Binghamton University 2010 (Highway HW-043/44)
Binghamton University Events Center, Binghamton, NY – November 17th, 2010
Disc 1 (60:16): Intro., Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking, The Man In Me, Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met), The Levee’s Gonna Break, Spirit On The Water, Honest With Me, Desolation Row, Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
Disc 2 (47:37): Blind Willie McTell, Highway 61 Revisited, Love Sick, Thunder On The Mountain, Ballad Of A Thin Man, Audience, Jolene, band intro., Like A Rolling Stone
Binghamton University 2010 covers Bob Dylan’s November 17th, 2010 show in Binghamton New York. The professional CDR label Highway utilize a fair to good recording of the entire show. It is plagued with annoying “breathing” in the higher frequencies and a rumbling bass in the lower.
It’s a shame because the setlist is intriguing, the performance is very good and the cover art is very attractive. Dylan offers an interesting mix of songs from “Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking,” “Desolation Row” and “Blind Willie McTell.” Also included is a very effective performance of “Love Sick.”
There was an interesting review of the show by Tessa Millman published in Pipe Dream, Binghamton University’s student-run newspaper, where she writes: “It’s easy to think Bob Dylan would give his young fans what they want – songs from the past that they wish they could have witnessed – while touring college campuses. However, the experience of Binghamton University students on Nov. 17 was a bit different than expected.
As an avid Dylan lover, I was disappointed he didn’t even speak to fans during his show where hundreds of college students came out for him. Yes, his voice may be going, but it isn’t that hard to give students a simple hello.
“Prepared for Dylan to mumble his way through the set list, the least he could have done was perform songs people could somewhat decipher and sing along. The only recognizable song was ‘Like A Rolling Stone,’ and the only way to hear it was to endure the entire show and make it to the encore. Not to mention it’s been the last song on his tour for at least three shows in a row – no element of surprise.
“But, to be fair, although Dylan wasn’t as mesmerizing as expected, the band playing with him did a great job.
“And of course, there are always two sides to the coin – Dylan’s been known to mumble through his songs at this time in his life. Maybe we should be a little more sympathetic toward the legend. Dylan wasn’t the best he’s been, but it was enjoyable to sit and relish in his legendary aura while enjoying some well-played background music.”
The discs are burned onto professional grade CDRs with silk screened labels on the disc. The cover art, as mentioned above, is exceptional. Even though the show is also great, the sound is too difficult to slog through to give this title much merit.
