Bob Dylan is possibly the greatest songwriter of the 20th century – certainly the most prolific – and since 1996 he has been nominated every year for the Nobel Prize for Literature. He is a prodigious talent.
Most people will be very familiar with his classic hits and would look forward to seeing their folk hero perform some of his great songs. On this tour, however, he is performing mostly works from albums recorded since 2006 interspersed with the occasional well-known tune.
Dylan is a poet and he has written about love and relationships, the oppressed, the oppressors, war and peace; he is a major figure of our time. From the moment he burst onto the international folk protest scene in the ’60s, he has inspired generations, and now, in his 70s, he continues to write music and tour internationally with his band, which, incidentally, is sensational.
It was a privilege to see someone like Dylan performing his own works in the company of several thousand like-minded fans at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, and it was wonderful to see such a range of ages in the audience.
The concert opened with subdued, low-key lighting, and when the drummer began and was joined by a guitarist, the audience was well prepared for the appearance of Dylan from the shadows. His voice was a little shakier and certainly more gravelly (even more than that of Tom Waits), but occasionally he stuck that unique nasal quality in the higher register and it was comforting to be in the presence of someone who has been a significant figure in our lives.
Dylan didn’t speak to the audience or acknowledge them; he probably has no need to.
Dylan has been able to not only write new material, he has essentially reinvented himself, moving from folk and ballads to rock and reggae. And now his songs – even his classics – are given a new treatment, exploring the blues, swing and jazz. As he moves to piano playing rather than guitar, so, too, does the feel of his songs change, but his lyrics and rhyming couplets remain profound, the choruses catchy and the rhythms always interesting.
The audience enjoyed Dylan’s performance, but it was clear they were itching to hear some songs they knew well.
In the first half, “Tangled up in Blue” and “Simple Twist of Fate” were greeted thunderously; the more recent, melancholic “Scarlet Town”, with its dark and mysterious lyrics that were perfectly audible, also struck a chord with the audience. The band’s versatility in shifting from guitar to double bass, mandolin or banjo created a rich variety of sound and interpretation, and we were able to sense the desolation of a wild west town. Dylan can still turn out a lyric or two, as in “Forgetful Heart”, when he says: “When you were there, you were the answer to my prayer.”
Dylan didn’t speak to the audience or acknowledge them; he probably has no need to; he can do what he wants in his concert – he is Bob Dylan.
For an encore, Dylan and the band performed “All Along the Watchtower” and “Blowin’ in the Wind”. They sounded different and perhaps lacked some of the fire in the belly from a previous era, but the crowd didn’t mind. They were on their feet and loving every moment.
Dylan deserves to be acknowledged for his poetry, his lyrics and his wisdom and perhaps, like a slow train coming, his time will come.
Bob Dylan and his band performed a one-off show at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre as part of a national tour.
