Dylan

Garebear:
:I have seen Dylan about a 15 times going back to the Rolling Thunder review.  I was at his 30th anniversary show at the Garden in 1992 and have seen  at least a dozen times since then. The reason those who have seen this tour are raving (me included) is that in this tour his voice is in better shape, he sings better, the arrangements are innovative, etc. I was frankly shocked that I could say this tour was in my top 3 Dylan tours of all time and better than any performance of his I have seen since the 80s. His voice ain't "great", but it is also not the inaudible droning mess it's been in the last few decades. On this tour, he actually carries the tune with his vocal lines. His voice on this tour is comparable to his voice on the Tempest album--clear and a bit on the deep side, somewhat raspy but quite intelligible .So for those fans of Dylan---don't give up. This will be memorable. I'm not just saying this cause I'm a fan who can't let go. I'm actually a bigger Stones fan but I would not bother to buy a ticket to watch Mick talk through the songs as the boys mail them in. Not so Dylan on this tour. Truly happy I went. 

Though I love him, I've seen Dylan live only twice. I prefer to experience his kind of music privately, for some reason. I didn't see him until the very late 80's or early 90's, and he and his band (the 3-piece with G.E. Smith on guitar) were just awful. I could not believe how bad! The second time was on the "Love And Theft" (an album I adore) tour, and he and his band could not have been more different. Dylan looked to actually be enjoying himself, engaging with the audience and smiling (!). He even played some primitive Chuck Berry-style guitar solos (as Larry Campbell looked on, bemused or befuddled ;-). His singing was good (without the changes in melody and its phrasing he sometimes makes), and his band (led by guitarist Larry Campbell) were really great. I'd see him again.

I only saw him once, during his gospel period, must have been 80s, and was not impressed. Way too low key. I like his records a lot, though, for the most part, though not that much at the time, and all the action in the early days. He was already a huge icon by 1964-65. I met his best friend from his time in NYC was it 1960-61? whose name is Paul Clayton back when I was in school.

Interesting.  I saw him a couple months ago on and it was the single worst show of any kind that I have been to....by a large margin.  I actually left early, along with many others.  It was just one huge garbled mess of sound...dump some forks in your disposal and mic into a PA at about 130 dB to get an idea.  I went expecting greatness.  It was bad to the point of comedy.