I'm researching the events that had my ol' flat-mate okay house-mate, roommate, whatever gave me tickets to see Bob Dylan. I had just gotten married and thrown him out on the streets... thanks goodness he found some girl now his wife to take him in... just joking, mostly... His lasted longer than mine, so I'm just jealous. ANYWAY! Neither Karen, my wife nor myself, were much of Dylan fans but I RARELY turn down free tickets especially for someone that a lot of people have at the top of their bucket-list.
I mean I had images of past concerts I'd heard about where is was disinterested in performing, mumbled his way through, knowing people might even love the incomprehensible mutters more because they have memorized every song poem and utterance of the lyrical genius.... Yeah well whatever... so with just a bit of trepidation we went...
Well, wow, he was open, friendly, looked like he was having a blast. I found the names of the backing musicians because all were were incredibly consummate musicians lifting that nasal drawl up to such heights, and could actually understand him!
On-line I found the following list that matches my normal setlest.fm site, but it added the musicians and other interesting details. I mean even if you're not a Dylan fan like myself just looking at that list saying I saw Bod Dylan sing that is.... is.... idunno fun.
1. Jokerman
2. The Man In Me
3. All Along The Watchtower
4. Just Like A Woman
5. Tangled Up In Blue
6. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
7. Mama, You Been On My Mind
8. Gates Of
9. Mr. Tambourine Man
10. God Knows
11. In The Garden
12. She Belongs To Me
13. Maggie's Farm
—
14. Ballad Of A Thin Man
15. The Times They Are A-Changin'
Concert # 563 of The Never-Ending Tour. Concert # 13 of the 1994
Concert # 107 with the 9th Never-Ending Tour Band: Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar), Bucky Baxter (pedal steel guitar & electric slide guitar),
7–9, 15 acoustic with the band.
2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15 Bob Dylan harmonica.
8 new songs (53%) compared to previous concert. 2 new songs for this tour.
Stereo audience recording, 115 minutes.
Session info updated 15 July 1995.
In my research several critics point out that this tour did see him in rare form which later culminated in his praised appearance and resurgence at Woodstock '94 and, like the Neil Young Harvest Moon tour I saw, a closely following release of an MTV-Unplugged project.
 |
| Woodstock '94 a few months after visiting Fort Wayne |
So let's be real you're either a fan or you're not I suppose. I wasn't converted to rush out and buy every album Bob ever put out, but at the same time he definitely was elevated in my...... honored esteem? You know... whatever!
Here's the wikipedia entry for this tour:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Ending_Tour_1994
Going to do a bit of copy and paste her from it:
This is actually my first chapter mentioning The War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana, but I would be remised if I did not mention the really bad acoustics in that sports arena. I do not think I've seen a concert in there since they brought The Who in and they played so loud they raised the roof and they put supports in while they played.... sorry I lost my mind for a minute. Anyway I don't know if the acoustics got better or worse in there since they raised the roof and expanded the seating in 2002. But I remember being exactly half way back and exactly half way up, and well that place is NOT built for the acoustic guitar and subtle harmonica, but still... it really didn't detract for the show even with my pickiness, I mean that is Bob Dylan singing Tangled up in Blue right there! Right?
-DCO
