bob dyan

No, I’m not sharing a recording of this show (though you can already find one over at Expecting Rain). But I wanted to talk about it anyway.

Yesterday was my birthday. Bob Dylan, one of my all-time favorite artists came to town on my birthday. That would have made a great birthday present.

When the show was announced I was super excited. I missed him the last time he came to town because my in-laws were arriving that very night for a visit and it felt rude to not be here when they arrived.

I vowed to never miss him again. He is 83 after all and as much as I don’t want to think about it, he probably doesn’t have that many more tours left in him.

I am a stupid, stupid man. When tickets went on sale I was busy at work so I put off buying them. I don’t think he sold out last time so I figured he wouldn’t sell out this time.

Ah, but here’s the thing. When the Tulsa show was announced there were no other shows scheduled. We weren’t sure if he was ever going to tour again. Add to that the fact that the Bob Dylan Center is in Tulsa a buzz began that this might be a special show. Maybe Bob was finally going to recognize the center (I don’t think he’s ever even visited the place). Maybe there would be special guests. That turned out not to be true, but I think the buzz made people buy tickets like mad.

It sold out. I did not get a ticket.

There are worse things in life, but that is definitely a disappointment. I couldn’t help but follow the setlist and read the reviews. The big news was that Anton Fig took over the drumming position. He’s played with everyone from Warren Zevon to B.B. King to Cyndi Lauper but may be best known for his role in David Letterman’s house band. He also played on a couple of Bob records and was the drummer for Bob Fest.

The setlist remained pretty much the same as it was on his last tour. Interestingly he took a fifteen-minute break after the 8th song. It will be curious to see if that continues through the tour. Reviews have been very good and I’m excited to sit down with the recording sometime soon.

All Along the Watchtower (Bob on guitar and baby grand piano)
It Ain’t Me, Babe (Bob on guitar and baby grand piano)
I Contain Multitudes (Bob on baby grand piano)
False Prophet (Bob on baby grand piano)
When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob on baby grand piano and harp,
Tony on standup bass)
Black Rider (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
My Own Version of You (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
To Be Alone with You (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass,
Bob Britt on acoustic guitar)

15 minute break
Crossing the Rubicon (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
Desolation Row (Bob on baby grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
Key West (Philosopher Pirate) (Bob on baby grand piano,
Tony on standup bass)
Watching the River Flow (Bob on baby grand piano)
It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob on baby grand piano,
Tony on standup bass)
I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You
(Bob on baby grand piano and harp, Tony on standup bass)
Mother of Muses (Bob on baby grand piano and brief harp at very beginning,
Tony on standup bass)
band introduction
Goodbye Jimmy Reed (Bob on baby grand piano)
Every Grain of Sand (Bob on baby grand piano and harp)

Band Members
Bob Dylan – guitar, piano, harp
Tony Garnier – electric and standup bass
Anton Fig – drums
Bob Britt – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Doug Lancio – acoustic guitar, electric guitar

Various Artists
Nobody Sings Dylan Like Dylan, Vol. 19: Humdingers! Folksingers! Dead Ringers!

Give credit for the inspiration for this volume to Stew (of StewART fame), who has quietly, then not so quietly, insisted that this series could not be complete without a Dylan cover performed by Joan Baez. I’ve tried and failed to get Joan into several previous volumes, so this time decided to build the entire set around her, including ’60s contemporaries like Arlo Guthrie, Gordon Lightfoot, and Judy Collins as well as current artists whose styles blend in with these old-school folkies. We’ve also got a couple of bluegrass goodies, and some stripped down rock bombast in the form of the Lovemongers, a one-off group formed for an anti-Gulf War 1 benefit and featuring Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart (along with Sue Ennis and Frank Cox). In all, 15 new NSD perormers here, and four new songs, including the instrumental “Nashville Skyline Rag” (Nobody PLAYS Dylan Like Dylan, either).

Speaking of Ms. Baez, if anyone has a good live version (unofficial, of course) of her doing “Love is Just a Four Letter Word,” please PM me. Otherwise, thanks to the tapers, the original uploaders, the folks who’ve sent me recordings, the fine artists who’ve created cover artwork, and especially the performers and composer. Due to the many different sources, I am not including lineages. I have done nothing to the original files but normalize the levels and fade in and out on each track (using Cool Edit). Please keep the suggestions and files coming–if you’ve got something good, PM me.

Enjoy!

01 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues – Gordon Lightfoot (1965, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Burbank, CA)
02 The Times They Are a-Changin’ – Judy Collins (Jan 16, 1965, Sanders Theater Benefit Concert, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA)
03 Things Have Changed – Bob Walkenhorst (May 18, 2005, Molloy’s Irish Pub, Kansas City, MO)
04 All Along the Watchtower – John Mellencamp (Jul 25, 1984, Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH)
05 Don’t Think Twice – Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (Apr 21, 1998, Bottom Line, New York, NY)
06 Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) – Jeffrey Foucault (Nov 10, 2005, Sunset Tavern, Seattle, WA)
07 Visions of Johanna – Chris Smither (Jan 30, 2007, The Furs, Lage Vuursche, The Netherlands)
08 Girl From the North Country – Roy Harper (Feb 5, 2007, Anti-Knock, Tokyo, Japan)
09 If Not For You – Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen (of Dolly Varden) (Aug 23, 2006, 311 S. Wacker, Chicago, IL)
10 Love Minus Zero – Al Stewart (Jul 18, 1999, Conejo Community park, Thousand Oaks, CA)
11 Nashville Skyline Rag – John Hartford and Norman Blake (Nov 9, 1971, WABN Radio, Cincinnati, OH)
12 Only a Hobo – Seldom Scene (Apr 26, 1992, Watson Stage, Wilkesboro, NC)
13 Country Pie – Dave Swarbick, Simon Nicol, Richard Thompson, Dave Pegg and Geoff Muldaur (Sep 27th 1982, Lone Star Cafe’, New York)
14 I’ll Keep it With Mine – Fairport Convention (1968, Dutch TV, Amsterdam, Holland)
15 I Shall Be Released – Mama Cass, Mary Travers, Joni Mitchell (Jun 27, 1969, Johnny Cash Show, Nashville, TN)
16 John Brown – Staples Singers (Apr 19, 1968, Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA)
17 When the Ship Comes in – Arlo Guthrie (Sep 20, 2002, Lowe’s Theatre, Worcester, MA)
18 With God on Our Side – Lovemongers (Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart) (Feb 23, 1991, Paramount Theater, Seattle, WA)
19 Farewell Angelina – Joan Baez (Jul 14, 1989, Montreux Jazz Festival, Le Casino, Montreux, Switzerland)