A couple of weeks ago I finally got to see Bob Dylan live in concert. He came to Irving and performed at the Toyota Music Factory Pavilion. It was a quietly spectacular show.
At 80 years old, Dylan still has it. He performed from behind an upright piano the entire show, only occasionally coming out front to acknowledge the applause of the crowd. He and the band were dressed all in black and were standing on a lighted floor in front of a traditional stage curtain that changed colors depending on the song. There was a mystical feel to the evening. The band was tight and Dylan's vocals clear. You felt a part of something larger than yourself.
The set list was mainly songs from his most recent album "Rough and Rowdy Ways." He threw in a few older tunes including a rousing fast paced version of "Gotta Serve Somebody." One of my favorite moments was his cover of "Melancholy Mood." There was an ethereal quality to the band's rendition that transported me beyond the confines of just being an audience member at a concert.
Here was the night's setlist...
- Watching the River Flow
- Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
- I Contain Multitudes
- False Prophet
- When I Paint My Masterpiece
- Black Rider
- I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
- My Own Version of You
- Crossing the Rubicon
- To Be Alone with You
- Key West (Philosopher Pirate)
- Gotta Serve Somebody
- I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You
- Melancholy Mood
- Mother of Muses
- Goodbye Jimmy Reed
- Every Grain of Sand
They apparently have played pretty much this same exact set list at each show on this Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. Another highlight for me was "Goodbye Jimmy Reed." That's one of my favorite Dylan tunes period.
No photos were allowed. I got a few blurry ones off. The ushers were serious about enforcing the no phones and I respected that. But this was a long awaited moment of my life and I wanted documentation for future reference. So I snapped a couple of poor photos.
What a great night. A night I'll long remember and cherish.
