In the spring, I two shows in a row at places called the Orpheum Theatre. This weekend, I saw two shows in a row in places called the Xfinity Center. Which tells you a lot about the venue differences between Rough and Rowdy and Outlaw.
Last night’s Xfinity Center was in Mansfield, MA, the same place I attended Outlaw with my family last year. I flew solo this year, meaning I could sit much closer than the lawn and get a better view of Bob. Lol! If you read my piece yesterday, you know how that went. I won’t belabor it again except to say I stand by everything I wrote then. It’s a bummer, and I hope he knocks it off. (Tip: If you’re going to an upcoming show and haven’t bought your ticket yet, aim for the right side and you might get a slim viewing window, like the person who took the photo above did.)
But there was one big difference from Hartford: In Mansfield, the crowd around me didn’t mind. No loud complaints, no one swearing and storming out. People were standing, dancing, singing, cheering and clapping and hooting and hollering. Even though we still couldn’t see much, that energy changed a lot. As I wrote yesterday, the dour crowd vibe was half the problem. I don’t know why Mansfield reacted so differently. Has word just gotten out more by now, so a critical mass knew what to expect? Are Bostonians just somehow used to watching invisible singers? (Did J. Geils Band used to perform behind a curtain or something?) No idea. But the improved crowd energy helped immensely.
What also helped: Dylan’s own behavior. While he remained hidden during the songs, he stood between almost every one. Walked out from behind the piano to talk to Tony a few times. Even once threw a center-stage pose, hand on hip soaking in the applause, right in the middle of the show. So people could see him at least between songs. Different than Hartford where he was essentially invisible from beginning to end (I think he briefly stood once). I didn’t hear any more audience debates about “Is that really him up there?” last night.
Having seen four shows now, with close-to-the-same setlists, I thought I’d break format for my final Outlaw report and do a power ranking. How well I think the current setlist songs work, worst to best. Using the rigorous scientific criteria of: What I like. Starting with…
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