Elizabeth 2008 (LBR-019/020)
It’s difficult, or near impossible, to say anything new about Bob Dylan. He’s been reviewed and praised by many people throughout his illustrious career; The Times they are a Changing’? I’ve heard that one before. Nevertheless, one cannot help but enter a state of awe when listening to his work. In Elizabeth 2008, Dylan freshens up his style, while keeping the profound significance of the chronicle and storytelling lyrics.
After Dylan, everything changed in pop music and rock and roll. Suddenly the songs are stories, and they illustrate emotions just as well as theatre, cinema, literature or any other so-called “high art”. What made a nasal-voiced musician with mediocre playing skills become a legend? His Lyrics. Yes, capitalized. They have inspired a political group (“The Weatherman”), a national Canadian festival (“Winterlude”), been the subject of entire theses and placed amongst T.S. Eliot, John Keats and Alfred Tennyson.
In Elizabeth 2008, Dylan gives us classic songs like Mr. Tambourine Man and Like a Rollin’ Stone with new vocal cadences. Some of the songs, if it weren’t for the rock solid band behind him, wouldn’t even be recognizable. Over the years his voice has evolved from the nasal whine to a throaty half-growl, somewhat like Tom Waits. The performance is magical; it keeps the listener guessing, even though we’ve heard the songs so many times. Rather like how Joao Gilberto plays his standards while mixing up vocal metrics.
The live performance in Indiana is a must for Bob Dylan fans. He keeps the music real, and performs beautifully, making it a great addition to any Classic Collection.
Disc 1:
1. Watching the River Flow
2. Mr. Tambourine Man
3. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
4. Ballad of Hollis Brown
5. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
6. Visions of Johanna
7. The Levee’s Gonna Bread
8. I Believe in You
9. Honest With Me
Disc 2:
1. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
2. Highway 61 Revisited
3. Make you Feel My Love
4. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Met)
5. Ain’t Talkin’
6. Thunder On The Mountain
7. Like a Rolling Stone
8. Blowin’ In The Wind
1 Comment
This concert is from Elizabeth, IN at Horshoe Casino on August 23, 2008. This was an outdoor venue in late summer and Bob played a wonderful show. I have not heard this recording, but I was at the concert. Highlights for me included the “Visions of Johanna” which is usually stunning, “I Don’t Beleive You” really rockeed, “I Believe In You” and “Make You Feel My Love” also were beautiful.
I usually see several Dylan shows every year, and I beleive this year something came together with this band. Not to mentiion the more diverse set lists, make the 2008 shows some of the most enjoyable Dylan concerts since 2002. Now let’s just hope the sound of these silvers match the quality of performance.