Several things are almost set in stone when you attend a Bob Dylan gig. First, you have no idea what he’s going to sing. He could deliver a version of an old Brighton phone directory and most fans wouldn’t bat an eyelid; second, he doesn’t engage in small talk about anything, in between, before or after the set; it’s all about the music; thirdly, and more disappointingly, he rarely plays an encore. For this concert, the lights quickly dimmed after the final song, and he retreated to his own world again before you could say, “Which way to the exit?” The house lights suddenly came on, and sadly, it was all over.
If you’d taken all these caveats as a given, your enjoyment would have been enhanced. Personally (I’ve seen him four times now), I like the uncertainty. We have Spotify if we want predictability. And he’s an 84-year-old singer, too. Dylan doesn’t look or sound like he’s Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, and no, he didn’t sing that either. That would have been something, though.
The American singer-songwriter’s ageing voice still has a clarity and a surprising richness that echoed off the walls of this relatively small arena, while musically, he’s still a master of everything before him, especially the keyboards which he commands with a confident authority, swiftly changing key or tempo with a half nod to his assembled band, who clearly love their role of supporting this entertaining troubadour. Yes, his diction is not as crisp as it was 15 years ago, but that makes the gig a bit more of a guessing game for seasoned fans, and probably quaint for any newbies whose first taste of Dylan may well have been the excellent biopic of the star, featuring Timothée Chalamet. Surprisingly, Dylan celebrated this fact with a heartfelt version of It Ain’t Me, Babe, the uncompromising break-up ballad, typical of his no-nonsense approach to relationships.
Dylan’s strong Christian beliefs rang out like the morning peal of a village church bell in this concert, which was, at times, not unlike a rockabilly gospel knees-up. Nothing wrong with that. Many of his most tuneful songs emerged during this Christian period and gave us the passionate song, Gotta Serve Somebody, which was sadly omitted here, replaced admirably by the evocative Every Grain of Sand.
Two further highlights made the concert a memorable one. During an emotive rendition of Desolation Row, Dylan seized one of his favourite instruments, the harmonica, filling the venue with a soaring melody. But undoubtedly, Dylan brought many to tears, or close, with a tender, thoughtful version of It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue. For some reason, it summed up the evening, with a knowledgeable Dylan audience singing along with this legend.
Bob Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways UK and Ireland tour continues through November and tickets and be purchased here.