Bob Dylan & His Band @ Northrop Auditorium

It is impossible to separate the where and when from the what, in regards to Bob Dylan’s historic concert in Minneapolis last evening. The show (which sold out almost immediately) took place at Northrop Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus, a school that Bob briefly attended from 1959-60, and was officially his first concert ever at the U. And, it happened to fall squarely on Election Night in America, during one of the most significant and momentous elections in recent history, with a candidate in Barack Obama that Dylan has openly supported in the media, which he hasn’t done much of in his past. So the potential was there for a truly extraordinary night, which it was for many different reasons.

Everyone in the crowd was galvanized by the occurrences of the day by the time the familiar introduction came over the loudspeaker, “Columbia recording artist Bob Dylan,” and the houselights dimmed. Dylan and his band strolled on stage to an absolutely deafening ovation (actually, it appeared that Bob skipped on stage, a move he would repeat for the encore). And, with a lively version of “Cat’s In The Well,” we were off. The question of whether or not the night would have any overt political statements was answered with the second song of the set, a slowed down but no less potent “The Times They Are A-Changin” that had the crowed roaring their approval after every verse. It was a perfect moment, and entirely as relevant today as it was when he wrote it.

Dylan was extremely lively during the two hour set, as animated as I’ve seen him in over 10 years. He would punctuate his lyrics with subtle stomps of his feet, and poked at the air sharply to emphasize his words. He also played a lot more harmonica than he has in the last three or four shows I’ve seen of his, sauntering over to the harp stand, picking the right one to match the tune as the band played behind him, and often taking the mic with him to center stage to solo away with the band. He was confident and cool on stage, and had a swagger about him that perhaps was based on him being back on home turf, playing to an adoring and boisterous audience.

That confidence was evident especially on a radically reworked and bluesy “This Wheel’s On Fire,” which found Bob center stage at the mic for the entire song. No keyboard to steady himself or hide behind, just a microphone and his spunky lyrics leading the song. It was great to see Bob so self-assured. “Tangled Up In Blue,” also received the patented Dylan rework treatment, with this version sounding a bit countrified and bouncy. I quite liked the new arrangement of one of my favorite Dylan tunes, and am constantly amazed at how Bob continually evolves his own material, never content to just let a song be finished and immutable. Frankly, the three song stretch of “Tangled Up In Blue,” “Masters Of War,” and “Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again,” was simply flawless, and as good, musically, as it gets. The songs themselves are unparalleled, and each of them was delivered with passion and an intensity that fits the times impeccably. Bob and his band were on fire at this point.

And then the concert lost a bit of its momentum. “John Brown,” is a great song about the life changing tragedy of war, but tonight it was missing its spark a bit. The lull continued with a sleepy “Beyond The Horizon,” that really slowed the show down, and had people around me (I was fortunate enough to be in the eighth row) sitting down for the first time in the show. The show needed a jolt of life, and we got one with a blazing “Highway 61 Revisited,” that found the stage backdrop lit with cool black and white tribal-like designs reminiscent of Bob’s crown & eye logo. It’s always cool to hear songs written about local landmarks (which is part of the appeal of The Hold Steady for me), and this song was no exception. It was Dylan’s road out of here, one which he has never stopped traveling on, and this version was impassioned and volatile.

The backdrop changed to a star-filled sky theme for the appropriate and touching “Shooting Star,” with Dylan gently singing the lyrics, and even playing electric guitar center stage during the second half of the number. Again, it’s been over four to five shows since I’ve seen him pick up the guitar, and while his efforts were rusty at first, he picked up steam and confidence, and closed out the song leading the band home on guitar. He could’ve not played a note on the thing, but it still would have been a great sight to see Bob just slinging a guitar over his shoulder once again. “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” was up next, and, despite Dylan not enunciating the lyrics on every verse like he did when he was a younger man, the song still packed an emotional punch and an unrivaled lyrical potency, and was my favorite song of the night. It was reworked slightly into an exuberant blues number, and was a real treat to hear. The crowd roared for the “But even the President of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked” line, as they have every time he’s performed this song since 1965. His lyrics are truly timeless, and are as appropriate today as they were the day he wrote them. I don’t know if that should be consoling or truly frightening. Either way, Bob is a singular songwriter who has blessed the world with more gifts than we deserve.

“Under The Red Sky” (the second song of the night from Bob’s 1990 record of the same name) slowed things down again, and much too down-tempo to keep my attention entirely, and my thoughts started to drift a bit towards what was happening with the election for the first time in the evening. But Dylan and his band again picked the momentum back up with a lively “Thunder On The Mountain,” that found Bob leading the band through the song on keyboards, soloing a couple different times during the number. Again, he was lively all night, clearly energized and commanding on stage. The stage lights went black for a simmering and soulful version of “Ain’t Talkin,” that closed out the main set on a high. The darkened stage lent a potency and weight to Bob’s ruminations on this journey from life towards death, and the difficult decisions we face daily. It was truly captivating, and a great way to end the set.

The break before the encore was a little longer than most, simply because I believe the band was trying to get updates on the state of the election, or perhaps the band was just soaking in the resounding ovation from the 4,791 fans. But the band eventually came back out, complete with Dylan skipping back on stage, and I figured the encore would consist of the now ubiquitous “Like A Rolling Stone,” “All Along The Watchtower,” combination. Well, I was half right. “Like A Rolling Stone,” was rowdy and a real crowd singalong, with Bob soloing beautifully on harmonica towards the end of the song. It was, and always will be, a great rock n’ roll song, and even found Bob uttering his first words of the night as the applause rained down on him, exclaiming emphatically “Thanks Friends.” No, thank you Bob. Seriously.

As he began to introduce the band before the next number, I thought that the encore was going to finish just like the last few shows of his I’ve seen, with no mention of the significance of the night or the location (which wouldn’t have been a surprise to me). But the crowd hushed instantly as Bob kept speaking after the intro’s were finished, saying “I was born the year Pearl Harbor was attacked, and I’ve seen some pretty dark days since then. It looks like things are going to change now.” Now, as any fan of his knows, that constitutes a long-winded speech from Dylan, and I was summarily moved by his words and sentiment, as brief as it was.

Dylan then closed the show with another nod to the night’s historical events, changing things up with a version of “Blowin’ In The Wind,” that perhaps has never been as significant and appropriate as it was last evening. It was stunning and stirring, and moved everyone in attendance, no matter their party affiliation. Change was, and is, in the air, there is no denying it, and the song was a testament to that promise. It was the only way the show could’ve ended. As the band gathered for their group bow, Dylan was clearly moved by the rapturous ovation, balling his hands into fists and punching at the air, knowing this show was a clear knockout. The band knew it too, with a few of them muttering “Wow,” as they walked off stage, knowing that they were part of something truly special this evening. Bob Dylan and his band continue to be not only relevant, but inspired and innovative, with their songs gaining significance every time they are performed. Every one of us lucky enough to be at this show will remember it always.

And, as we filtered out of the auditorium, news was just coming over the air on CNN, which was being broadcast on a screen in the lobby, that Barack Obama had just won the Presidency. Wave after wave of people coming into the lobby would get the news, and shouts of joy and jubilation echoed through the halls. The celebration continued outside, as an impromptu party broke out, with everyone dancing and shouting “Obama, Obama,” in time with the drumming of a street musician that found himself in the right place at the right time. It was an incredibly jubilant end to legitimately one of the best nights of my life. But the real odyssey actually begins now, and I, for one, am ready to do my part in order to make sure this incredible journey is worthwhile. And last night, Bob Dylan and his wonderful band did their part to make sure I, and all who were there, never forget this night.

Set List:
Cat’s In The Well
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Summer Days
This Wheel’s On Fire
Tangled Up In Blue
Masters of War
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
John Brown
Beyond The Horizon
Highway 61 Revisited
Shooting Star
It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
Under The Red Sky
Thunder On The Mountain
Ain’t Talkin’
(encore)
Like A Rolling Stone
Blowin’ In The Wind

Also: Bob Dylan “Together Through Life” Review