SECTION TWELVE 

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COLUMN EIGHTY-EIGHT, APRIL 1, 2003
(Copyright © 2003 The Blacklisted Journalist)

A DYLAN CONCERT REVIEW:
AT THE GARDEN, 11/11/02


(Photo  by Myles Aronowitz)
(Copyright - 2003 Myles Aronowitz)

Dylan was loud and rockabilly that night. I felt that he wasn't really playing to the crowd very much, and it showed in their response through most of the evening. It's true that our seats were kind of far way (for $75 I was two-thirds of the way up---halfway back) but that really wasn't that big a factor in terms of measuring his energy because when the rock did work.  It was quite rockin'!.

Of course, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this, I would have loved more of the old classics from the "60s and "70s in that singular Dylan folk voice, sung with that warm familiar melody. He did provide some of that (Just like a Woman, Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol), but not enough to make this aging Dylan fan happy. It was mostly rocked out re-interpretations. Sorry, but It's Alright Ma... in my judgment doesn't work as a rock n roll song.

I can't blame him for re-interpreting, he's been singing these things for more than 30 years. To be fair, it did work on some songs. He closed the show with a version of All Along the Watchtower that was mighty fine. When it comes to the finest rock re-interp of that song, bring on Mr. Hendrix please, but this rendition did what it had to do. The crowd went bonkers. He also did his version of Brown Sugar by the Stones, Old Man by Neil Young, The End of Innocence by Don Henley, which were great. Brown Sugar and All Along the Watchtower tied for rock n roll highlights of the evening. Hey, I got my polo  shirt, I got my poster. Life goes on. ##

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