Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson

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Are either of these guys any good anymore? I'm supposed to see them on their current tour today.

― Robert Dichoc, Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

totally. should be awesome. what are you talking about??

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Sunday, 15 August 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know, I've heard a lot how Dylan sucks these days, with his "voice change" and all that.

― Robert Dichoc, Sunday, 15 August 2004 19:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Were they EVER good?

― flonase, Sunday, 15 August 2004 19:04 (twenty-one years ago)

so Bob finally hit puberty, eh?

― Al (sitcom), Sunday, 15 August 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw the opening show in Çooperstown. Dylan was very good--really LOUD but a lot of new material, which suits his voice, which is utterly shot and ravaged, never to return. Willie Nelson phoned it in. He did most of his hits as a freakin medley.

I'm sure that in hell, they play medleys.

― shookout (shookout), Sunday, 15 August 2004 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

"I'm sure that in hell, they play medleys."

True, LOL!

― piers (piers), Sunday, 15 August 2004 22:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I saw this one in Brockton, MA, and was disappointed by Willie. I've never seen him before despite being a big fan. I thought the band - mostly family memebers - was really not very good. It was good to hear that voice live, though.

Bob Dylan is as good live these days as he has been since probably 1985 or so. The tunes are a mix of old and new (including a few hits and a few curveballs), but they are all run through the Love and Theft filter. Bob generally sings hard, even if he's in a different mode of voice these days. The band is KILLER - the best roots rock band you'll ever see, I think.

The highlight of the Brockton show actually was Mr. Tamborine Man in a cruising country-rock version. Since Bob can't really carry the melody any more, one of the guitar players picked it up in a chiming solo that was pretty damn beautiful.

― southern lights (southern lights), Sunday, 15 August 2004 22:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw the New Haven show. I missed almost all of Willie, and what I caught (which sounded decent) was mostly from afar. Southern Lights pretty otm re Bob. The songs are played much more for their music than their meaning, though there is a good deal of interpretive remelodizing. Expect a great Bob Dylan show and you might be a little disappointed. Expect a very good traveling rock 'n roll revival and you'll have a good time. I thought it was worth it for the ambience alone (helped by the very nice venue).

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Sunday, 15 August 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

"Interpretive remelodizing" - since I've seen Bob 3x this year, when I'm singing the chorus to "Like A Rolling Stone" in my head, I do it with the 'new' melody until I catch myself.

― southern lights (southern lights), Monday, 16 August 2004 00:11 (twenty-one years ago)

eugh. last time i saw dylan, in 2002 or so, i was just dissapointed, all songs re-arranged to some country format, and i mean, is it embarassing half way through a song i'm not familiar with knowing what "Like a Rolling Stone" sounds like?

Bah, damn you dylan.

― Andrzej B. (Andrzej B.), Monday, 16 August 2004 10:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Both these guys are interesting guitar players in a live context, if that floats your boat. Willie's ultra-relaxed nylon-string jazziness suits his vocal phrasing very well, I think, laying out till the last possible moment and then squeezing in some perfect little run. And Dylan furrows his noble brow and picks like crazy, seeming quite pleased with himself when he pulls off a good one. It's a hoot.

― briania (briania), Monday, 16 August 2004 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Unfortunately, Bob is almost never playing guitar lately . . . he's played it on about 3 live tunes all year . . . arthritis has forced him to the piano. Willie's also a bit hampered by his recent carpal tunnel surgery, although he's playing OK.

― southern lights (southern lights), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:43 (twenty-one years ago)

So Bob can't play guitar and his voice is shot beyond recognition...that must be one great band!

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

What's wrong with the piano? And why is one man's voice 'shot beyond recognition' if his name is Bob Dylan but brilliantly emotive if he is in, say, the Blood Brothers?

― southern lights (southern lights), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

By the way, Robert - how did you like the show?

― southern lights (southern lights), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, haven't seen Dylan for 2 years -- he was playing a LOT of guitar then. I suspect that Dylan can still do what he does when he sings - "shot beyond recognition" is beside the point. Saw Willie a few months ago, and all was as reported.

― briania (briania), Monday, 16 August 2004 12:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I wish he would put away the keyboard, too. I'm partial to the piano, myself, but only when real piano players play them. Didn't know about the arthritis, however. Is that really true?
The guy still puts on a great show when he wants to. Whatever you think about him, he's never predictable.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Monday, 16 August 2004 13:40 (twenty-one years ago)

five years pass...

Just today heard Willie's version of 'Senor' from the 'I'm Not There' s/t in a coffee shop - takes a terrible song (at least in Dylans versh) and brings it close to greatness; and he picks a solo that, in its so wrong and so right-ness wouldn't be out of place on Like Flies on Sherbert.......

Not sure about posting links but if you google it you can hear it soon enough.

― sonofstan, Saturday, 20 March 2010 17:24 (sixteen years ago)

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