Just a brief view on Bob and his band :)

A few words about Bob and his band. How do they to in this time, how good and tight did they play? Starting with Stu who´s kicking off the show each night with his, what we call "noodle". Coming out of the darkness left of the stage as seen from the crowd, he stays right there, only seen as a silhoette since stage lights are still off. While "noodeling" some blues phrases on his tobacco-burst Gibson J-45, the other bandmembers appear on stage to take their places. Stu´s playing is very underrated in my opinion. As a guitar player myself, I really think that he´s kind of a driving-machine on strings. And if you think, that he´s only doing the rhythm, just check his playing at "Spirit On The Water". And besides that, he´s a cool guy. George on the drums, well, he´s a master! I had the opportunity to talk with Charlie Watts one day, and he told me, that beside George is a buddy of Keef, he´s one of the best rock drummers of the world. He told me to say hello when I meet him. Too bad, you can´t close to band members in these days, for good reasons as I must say. So I place Charlie Watts' greeting right here, maybe some of you who is close to George Recile can tell him. Even his machine-gun drumming on "All Along The Watchtower" is history, I still like the way he keep the guys together, counting the songs in, and my favorite is when he plays the Conga with his flat hand on "Forgetful Heart", what a brilliant performance. Donnie is the multi-stringer who definitely now owns the place of the unforgetable Larry Campbell. Okay, he´s not a singer like Larry, but he plays the fiddle, the banjo, the mandoline and of course the lapsteel in great style. Listen to him on lapsteel during "Soon After Midnight" and you will understand. Too bad, he´s not playing the trumpet anymore, that was a nice variation on "Beyond Here Lies Nothing" years ago. Charlie "the kneeling" Sexton, what can you say. Playing mostly on a Gibson Les Paul these days, is always kind of glued to normal leading standards. But he´s got some more space on this tour to add great solos in the set, and his "duet-playing" with Donnie on "Midnight" is a treasure of each show. Tony Garnier, 26 years in the band, and often called the bandleader, he´s definitely one of the best bass players I know. Before he joined Bob long time ago, he was doing kind of free jazz playing, and today he can do just everything! I love his playing on the double-bass, highlighted when he grabs the bow as he does on "Forgetful Heart". Strange to me, that he´s playing some songs on a 6-string Fender guitar. Wonder what bass-strings are on that thing, and why he does that. As far as I can hear, it gives kind of a sound which was produced in the sixties by bands like the Spotnicks. I can be totally wrong, so Tony, just tell me :)

And here comes Bob. Even a Fender is always sleeping in front of George´s drumset, I can´t see him play on strings anymore. It was different in 2007, when he came back with the guitar after that long period where he only played the organ. Remember those circus days? Now he starts the show standing middle of the stage, one hand on the microphone stand, facing the crowd and singing with a voice that seems to fit every song of the setlist perfectly. His harmonica playing is still top notch, it´s like a fingerprint of the man. The grand piano sounds much better to me than the keyboard and organ he used years ago. And his playing is somewhat, let´s say, genuine. Look at the bandmembers when they watch him playing the keys, there´s always room for some surprises even for Tony. I saw him smile quite often on this tour, when Bob was hammering unexpected tunes on that piano. And his acting, sitting, shaking, facing the crowd, then controlling the band. Jumping up, playing while standing, what a great song and danceman. And once you saw him singing the ballads such as "Simple Twist Of Fate" or "Forgetful Heart" with the gestures of a story teller who know´s what he´s talking about, you know what I mean. As Bono once said: Bob Dylan is the best Rock singer, because you believe in every word he´s singing! He´s not a fake like so many others. Go and see the legend when he comes to your town, go and see him even he plays far away, don´t you dare miss him! I count the years, but I shared no tears. Now 107 Bob shows I´ve seen so far, each of them was a touching experience. And the european tour is already on it´s way, see you all soon, Bobcat friends, the band and Bob himself, keep on keeping on stepping down the avenue, I´ll be there, waiting for you!