Live Review: Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan has such a reputation for erratic performances his audiences never quite know what they’re going to get.

With this tour visiting intimate theatre venues there was every possibility that any such foibles would be more on display than ever. That didn’t prove to be the case, however, as the setting simply served to magnify the pure genius of the man.

Sure, he was in the shadows of a backlit stage for much of the time, said nothing to his ever-adoring fans aside from an unintelligible announcement about the interval, and showed little interest in attempting engagement outside of his songs, but none of that mattered. From a vast back catalogue Dylan’s choices were slanted towards more recent years, but that still enabled him to deliver a cross-section of his music, tones and moods.

Together with one of the tightest bands in the business, that gave twists of life to even the most downtrodden of songs, Dylan was showcased at his finest. So his vocal was allowed to be at its discordant best in the croaked-out She Belongs To Me while the band added sparkle to Beyond Here Lies Nothin’. They combined particularly well for the heavy blues of Love Sick. There were moments of beauty with Tangled Up In Blue full of the warmth of an old friend, and the soft strings and patience of Forgetful Heart showed how emotional and passionate Dylan’s voice actually can be.

As middle-aged men ran up the centre aisle towards the stage to worship in something that resembled a pre-teen stampede for the latest pop idol, the encore climaxed with a hesitating rhythm-adjusted version of Blowin’ In The Wind. If seeing Dylan live can be hit and miss, this was most definitely a great big hit.