time to reappear on Vol 4 in 2015, but they sound great now. (300 MPH, Bang Bang)
So fire up your walkmans (or that microchip imbedded in your brain, I'm a little behind on the technology) and enjoy!
Jack White's Red Hot Blues Vol 3
Track 01 I Just Cant Keep From Cryin/Death Letter 2005-08-17 Los Angeles CA
Track 02 Lord Send Me An Angel 2001-03-01 Silverlake CA
Track 03 300mph Torrential Downpour Blues 2007-07-24 New York NY*
Track 04 Carolina Drama 2008-06-05 Toronto ON*
Track 05 Lafayette Blues 2001-09-14 Houston TX
Track 06 Bang Bang 2006-07-19 San Diego CA*
Track 07 Hello Operator 2005-09-16 Toronto ON
Track 08 Little Bird/Got Your Money/Little Bird 2004-08-01 Naeba Japan
Track 09 St James Infirmary Blues 2005-09-19 Providence RI
Track 10 The Big 3 Killed My Baby 2005-09-30 Detroit MI
Track 11 Blue Veins 2008-06-05 Toronto ON*
Track 12 You're Southern Can Is Mine 2001-03-01 Silverlake CA
Track 13 Union Forever 2007-07-01 Saskatoon SK*
Track 14 Stop Breaking Down 2002-06-30 Los Angeles CA
Track 15 Stones In My Passway 2005-09-21 Boston MA
Track 16 Instinct Blues 2005-09-30 Detroit MI
Track 17 Fixin To Die Fist City 2006-03-09 Osaka Japan*
Track 18 Will There Be Enough Water 2009-07-24 Detroit MI*
*tracks added to this comp
tracks removed
Track 03 Ball & Biscuit > Instinct Blues > Ball & Biscuit 2005-09-16 Toronto ON
Track 04 House of the Risin' Sun 2005-09-09 Indianapolis IN
Track 06 Sister Do You Know My Name 2005-08-17 Los Angeles CA
Track 11 Lovesick 2001-11-29 Montpellier France
Track 13 Dyin' Crapshooter Blues 2001-06-03 Detroit MI
Track 17 Let's Build A Home > Goin' Back to Memphis 2003-07-02 Chicago IL
Track 18 Outlaw Blues 2003-11-24 Camden NJ
Track 19 Rat Tease > Take A Whiff On Me 2003-05-30 Vienna Austria
Track 20 You Can't Get That Stuff No More > Death Letter 2005-09-13 Louisville KY
Track 21 Boll Weevil Blues 2005-08-17 Los Angeles CA
Sunday, February 28, 2010
CR Avery
and The Legal Tender String Quartet
NAC 4th Stage Ottawa
2010-02-26
Our Nation's Capital. Escaped the snow in Toronto and found the sunshine in Ottawa...if a little windy. All pre-show plans were scuttled when D'Arcy McGhee's turned out to be post-work, yuppie hell. So I'm drinking early and keeping company in our hotel room. Somehow, though I was positioned only meters away from the entrance and had all the time in the world, our party ends up in the back row, which is no matter in this tiny space.
Tonight's openers are local slam-poets taking the stage for a single piece each.
We have a little surprise for CR tonight as I've enlisted the help of Kate who fills the pregnant pause with a question... "You scared?" The audience laughs, a quick smile crosses CR's face as he leans into the mic and replies... "I'm petrified..." and we're off.
Very good performance tonight even though we're told that Corin Raymond did his best the night before to keep CR in a drunken-haze in Toronto. Now there's a story here that would probably be best left untold. CR's a funny guy, often introducing his songs, the more extreme songs, as being covers of Anne Murray (solo Folk Singer at the '08 Bragg show and more recently, I'm Gonna Eat You Out in Ottawa). You know he's joking, right? When he says he spent the night partying with Ron Sexsmith I can't tell anymore if he's pulling my leg.
Set list changes in spots 10 and 12 for tonight are, a personal favourite, The Birdcage and a cover of Neil Young's Star of Bethlehem.
One final note, as a testament to the spontaineity of CR's set, we get a new verse in I'm Gonna Eat You Out that could have only come about because of last night's post-Toronto show party at Not My Dog:
"it don't taste like chicken,
it don't taste like grilled cheese,
I'm just repeatin' what Corin Raymond said
To one of my string players on his knees..."
As the song closes it's apparent CR has listened to the CBC broadcast of his Vancouver show because he notes "you'll never hear that on the CBC mother-fucker..." Now I haven't listened yet but it's my guess it got cut...from the radio airing anyway.
(Check out a great video version of The Birdcage captured at Toronto's Rivoli in Feb of 2009)
Track 01 Road Visions
Track 02 German Computer
Track 03 Train Headed West
Track 04 My Bad
Track 05 The Cat
Track 06 The Prime Ministers Chair
Track 07 Hell of A Hotel Harm
Track 08 Band Intro
Track 09 Dinner For One
Track 10 Bird Cage
Track 11 The Kind Man Of Alexander Street
Encore
Track 12 Star of Bethlehem (N. Young)
Track 13 Lost Highway
Track 14 Hymns from the Underground
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
CR Avery
Glenn Gould Studio
2010-02-25
w/ Special Guests
Corin Raymond
& the Sundowners
Got snowed out of a couple shows this week, gotta make up for it now.
Dude's come a long way from "pay-what-you-can" night at The Rivoli to a $30 ticket in a posh studio setting. Pressure's on now!
Corin Raymond is opening again tonight, this time a different configuration, joined by a back-up band, the Sundowners.
Great set, lively,fully engaged with the audience from the first moment he steps onstage. He's show-casing songs from There Will Always Be A Small Time. Good songs made better by the exhuberance of live performance, most notably the accomplished guitar playing of David Baxter and Corin's infectious laughs.
CR and the Legal String Quartet are coming to the end of a gruelling tour of Southern Ontario. They've not had a day off since their show in Perth on the 18th of February. Three more to go.
Since their date in Windsor last Sunday they've had the added pleasure of dealing with the only real snow we've received this year...and some freezing rain in case it gets too easy on the road.
But this is the big city, a showcase venue, tired can wait for next week. Time to shake the dust off.
Only two different tunes tonight...and both have some Dylan related content. A spoken word piece on Hendrix and Dylan that I call The Grey Armpit... for lack of a better title. The Dylan cover, Things Have Changed, I love. CR played it the night he opened for Billy Bragg back in '08, did the same 'Blind Boy Grunt' intro too.
The band takes their place to a smattering of applause and CR wanders onto the brightly lit stage, squinting, staring deep into the audience he can't see. A perfect lead-in to his pregnant pause and opening line..."I'm petrified..." Got them laughing and paying attention already, two words in.
CR is challenging. The hip-hop-beat-box stuff can be sonically jarring to an arts theater crowd...he's playing that down (a bit) this tour. It's less rock 'n roll than the summer tour and heavily dependant on spoken word pieces. The strings, though, are mesmerizing as they wrap around the lyrics, creating a mood that evokes the '50's beat-poet coffeehouses. This is some intricate shit, well timed, well arranged.
My Bad transcends our perception of spoken-word and becomes a performance piece that ranges from perfectly choreographed facial expressions to a Cossack hoe-down complete with a bow-shredding lead from 1st violinist Meredith Bates.
Track 01 Road Visions
Track 02 German Computer
Track 03 Train Headed West
Track 04 My Bad
Track 05 The Cat (Just Purr)
Track 06 The Prime Ministers Chair
Track 07 Hell of A Hotel Harm
Track 08 Band Intro
Track 09 Dinner For One
Track 10 The Grey Area Armpit of Rock N Roll
Track 11 The Kind Man of Alexander Street
Encore
Track 12 Things Have Changed (B.Dylan)
Track 13 talk-
Track 14 Lost Highway (H. Williams)
Track 15 Hymns from the Underground
Monday, February 22, 2010
CR Avery
Pearl Theater
Hamilton ON
2010-02-20
CR Avery brought his Dead of Winter Tour to Hamilton last weekend.
At this point of his development CR is unconscious. I'm sure he carefully constructs his tunes, works out the best delivery in rehearsal and lays down the album tracks as he hears them in his head but it's when he's onstage that you get the best of him.
I'm not so convinced he has a plan when he's behind the mic and that makes every outing special. The subtle changes each night as he gauges his audiences' response or responds to the audiences' gaze. He's nimble with his tongue and quick with his mind. A song can change because of what he caught out of his peripheral vision or because he witnessed something on the street that afternoon that stuck with him and found a way into his rap.
I'm hoping to catch a few shows this week.
Night 1 -
Pearl Company Gallery and Theater, Hamilton ON, Saturday April 20th.
At this point of his development CR is unconscious. I'm sure he carefully constructs his tunes, works out the best delivery in rehearsal and lays down the album tracks as he hears them in his head but it's when he's onstage that you get the best of him.
I'm not so convinced he has a plan when he's behind the mic and that makes every outing special. The subtle changes each night as he gauges his audiences' response or responds to the audiences' gaze. He's nimble with his tongue and quick with his mind. A song can change because of what he caught out of his peripheral vision or because he witnessed something on the street that afternoon that stuck with him and found a way into his rap.
I'm hoping to catch a few shows this week.
Night 1 -
Pearl Company Gallery and Theater, Hamilton ON, Saturday April 20th.
What a terrific non-descript oasis of culture hidden 6 blocks away from the city centre along a narrow dimly lit alley posing as a street. The Hammer stands in the shadow of big, bad TO, but it's got a rock-n-roll heart and a bit of the beat-spirit hidden under that Steeltown skin.
The organizers at The Pearl weren't quite sure what they were in for when they booked CR and The Undesirables. They were excited, but not sure. The hall is filled with lots of people who seem to be patrons of the venue as opposed to hard-core followers. Venue personnel are the nicest and most gracious hosts you could hope to have. Everyone from the sound man, the door, the coffee-bar and the Manager went out of their way to engage the bands and their fans. They are rightfully proud of their impressive little venue.
The Undesirables open the evening. Corin Raymond fronts this duet, his voice his instrument. On guitar, backing vocals, and I surmise, long-time sidekick, Sean Cotton. Corin's one of the hardest working troubadours in these parts. When he's not teamed up with Sean you can find him doing solo Thursday night sets on a semi-regular basis at The Cameron Room. If you don't see him there, check between bus stops.
CR brought a different flavour this time around. Without Noah Walker on screaming lead guitar the outfit is a little more sedate, a touch jazzier, leaning heavily on spoken-word pieces and a moody ambiance. Suits the crowd, a bit laid back but very appreciative, attentive and responsive, all things you gotta like in an audience.
A few new songs right at the front and the night was suprisingly light on material from The Great Canadian Novel. Qu'elle surprise, indeed. Or maybe CR would say, "My Bad." Except, not bad. CR had 'em leaning forward for punchlines in The Cat and the aforementioned My Bad. Silence was all around as he weaved the Lament of the New Marine (or Three Months in Hell, I really don't know what most of these are actually named).
Pot shots at the Prime Minister at The Pearl were well received. First sing-a-long of the night as CR decides the audience should work a bit for their meal.
The music we get tonight, when it's not orchestral, is like Industrial Harp Music. CR challenges you on lots of levels, not the least being these intermittent sonic attacks.
Great encore tonight including two covers by the Williams Twins, Hank and Lucinda.
Song of the night...gotta be that pussy eating tune. I think CR had the idea for this one in his mind this summer when he was introducing Lemon Mereigne Pie as "Eating Pussy on a Hot August Night". Well, it seems he got past the title part this fall.
The Pearl Company Theater
Hamilton ON
2010-02-20
Disc 1
Track 01 ?I'm Petrified
Track 02 German Computer
Track 03 ?The Marine
Track 04 My Bad
Track 05 The Cat
Track 06 The Prime Ministers Chair
Track 07 ?Comes back Worse
Track 08 Band Intro
Track 09 I'm Gonna Eat You Out
Track 10 Piano Lessons
Track 11 ?Long Dark Night
Encore
Track 12 Bus to Baton Rouge (L Williams)
Track 13 talk- Neil Young's Piano Tuner
Track 14 Lost Highway (H Williams, no relation)
Track 15 Hymns from the Underground
Sound Samples:
The Undesirables
Bus Stop Walk
Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay
CR Avery and the Legal Tender String Quartet
My Bad
I'm Gonna Eat You Out
Lost Highway
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
CR Avery
Dead of Winter Tour 2010
...it's almost here!
CR is in Perth and Kingston right now and will be in Hamilton on Saturday. Looks like it will be a hectic week in SoOnt. Don't forget the Thursday show in Toronto!
UPDATE: Now available at youtube Folk Singer; The Video
Check out CR's Myspace page for dates
And look around this blog for sounds and reviews.
While I like a lot of artists, and like to type ad nauseum about 'em, I've only recommended strongly a handful of acts in the past decade: Jack White (in any incarnation), Amy Winehouse (for that brief moment we could see her live), Teddy Thompson and CR Avery.
Every one of them worth the time and effort. Don't miss it if you can make it.
UPDATE: Now available at youtube Folk Singer; The Video
Check out CR's Myspace page for dates
And look around this blog for sounds and reviews.
While I like a lot of artists, and like to type ad nauseum about 'em, I've only recommended strongly a handful of acts in the past decade: Jack White (in any incarnation), Amy Winehouse (for that brief moment we could see her live), Teddy Thompson and CR Avery.
Every one of them worth the time and effort. Don't miss it if you can make it.
Friday, February 05, 2010
Gordon Lightfoot & Gord Downie
Feb 4, 2010
Toronto Centre for the Arts
Interesting fusion of two iconic Canadian artists in conversation and song. Gotta love the CBC-Radio, who else can afford to produce something 10 people are gonna listen to?
It's part of a 6 part series celebrating Canadian Hall of Fame musicians. This episode is called "If You Could Read My Mind."
Gord was warming up this past December when he did a solo version of Lightfoot's Restless at his annual Phoenix Christmas gig. Gordon is on the road, a little worse for wear and tear, but still going at it. I haven't seen Lightfoot since the '70's and have seen Downie 4 times in the past couple of years. It's about time they hooked up. I mean they both do great nautical songs.
What a venue! The George Weston Recital Hall is a world-class stage. Ranks up there with the best auditoriums I've been in. Check out the link for more detail.
In for the night, from our nations Capital, Ottawa, is a friend and fellow-Dylan fan, Mike. He likes good music too. It's just he lives in Ottawa so he has to travel a bit.
Unfortunately, since I've had a 2 month taping hiatus, i have no sound...left my rig on 'pause' all night. I was expecting an opener and was setting my levels but wasn't going to record. They messed me up by putting the 'opener' in the middle of the set.
Oh, well, it's an official recording anyway, so I shouldn't have been trying.
Check into CBC on Easter Sunday (April 4) for the broadcast.
Here's an excellent, and comprehensive, review from The Toronto Sun.
REVIEW
And in addition to that, what my friend Mike thought.
"Setlist for the nerds. I.e. us:
Lightfoot - Rainy day people
Downie - Morning moon
Lightfoot - Shadows
Downie - Willow logic
Lightfoot - If you could read my mind
Downie - (The) Hard Canadian
Lightfoot - Let it ride
My favourite part:
Lightfoot: (talks for 5 minutes about CRT, without ever mentioning its name)
Brown: What do you think of that song, Gord?
Downie: (pauses….) Which song is that?
Brown: Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Downie: Oh…
Lightfoot: That’s okay, I don’t know all of *your* catalogue, either.
Lots of laughs throughout the night. "
and more of what i thought that wasn't in that review
"my favourite part is when Downie was talking about debuting The Hard Canadian at an RBC (Financial Institution) private gig for charity.
Gord : "Never debut a song in front of bankers."
after the song
Brown (interviewer); "Wow, that was lovely. Than line about "painting the pavement"
Downie: "That was "painting the pigment", what are you, a banker?"
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Top 10 Covers of 2009
And the lists just keep on coming.
10) Paul James covering The Rolling Stones : Sweet Virginia
Love the artist, love the song, gotta make the list.
09) NIN covering David Bowie : I'm Afraid of Americans
Ok, I know it's a bit of a cheat.
08) The Kills covering Patsy Cline : Crazy
'nuff said.
07) Dead Weather covering Bob Dylan : New Pony
Ya, climb up on top of me, why don'cha.
06) Green Day covering everybody: Shout!/I'll Be There/Stand By Me
It was even better live.
05) CR Avery covering Lucinda Williams: Bus To Baton Rouge
Canadian hip-hop, spoken word artist doing New Orleans boozehound blues.
04) DEVO covering The Rolling Stones : Satisfaction
Had no reason to expect I'd ever see this live.
03) Dead Weather covering Van Morrison : You Just Can't Win
It's all about Jack.
02) Street Sweeper Social Scene covering MIA : Paper Planes
I mean, get the fuck outa here, Tommy Morello does Desi? Should have been Number 1.
except for this masterpiece
01) Billy Bragg covering John Cooper Clarke to the tune of Bob Dylan's Desolation Row : Evidently Chicken Town
We are not worthy.
10) Paul James covering The Rolling Stones : Sweet Virginia
Love the artist, love the song, gotta make the list.
09) NIN covering David Bowie : I'm Afraid of Americans
Ok, I know it's a bit of a cheat.
08) The Kills covering Patsy Cline : Crazy
'nuff said.
07) Dead Weather covering Bob Dylan : New Pony
Ya, climb up on top of me, why don'cha.
06) Green Day covering everybody: Shout!/I'll Be There/Stand By Me
It was even better live.
05) CR Avery covering Lucinda Williams: Bus To Baton Rouge
Canadian hip-hop, spoken word artist doing New Orleans boozehound blues.
04) DEVO covering The Rolling Stones : Satisfaction
Had no reason to expect I'd ever see this live.
03) Dead Weather covering Van Morrison : You Just Can't Win
It's all about Jack.
02) Street Sweeper Social Scene covering MIA : Paper Planes
I mean, get the fuck outa here, Tommy Morello does Desi? Should have been Number 1.
except for this masterpiece
01) Billy Bragg covering John Cooper Clarke to the tune of Bob Dylan's Desolation Row : Evidently Chicken Town
We are not worthy.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Top 10 Music Related Events of the Decade
I've only been doing this 'blog' thing since 2006. Prior to that, from 2000 to 2005, I put all my typings into a book.
10) CR Avery opened for Billy Bragg at the Harbourfront Sirius Stage one cold June night in 2008. Had no idea who he was but he opened his set with a harmonica blast version of Leadbelly's Sylvie and followed it with a cover of Dylan's Things Have Changed. I was hooked. Next time he was in Toronto I turned my son on to him and he's produced dvd's of two live sets from Toronto's Rivoli club. Looking forward to more shows over the next few years, a full-time member of my "must see" club.
9) NIN: Back in 1989, when Pretty Hate Machine came out I tried to turn my 6 year old and 4 year old on to the industrial beat of early NIN. It was too early. In 1994 when both Green Day and NIN had breakthrough performances at Woodstock, they noticed. Trent wasn't much for touring though so it took until this decade before I was able to add him to a regular rotation. Saw all of these shows with one or two of my kids and most times, a handful of their friends. 2009 w/Janes Addiction
8) The wide variety of bands I've seen because Bob taught me it's all about the live show: Loretta Lynn, NOFX, BB King, Foo Fighters, Peter Noone and Hermans Hermits, Finger Eleven, Perry Farrell, John Prine, Mustard Plug, Billy Bragg, Buck 65, English Beat, Teddy Thompson, Springsteen, and a shit load more.
7) Marianne Faithfull Back in 1981 my wife and I lived about 50 yards away from the Danforth Music Hall. We got to see a lot of great acts there; Rockpile, Iggy Pop, George Thorogood and the wonderful Marianne on her "Broken English" Tour. Almost saw her in 2005 or '06 until her tour was cancelled due to her bout with cancer. In '07 I waited for a Toronto date during her "Canadian Tour" but it never came, as Canada seemed to be Vancouver and Calgary to her management. In 2009 we took two trips to NYC to catch her at the City Winery and Town Hall.
6) Robert Gordon In 1979 I was all set to see Robert Gordon but his date conflicted with my honeymoon so I thought it best to pass. In 2005 I'm sitting in the Cadillac Lounge with some friends and spy a poster advertising his set coming up in the New Year. Haven't missed a Toronto date since. Most shows were with the marvelous Chris Speddingon guitar but this summer I caught a 'superstar' set where he was backed by Chris, Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols and Slim Jim Phantom of Stray Cats at the Legendary Horseshoe.
5) Leonard Cohen : Comeback story of the decade! Fifteen years off the road and it's like he got stronger and better. A singers-singer forever, Leonard's comeback has branded him as a major player in the rock 'n roll oeuvre. The accolades keep on coming and he's soon to receive too little recognition, too late in the game, but it's gotta happen so the record is there.
This tour is a gift. The music is superb, the singing is wonderful, the whole feel of the evening is magical.
4) Jack White: I was late catching onto the Stripes but White Blood Cells got me right into them. Didn't take long to see past the 'candy cane' crap and realize this guy was the real thing.
3) the places I've been.. Paris,Amsterdam, New York, Venice, Boston, San Fran, NO, Quebec, London and more.
2) the people I've met...can't rank 'em.
1) Bob Dylan : 100+ shows, I could go on forever about this, and I did. Without him, most of the other things on this list wouldn't have happened.
10) CR Avery opened for Billy Bragg at the Harbourfront Sirius Stage one cold June night in 2008. Had no idea who he was but he opened his set with a harmonica blast version of Leadbelly's Sylvie and followed it with a cover of Dylan's Things Have Changed. I was hooked. Next time he was in Toronto I turned my son on to him and he's produced dvd's of two live sets from Toronto's Rivoli club. Looking forward to more shows over the next few years, a full-time member of my "must see" club.
9) NIN: Back in 1989, when Pretty Hate Machine came out I tried to turn my 6 year old and 4 year old on to the industrial beat of early NIN. It was too early. In 1994 when both Green Day and NIN had breakthrough performances at Woodstock, they noticed. Trent wasn't much for touring though so it took until this decade before I was able to add him to a regular rotation. Saw all of these shows with one or two of my kids and most times, a handful of their friends. 2009 w/Janes Addiction
8) The wide variety of bands I've seen because Bob taught me it's all about the live show: Loretta Lynn, NOFX, BB King, Foo Fighters, Peter Noone and Hermans Hermits, Finger Eleven, Perry Farrell, John Prine, Mustard Plug, Billy Bragg, Buck 65, English Beat, Teddy Thompson, Springsteen, and a shit load more.
7) Marianne Faithfull Back in 1981 my wife and I lived about 50 yards away from the Danforth Music Hall. We got to see a lot of great acts there; Rockpile, Iggy Pop, George Thorogood and the wonderful Marianne on her "Broken English" Tour. Almost saw her in 2005 or '06 until her tour was cancelled due to her bout with cancer. In '07 I waited for a Toronto date during her "Canadian Tour" but it never came, as Canada seemed to be Vancouver and Calgary to her management. In 2009 we took two trips to NYC to catch her at the City Winery and Town Hall.
6) Robert Gordon In 1979 I was all set to see Robert Gordon but his date conflicted with my honeymoon so I thought it best to pass. In 2005 I'm sitting in the Cadillac Lounge with some friends and spy a poster advertising his set coming up in the New Year. Haven't missed a Toronto date since. Most shows were with the marvelous Chris Speddingon guitar but this summer I caught a 'superstar' set where he was backed by Chris, Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols and Slim Jim Phantom of Stray Cats at the Legendary Horseshoe.
5) Leonard Cohen : Comeback story of the decade! Fifteen years off the road and it's like he got stronger and better. A singers-singer forever, Leonard's comeback has branded him as a major player in the rock 'n roll oeuvre. The accolades keep on coming and he's soon to receive too little recognition, too late in the game, but it's gotta happen so the record is there.
This tour is a gift. The music is superb, the singing is wonderful, the whole feel of the evening is magical.
4) Jack White: I was late catching onto the Stripes but White Blood Cells got me right into them. Didn't take long to see past the 'candy cane' crap and realize this guy was the real thing.
3) the places I've been.. Paris,Amsterdam, New York, Venice, Boston, San Fran, NO, Quebec, London and more.
2) the people I've met...can't rank 'em.
1) Bob Dylan : 100+ shows, I could go on forever about this, and I did. Without him, most of the other things on this list wouldn't have happened.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Top 10 Favourite Live Performances of the Decade
Pt. 2
Bob Dylan
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Monday, December 14, 2009
Top 10 Favourite Live Performances of the '00's
Part 1
Toronto Shows
Songs
It's been quite the decade of concert going. All lists are arbitrary and subject to change with the passing of time. Tonight I'm digging these moments.
10) Ryan Carey covering The White Stripes Offend in Every Way
This kid is a friend of mine, first met him on my way to seeing Dylan at Newport in 2002. Over the years he's taken an open mic at different get-togethers our travelling troupe have had in Toronto. No list of favourite music should be without an amateur in the mix. Take a few minutes to listen to this rendition. It don't suck.
09) CR Avery Midnight Gold Mining 2009-07-23 The Rivoli Toronto ON
Indy artists deserve a look as well.
08) Finger Eleven Paralyzer/Take Me Out/Trampled Under Foot/Another Brick in the Wall/Paralyzer 2008-03-08 Massey Hall
Big hit with Paralyzer but this version stretches the song as far as it can go.
07) David Byrne Life During Wartime 2008-10-29 Massey Hall
All I could have expected from this show.
06) Robert Gordon Suspicion 2008-01-05 Cadillac Lounge
This guy puts on the 'feel good' show of the year, every year.
5) Nine Inch Nails Only 2008-08-05 Molson Amphitheatre Toronto ON
Trent is the man.
04) Amy Winehouse Back To Black 2007-05-12 Mod Club
Amy, Amy, Amy. Hope you make it back, black or otherwise.
03) White Stripes Hello Operator 2005-09-16 Molson Amphitheatre
Lotta songs to pick from but this one is powerful.
02) Leonard Cohen Hallelujah 2008-06-07 SONY Centre
Get out of the way Jeff Buckley it's time to sing this song like it was meant to be done. The spiritual peak of a very powerful show. A strong song, a strong performance, an enraptured crowd.
01) Waterboys She Tried To Hold Me 2007-11-05 Danforth Music Hall
Went to hear two songs...and now I can't get this show out of my cd player. Both Whole of the Moon and Fisherman's Blues were played this night but The Waterboys were promoting their new record, Book of Lightning. A lot of good songs on that disc; Sustain, It's Gonna Rain, many more, and they were all delivered with gusto.
This song stood out. It's way superior to the recorded version. It builds in intensity, until it's an aural representation of the raging conflict in the song. Though the vocals make this version spectacular the pace of the story, how it's laid out, is a perfect emotional accompaniament, building to a crescendo.
Great rhymes ,well delivered.
You can tell early on on it's going to be a tour de force as Mike Scott carefully injects a raw emotion into each line. His diction achingly perfect as he introduces the cause of the conflagration.
"She said ‘I’m looking for perfection’
as she strode in my direction"
He doesn't waste a syllable in this couplet. 'perfection', 'strode' and 'direction', all have a another line or two of meaning buried in the single word.
She's not settling, perfection is perfectly dropped at the end of the line, the bar is high. Non-negotiable, period.
She's coming to take it, and she's not wavering. 'Strode' almost becomes a hidden 'oooooh', a warning, he should have know at this point.
She's got focus, as 'di-rection' closes the couplet with the same curtness and sense of lock-in purpose as the previous line.
He goes on to quickly lay out her game plan, her enchantment that leads to encampment and drops his objection at the end of the verse...'she tried to hold me'. A seemingly simple enough statement but it tells us what happened, why and how it ends, all in 4 words. All that's left for us is to witness the storm.
Grab some popcorn.
Sit back.
Enjoy the movie-song from hear on in.
This song has it all.
The words, the voice and you can let your eyelids be the screen for a wonderfully visual tale.
It really starts to take off vocally when he spits out the 'unrealistic/ballistic' couplet. 'Unrealistic' is imbued with a sardonic smirk, as he's using his voice to dismiss her opinion. 'Ballistic' explodes as he leaves no doubt this response was unexpected and overdone. And the fight is on.
Great juxtaposition in the next two lines as she delivers her fussilade "in her powder-blue pajamas' and you can see her, stomping her feet as she stalks around the bedroom. Then we're adrift as the explosioin leaves him nothing more than 'flotsam in her drama'.
She tries to inject reason into her outburst but he sees her as no man should ever see his woman; 'inside she was seething/with a cyclone raging under/like she was skin surrounding thunder'.
Wow. Gotta take a breath here.
So he's out, and when he hits the street, in a storm, escaping a storm, his voice wavers on the 'mutters farewell' from the stairwell line. The tone begins to shift as time passes and the singer looks back on the whole story; the start, the middle and the end. We are looking back from 6 years in the future and when he relates his battle to leave it all behind there's no doubt about the hold she had as he tells us 'she lingered like uranium/like a devil in my cranium'. You dont hear the word 'cranium' a lot in rock 'n roll, nor uranium for that matter, and you definitely never hear it like this.
The song is a bitter-sweet symphony. It closes with a recognition that it takes two to tango and more 'patience' for her 'stipulations' may have resulted in a less acrimonious outcome.
10) Ryan Carey covering The White Stripes Offend in Every Way
This kid is a friend of mine, first met him on my way to seeing Dylan at Newport in 2002. Over the years he's taken an open mic at different get-togethers our travelling troupe have had in Toronto. No list of favourite music should be without an amateur in the mix. Take a few minutes to listen to this rendition. It don't suck.
09) CR Avery Midnight Gold Mining 2009-07-23 The Rivoli Toronto ON
Indy artists deserve a look as well.
08) Finger Eleven Paralyzer/Take Me Out/Trampled Under Foot/Another Brick in the Wall/Paralyzer 2008-03-08 Massey Hall
Big hit with Paralyzer but this version stretches the song as far as it can go.
07) David Byrne Life During Wartime 2008-10-29 Massey Hall
All I could have expected from this show.
06) Robert Gordon Suspicion 2008-01-05 Cadillac Lounge
This guy puts on the 'feel good' show of the year, every year.
5) Nine Inch Nails Only 2008-08-05 Molson Amphitheatre Toronto ON
Trent is the man.
04) Amy Winehouse Back To Black 2007-05-12 Mod Club
Amy, Amy, Amy. Hope you make it back, black or otherwise.
03) White Stripes Hello Operator 2005-09-16 Molson Amphitheatre
Lotta songs to pick from but this one is powerful.
02) Leonard Cohen Hallelujah 2008-06-07 SONY Centre
Get out of the way Jeff Buckley it's time to sing this song like it was meant to be done. The spiritual peak of a very powerful show. A strong song, a strong performance, an enraptured crowd.
01) Waterboys She Tried To Hold Me 2007-11-05 Danforth Music Hall
Went to hear two songs...and now I can't get this show out of my cd player. Both Whole of the Moon and Fisherman's Blues were played this night but The Waterboys were promoting their new record, Book of Lightning. A lot of good songs on that disc; Sustain, It's Gonna Rain, many more, and they were all delivered with gusto.
This song stood out. It's way superior to the recorded version. It builds in intensity, until it's an aural representation of the raging conflict in the song. Though the vocals make this version spectacular the pace of the story, how it's laid out, is a perfect emotional accompaniament, building to a crescendo.
Great rhymes ,well delivered.
You can tell early on on it's going to be a tour de force as Mike Scott carefully injects a raw emotion into each line. His diction achingly perfect as he introduces the cause of the conflagration.
"She said ‘I’m looking for perfection’
as she strode in my direction"
He doesn't waste a syllable in this couplet. 'perfection', 'strode' and 'direction', all have a another line or two of meaning buried in the single word.
She's not settling, perfection is perfectly dropped at the end of the line, the bar is high. Non-negotiable, period.
She's coming to take it, and she's not wavering. 'Strode' almost becomes a hidden 'oooooh', a warning, he should have know at this point.
She's got focus, as 'di-rection' closes the couplet with the same curtness and sense of lock-in purpose as the previous line.
He goes on to quickly lay out her game plan, her enchantment that leads to encampment and drops his objection at the end of the verse...'she tried to hold me'. A seemingly simple enough statement but it tells us what happened, why and how it ends, all in 4 words. All that's left for us is to witness the storm.
Grab some popcorn.
Sit back.
Enjoy the movie-song from hear on in.
This song has it all.
The words, the voice and you can let your eyelids be the screen for a wonderfully visual tale.
It really starts to take off vocally when he spits out the 'unrealistic/ballistic' couplet. 'Unrealistic' is imbued with a sardonic smirk, as he's using his voice to dismiss her opinion. 'Ballistic' explodes as he leaves no doubt this response was unexpected and overdone. And the fight is on.
Great juxtaposition in the next two lines as she delivers her fussilade "in her powder-blue pajamas' and you can see her, stomping her feet as she stalks around the bedroom. Then we're adrift as the explosioin leaves him nothing more than 'flotsam in her drama'.
She tries to inject reason into her outburst but he sees her as no man should ever see his woman; 'inside she was seething/with a cyclone raging under/like she was skin surrounding thunder'.
Wow. Gotta take a breath here.
So he's out, and when he hits the street, in a storm, escaping a storm, his voice wavers on the 'mutters farewell' from the stairwell line. The tone begins to shift as time passes and the singer looks back on the whole story; the start, the middle and the end. We are looking back from 6 years in the future and when he relates his battle to leave it all behind there's no doubt about the hold she had as he tells us 'she lingered like uranium/like a devil in my cranium'. You dont hear the word 'cranium' a lot in rock 'n roll, nor uranium for that matter, and you definitely never hear it like this.
The song is a bitter-sweet symphony. It closes with a recognition that it takes two to tango and more 'patience' for her 'stipulations' may have resulted in a less acrimonious outcome.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Robert Gordon
Cadillac Lounge
December 5,2009
Last show of the year, great way to wrap things up.
Caught Robert this summer when he came through with his all-star band for a stop at the Legendary Horseshoe.
This show is a bonus.
No Chris Spedding though, and that's a shame. The Royal Crowns provided adequate back-up in his stead. Lead guitarist Danny Bartley wasn't shy about filling space, bringing a new sound to some songs and paying homage to Chris' arrangements on others. Drummer Teddy Fury had a little trouble finding the tempo early on but once he decided that 'play faster' was the call of the day, found a groove that put a little more ooomph into some tunes, especially Fire. Bassist Jason Adams slapped up a storm.
A shakey start to the evening and a loose end. Perfect bar-night. Technical difficulties and a few between-song lulls were overcome by the 6th song of the night. Just when he was hitting his stride it was time for a break. The audiences' attention span never really got refocussed but the band played on.
This is my ninth RG show in the past few years and I still got a handful of new songs; Sweet Nothings, Rock Therapy, The Fool, Dreaming and Blue Christmas were all personal debuts.
Robert Gordon
w/ The Royal Crowns
2009-12-05
Cadillac Lounge
Toronto ON
source:SP-CMC-8>CA STC-9000 Pre-Amp >Edirol R-09 at 24/48 >USB >Sonic Foundry 16bit wave> FlacFrontend
recorded by krewechief
Disc 1
Robert Gordon's First Set
Track 01 The Way I Walk (false start)
Track 02 The Way I Walk
Track 03 (I'm Gonna Be Your) Lover Boy
Track 04 Sweet Nothings
Track 05 Lonely Weekends
Track 06 Sea of Heartbreak
Track 07 Devil in Disguise
Track 08 Rock Therapy
Track 09 Suspicion
Track 10 Good Rockin' Tonight
Track 11 The Fool
Track 12 Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache
Track 13 Dreaming
Royal Crowns mini-set
Track 14 ??
Track 15 Wine Drinking Women
Track 16 ??Surf Instrumental
Disc 2
Robert Gordon's Second Set
Track 01 Little Sister
Track 02 The Worrying Kind
Track 03 Blue Christmas
Track 04 Black Slacks
Track 05 Mess O the Blues
Track 06 Move It
Track 07 Fire
Track 08 The Wanderer
Track 09 Rockabilly Boogie
(encore)
Track 10 Drivin' Wheel
Track 11 Red Hot
Thursday, November 26, 2009
C R Avery Canadian Tour
Winter/Spring 2010
Catch It If You Can!
2008 Find of the Year, CR Avery turned out to be 2009's Most Shows Attended Leader. Big thanks to Billy Bragg for introducing us.
CR will be back on the road in early February.
His western dates are posted at Pollstar.
Ticketmaster has the Winnipeg and Toronto dates on sale now.
Check out my previous blog reviews and sound samples.
2009-09-06 at Harbourfront Sirius Stage.
July 2009 Hamilton ON
July 2009 Toronto ON
July 2009 Perth ON
February 2009 The Rivoli in Toronto
June 2008 Toronto ON
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
DEVO
Phoenix Concert Theatre
2009-11-23
Q:Are We Not Men?
A: We Are DEVO!
25 years since these freakaloids have been in Toronto. This tour is pure nostalgia for the post-boomer generation. A two-trick pony, I opted to see only one. A short set, under an hour, all of the album in the title and 3 encore songs. Just the right amount.
Part novelty-act, part innovative-performers, DEVO's camp falls in the grey area of rock'n'roll...where all the interesting shit resides.
In the dark grey area was opening act, JP Incorporated, easily the sorriest excuse I've seen for an opening act in all my days...and I've had Ron Sexsmith hoisted on me three times!
Or maybe he wasn't.
Perhaps it was high-art. Some Rip Van Winkle/Dick Van Dyke morphed performer doing faux-TV show themes and commercials to a video montage on a giant screen. He dances like Elaine in Seinfeld. The cat-calls and boos got louder as the set progressed. His shameless pandering to the audience was imbued with more bravado after each song. I think we were supposed to boo him off stage and our failure to do so makes the joke on us.
Or maybe not.
DEVO sounded good even when they weren't playing the radio hits. Thankfully it wasn't as 'electronic' as I'd feared; there's a good deal of screaming guitars and pounding drums. Complete albums, in order, is the only way to see old-timers. A novel concept, being utilized by many bands these days from Springsteen to Sparks...which should pretty well circle us around the alphabet unless Spandau Ballet decides to do Diamond live. I'll be there for that one too.
01) Uncontrollable Urge
02) (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
03) Praying Hands
04) Space Junk
05) Mongoloid
06) Jocko Homo
07) Too Much Paranoias
08) Gut Feeling
09) Slap Your Mammy
10) Come Back Jonee
11) Sloppy
12) Shrivel Up
13) Smart Patrol
14) Mr. DNA
15) Gates Of Steel
Part novelty-act, part innovative-performers, DEVO's camp falls in the grey area of rock'n'roll...where all the interesting shit resides.
In the dark grey area was opening act, JP Incorporated, easily the sorriest excuse I've seen for an opening act in all my days...and I've had Ron Sexsmith hoisted on me three times!
Or maybe he wasn't.
Perhaps it was high-art. Some Rip Van Winkle/Dick Van Dyke morphed performer doing faux-TV show themes and commercials to a video montage on a giant screen. He dances like Elaine in Seinfeld. The cat-calls and boos got louder as the set progressed. His shameless pandering to the audience was imbued with more bravado after each song. I think we were supposed to boo him off stage and our failure to do so makes the joke on us.
Or maybe not.
DEVO sounded good even when they weren't playing the radio hits. Thankfully it wasn't as 'electronic' as I'd feared; there's a good deal of screaming guitars and pounding drums. Complete albums, in order, is the only way to see old-timers. A novel concept, being utilized by many bands these days from Springsteen to Sparks...which should pretty well circle us around the alphabet unless Spandau Ballet decides to do Diamond live. I'll be there for that one too.
01) Uncontrollable Urge
02) (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
03) Praying Hands
04) Space Junk
05) Mongoloid
06) Jocko Homo
07) Too Much Paranoias
08) Gut Feeling
09) Slap Your Mammy
10) Come Back Jonee
11) Sloppy
12) Shrivel Up
13) Smart Patrol
14) Mr. DNA
15) Gates Of Steel
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Evidently Billy Bragg
Phoenix in Toronto
2009-11-17
The Studio at Hamilton Place
2009-11-18
Billy Bragg back in the Southern Ontario area and this time I opted for two shows. I don't have much to say...you either get this guy or never will. Seeing him live is always life-affirming and a real bargain as you get terrific bang for your buck.
I try to see about 50 or 60 shows a year, if possible. Some nights I'm dragging my ass wondering why the fuck I bother. Then there are nights like these where I remember you can't get this stuff just anywhere.
Billy's had a great track record lately of inserting something in his show that I interpret as a personal treat. One year he brings CR Avery to open and the kid name-checks "Blind Boy Grunt" before doing a cover of Dylan's Things Have Changed. Another year he's booked into the Danforth Music Hall, my favourite city venue, I used to live around the corner from it back in the day and walked to many concerts; George Thorogood, Rockpile, Marianne Faithfull and Iggy Pop among them. Great memories.
This year he throws in a cover of John Cooper Clarke's Evidently Chicken Town sung to the tune of Bob Dylan's Desolation Row. Now the Dylan part's a no-brainer, but JCC...well that's another animal altogether. From this side of the pond you had a very narrow window of opportunity to be exposed to the witty Mancusian. (This was before the interweb.) I did find myself at one of his North American shows back in '81 when he played the Voodoo Lounge in Toronto. Best line of the night, as the fans called out for the radio versions of his manic musings, was JCC telling us... "If you want the fuckin' music, buy the fuckin' album!"
Billy Bragg
Phoenix Concert Theatre
Toronto ON
2009-11-17
Disc 1
T01 The World Turned Upside Down
T02 talk - "we know how to deal with those bastards, don't worry"
T03 Accident Waiting to Happen
T04 Cindy of A Thousand Lives
T05 The Warmest Room
T06 Mr Love and Justice
T07 A Lover Sings
Woody Guthrie Suite
T08 talk - Tumescence, Google It
T09 Ingrid Bergmann
T10 Way Over Yonder In A Minor Key
T11 Ain't Got No Home
T12 talk - oxymorons
T13 NPWA
T14 Sexuality
T15 talk - John Cooper Clarke/Bob Dylan
T16 Evidently Chicken Town (DesoRow) (JCClarke/Bob Dylan)
T17 Oh Freedom, What Liberties Are Taken In Thy Name
T18 Levi Stubbs' Tears
T19 The Saturday Boy
Disc 2
T01 All You Fascists Are Bound To Lose
T02 talk - fight cynicism
T03 I Keep Faith
T04 Power in a Union
T05 encore break/talk
T06 Milkman of Human Kindness
T07 The Busy Girl Buys Beauty
T08 Richard
T09 The Man In The Iron Mask
T10 To Have and Have Not
T11 Lovers Town Revisited
T12 A New England
Second night was a touch mellower, especially without the inclusion of the JCC tune, due mostly to being a 'sit down' venue, very proper and all that. Great talk about his 15 year old son. Not the soccer player dad had a hope to bring up, but Billy knows his kids job is not to be what his dad wants. He seems to want to be a musician, got figure.
10 different songs tonight...thank you much. I think the tunes we lost were stronger than the songs we got...with the possible exception of Old Clash Fan Fight Song, but not by much and the variety made it worth the trip.
Billy Bragg
The Studio at Hamilton Place
Hamilton ON
2009-11-18
Disc 1
T01 She's Got A New Spell *
T02 A Lover Sings
T03 Like Soldiers Do*
T04 Mr Love and Justice
T05 The Shortest Answer*
Woody Guthrie Suite
T06 talk - Guthrie talk
T07 I Woke Up In A Dry Bed*
T08 Way Over Yonder In A Minor Key
T09 Ain't Got No Home
T10 talk
T11 All You Fascists Are Bound To Lose
T12 talk
T13 NPWA
T14 Sexuality
T15 If You Ever Leave*
T16 God's Footballer*
T17 talk
T18 Oh Freedom, What Liberties Are Taken In Thy Name
Disc 2
T01 talk
T02 Milkman of Human Kindness
T03 talk
T04 Old Clash Fan Fight Song*
T05 talk
T06 I Keep Faith
T07 Power in a Union
T08 encore
T09 Tank Park Salute*
T10 Sing Their Souls Back Home*
T11 Jeane*
T12 A New England
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Bob Dylan
Kitchener Auditorium
2009-11-07
Saw Bob Dylan last night for the one hundreth and twenty-something time. I've been a little off the Bobster the past 5 years or so, not taking to his cowboy band. Things have changed. Charlie's back in the fold. That alone is worth a look-see.
I had low expectations and demands. Wanted to get the recently revived Gonna Change My Way of Thinking in the opening slot, followed by something strong like Shooting Star. As long as it wasn't Lay Lady Lay. Hoping for as many of the new songs just to knock them off my list but especially the wonderful Forgetful Heart. And Bob on guitar for a handful of songs. One more thing, not too many songs from the horrific Modern Times.
And what did I get?
None of the above.
Cat's opened and the dreaded Lay Lady Lay was Bob's ONLY guitar song. Had to wait for the well-entrenched Jolene in the encore to get a personal debut. 4 MT songs snuck in.
Strange thing though, I totally enjoyed the show. Perhaps that's what happens when you only see one a year. I suspect there is more to it though as this year's model is much more audience-friendly both in deportment and sound.
The changes in the show that make it the best I've seen since Freddy Koella left the band were obvious and subtle.
Charlie is a guitar god. He fills space and wastes no opportunity to inject himself into a song, something sorely lacking the past few years.
Chaplinesque Bob is back. At least he's out from behind the keyboards for a handful of tunes. Only once on the guitar tonight but the three 'stage front, harmonica' songs were terrific. Cold Irons Bound has to be seen to be believed. Ballad of A Thin Man gets a more theatric outing. Hollis Brown was riveting.
The upsinging is gone.
Bob's diction is in fall-mode, which is to say...playful and interesting.
A testament to how good this show was is that Lay Lady Lay was enjoyable and both LARS and Watchtower had me paying attention for the first time in a long time.
The inclusion of Million Miles and Every Grain of Sand (my wife's all-time favourite Dylan tune) didn't suck either.
As for the 4 MT songs I liked what Charlie does at the front of Thunder on the Mountain (muddiest song of the night). Spirit is better than getting Horizon. When The Deal Goes Down seemed a little sparse compared to what I remember from the '08 versions. Ain't Talkin', can't bitch.
The best part of the evening by far, and this is not to disparage the show, was seeing a large group of friends before and after Some from as far away as Italy and Vancouver, others who live closer by but we don't see nearly enough.
Kitchener, Ontario
Memorial Auditorium
November 7, 2009
Disc 1
1. Intro/Cat's In The Well
2. Lay, Lady, Lay (Bob on guitar)
3. Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)
4. Million Miles
5. The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
6. Cold Irons Bound (Bob center stage on harp)
7. Every Grain Of Sand
8. Spirit On The Water
9. Ballad Of Hollis Brown
(Bob center stage on harp)
10. When The Deal Goes Down
Disc 2
11. Highway 61 Revisited
12. Ain't Talkin'
13. Thunder On The Mountain
14. Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage on harp)
15. (encore)
16. Like A Rolling Stone
17. Band Intro
18. Jolene
19. All Along The Watchtower
Bob Dylan - guitar, keyboard, harp
Tony Garnier - bass
George Recile - drums
Stu Kimball - rhythm guitar
Charlie Sexton - lead guitar
Donnie Herron - violin, viola, electric mandolin, pedal steel, lap steel
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