Thanks for this great review, Adam! Love these first video clips from Phoenix. "A Rainy Night in Soho" is so beautiful. And Tambourine Man! I love how the wind is blowing through Bob's hair like it was when he played it at Newport in 1964. You could just about convince yourself that it's the same wind still blowing 61 years later, or that Dylan is such a force of nature that he's capable of summoning the wind with this magical song.
So, no one else but me felt the Dylan set featured a lack of interaction with the audience, single, rigid camera/ lighting coverage, an intrusive candelabra, and an overall, “I’d rather be somewhere else” mood?
That's exactly how it felt. He has a reputation so my expectations were set accordingly, but I wonder why Willie doesn't find someone else to fill the slot.
hahaha what a trip to get picked up by the headless horseman, haha...and to tell him he looked like Claude Raines, hahaha...can't rehearse stuff like that....and yeah, endless strip malls=Desolation Row
Jones Beach and PNC . ( Will be my 124 th and 125th shows since 1986 w Petty n Heartbreakers as my first at MSG ) Wow sounding last night ! !
….
One question ? Why do so many times people write about Dylan feel the need to throw a political slant in ? No Kari Lake fan here at all but do you assume all Dylan fans are progressive lefties ? they are not . I’ve got proof
“All politics are just the instrument of the devil , everyone knows that “ ( BD interview quote ) our music is his church hero would probably suggest to you to
I was there. I’ve only seen him four times, but this was the second Mr. Tambourine Man (first was 4/8/06 here in AZ at Sun City). It was the clear highlight of the show and such a beautiful version. Watchtower somehow reminded me of The Police.
Was lucky enough to see BD in Paris toward the end of his Outlaw tour. Got to shake hands with one of my idols, Neil Young, who was in the audience. I am a HUGE BD fan and the show was... low energy and generally disappointing. Maybe he was wiped out by all of the traveling he had been doing - he needed support to stand but who wouldn't at 84. Anyway, he is still the man and glad to hear that AZ was a better experience.
I was there on the lawn! So excited to see Bob for the first time but so disappointed at no close ups of him or his band on the screens. The only band to not do this. Great songs and performance. If only i could have seen his face.
Killer, killer review, Adam ... too many highlights of your review to mention ~ and too many highlights of this fascinating Dylan set, too! I mean, I'm a gooey fool for Ramona... that one would have knocked me out. But you're right, Tambourine Man and covering the Pogues - and some left-field un-Googleable* (* for a while at least) music ... it's the type of Dylan show we all hope for and rarely get.
(Not that I didn't like the mostly-static Rough & Rowdy Ways setlists ... I adored them and have listened to every "identical" show I can find from these 4 years of touring it, and still love it just as much.)
But back to Outlaw territory. I met you and Ray in person at that Alpharetta show in 2024 and we were all similary knocked out and bemused, I think. This sounds like a new entry in that realm.
Now, will Phoenix be a one-off, or the portent of more sets like it, or a mix of both? Can't wait to see. (I have a ticket for his return to Alpharetta in July)
Man, Lancio and Britt are sounding fantastic in these clips. The arrangements are wonderful, and last night's setlist was phenomenal. Pogues cover? "Axe and the Wind?" Hot damn! Thanks for the writeup!
Thanks for this great review, Adam! Love these first video clips from Phoenix. "A Rainy Night in Soho" is so beautiful. And Tambourine Man! I love how the wind is blowing through Bob's hair like it was when he played it at Newport in 1964. You could just about convince yourself that it's the same wind still blowing 61 years later, or that Dylan is such a force of nature that he's capable of summoning the wind with this magical song.
Great report, Adam! And thanks for posting, Ray! The fourth song was "Axe and the Wind" by George "Wild Child" Butler.
So, no one else but me felt the Dylan set featured a lack of interaction with the audience, single, rigid camera/ lighting coverage, an intrusive candelabra, and an overall, “I’d rather be somewhere else” mood?
That's exactly how it felt. He has a reputation so my expectations were set accordingly, but I wonder why Willie doesn't find someone else to fill the slot.
hahaha what a trip to get picked up by the headless horseman, haha...and to tell him he looked like Claude Raines, hahaha...can't rehearse stuff like that....and yeah, endless strip malls=Desolation Row
I was there last night. The message I came away with is that Dylan either needs to perform or retire. I am glad Willie closed the show on a high.
Great review ! Now really looking forward 😎
Jones Beach and PNC . ( Will be my 124 th and 125th shows since 1986 w Petty n Heartbreakers as my first at MSG ) Wow sounding last night ! !
….
One question ? Why do so many times people write about Dylan feel the need to throw a political slant in ? No Kari Lake fan here at all but do you assume all Dylan fans are progressive lefties ? they are not . I’ve got proof
“All politics are just the instrument of the devil , everyone knows that “ ( BD interview quote ) our music is his church hero would probably suggest to you to
write about the music only . …
Anyone who likes Kari Lake is not my target audience, and I don’t care if they don’t like me.
Thanks Adam and Ray! Wonderful review - geez I got a long wait till jones beach.
I was there. I’ve only seen him four times, but this was the second Mr. Tambourine Man (first was 4/8/06 here in AZ at Sun City). It was the clear highlight of the show and such a beautiful version. Watchtower somehow reminded me of The Police.
Thanks!!!!!
Was lucky enough to see BD in Paris toward the end of his Outlaw tour. Got to shake hands with one of my idols, Neil Young, who was in the audience. I am a HUGE BD fan and the show was... low energy and generally disappointing. Maybe he was wiped out by all of the traveling he had been doing - he needed support to stand but who wouldn't at 84. Anyway, he is still the man and glad to hear that AZ was a better experience.
I was there on the lawn! So excited to see Bob for the first time but so disappointed at no close ups of him or his band on the screens. The only band to not do this. Great songs and performance. If only i could have seen his face.
Killer, killer review, Adam ... too many highlights of your review to mention ~ and too many highlights of this fascinating Dylan set, too! I mean, I'm a gooey fool for Ramona... that one would have knocked me out. But you're right, Tambourine Man and covering the Pogues - and some left-field un-Googleable* (* for a while at least) music ... it's the type of Dylan show we all hope for and rarely get.
(Not that I didn't like the mostly-static Rough & Rowdy Ways setlists ... I adored them and have listened to every "identical" show I can find from these 4 years of touring it, and still love it just as much.)
But back to Outlaw territory. I met you and Ray in person at that Alpharetta show in 2024 and we were all similary knocked out and bemused, I think. This sounds like a new entry in that realm.
Now, will Phoenix be a one-off, or the portent of more sets like it, or a mix of both? Can't wait to see. (I have a ticket for his return to Alpharetta in July)
Man, Lancio and Britt are sounding fantastic in these clips. The arrangements are wonderful, and last night's setlist was phenomenal. Pogues cover? "Axe and the Wind?" Hot damn! Thanks for the writeup!
It was wonderful to be at this concert last night.
I could tell it was a special night, and this write-up shows that.
Transcendant for sure.
Great writeup!
Really enjoyed this report. Great detail and my wife and I laughed out loud at the paragraph about the taxi driver! Thank you.