I’ve never really been a huge Dylan fan. It might be circumstantial. Most of the kids I knew who loved him in high school or college did so because their parents did. Mine didn’t. Dad is a big singer-songwriter and folk-rock guy, and he likes lyrics that have a good story or meaning. One time he made us stop everything and listen to the words of Dan Fogelberg’s “Same Auld Lang Syne”. True story. But he could never get into people who “can’t sing” and (I believe, at least) is kind of skeptical of a lot of acts associated with the hippy era. He once professed a profound distaste of the Grateful Dead, even though he’d probably love an album like American Beauty. Some of that skepticism leaked over to me, and Dylan is a great example. I like quite of a lot of his stuff, and I’ve read his book, but I could never buy the whole mythos. Or is that just a generational thing?
Even so, I couldn’t resist the chance to see Dylan on a tour of China. Everyone I spoke to, though, apparently could. Many people had seen him already, and made a point repeating the word on the street: he sucks live. One friend said: “He has no stage presence, doesn’t move from the microphone, and you can’t understand anything.” (He then admitted to having seen Dylan 8 times) Other people complained that he doesn’t sound anything like the records.
Boy, didn’t he. Or, at least, the records most casual fans listen to. If you’ve heard any of his more recent output (which, by the way, is great) you knew exactly what you were getting. In his book, Dylan talks about how touring with the Grateful Dead influenced his live approach, which was evidenced in this set. Many of the arrangements of his classics were different from the records, the band jammed, and Dylan himself took a very improvisational approach to his singing.
The setlist for Shanghai, like most of his tour schedule, was pretty mixed between classics and new stuff, but the classics were often near-unrecognizable. He’s in a very blues and country phase, and the band he plays with on tour are basically the band he plays with in the studio. The sound and approach isn’t really that different. Playing mostly keys in Shanghai, backed by two guitarists, a steel guitar player (who also played some banjo and perhaps mandolin), and the rhythm section, the band’s arrangements are lush and layered, built around twangy guitar lines instead of chord structures. Rather than an urgent rendition, like that on Blood on the Tracks, ”Tangled Up in Blue” took its time with a slow burn, and was perhaps the most beautiful song of the night. ”Like a Rolling Stone,” the first encore, wasn’t aggressive and accusatory, but instead reflective, perhaps more fitting coming from a man of his age.
Dylan’s singing was a real surprise. Rather than the incomprehensible mumble I was told to expect, he sang with a real energy and fire. He wasn’t particularly melodic (the only real, honest singing he did was on “Desolation Row”), but instead used rhythmic vocals over the band’s melodic playing. Even his harmonica playing, which I always found a bit gratuitous, had some kick. I actually said aloud, “That was great!” after one of them.
A lot of the media attention to these shows made a fuss about how Dylan was forced to “submit” to the Ministry of Culture. People wondered if he’d say subversive things or play subversive songs. But I think these people missed the point. While he’s surely an icon of the 60s counter-culture, like most involved, he’s moved on. He hasn’t been political for a long time, and has at times expressed frustration with the assumption that he’s some kind of great spokesperson. This show, instead, showcased a very different person. He’s not Dylan the prophet. He’s Dylan the musician.
I’m cool with that.
PS. He played my two favorite songs of his (“Don’t Think Twice” and “Tangled”) within the first four songs. Unfortunately, Beijing got “Hard Rain”, which would have just put me over the edge.
EDIT: My mom says that she really likes Bob Dylan. Let the record show, however, that my old bedroom is the only place in the house with any Bob Dylan music in it.
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