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Thursday, November 30, 2017
CONCERT REVIEW/Bob Dylan
In New York City, Two Dylans: Hopeless Romantic, Committed
Musician
The Beacon
Theatre marquee last Saturday night in New York City.
Omar Moore
by
Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com
FOLLOW
Thursday,
November 30,
2017
When Bob Dylan strolled onto the Beacon Theatre stage for the final of his five
concerts in New York City last Saturday night it was a stroll of humility, even
tenderness. Mr. Dylan was accompanied on his walkout with loyal band
members, a troop that meant business. With them a Nobel Prize winner made
a solemn entrance. Bob Dylan dazzled in the ways only Bob Dylan can,
displaying a repertoire of old and new Dylan staples, starting with "Things Have
Changed" (the song from the 2000 film "Wonder Boys" for which Mr. Dylan won a
Best Original Song Oscar) and more or less ending with "Blowin' In The Wind".
At that point I hoped for Joan Baez to appear to top off this stellar event.
What impressed me as much as the endurance in his eighth decade was the
stagemanship of Mr. Dylan as two distinct concert personas: the hopeless, pining
romantic and the committed musician as a true professional. Each took care
not to override the other, dueling politely. The concert lighting
accentuated these coexisting rivals within Mr. Dylan's heart. The stage
light was an effective use of stage space: the romantic Dylan standing in a
golden spotlight stage right crooning ballads. The committed relentless
professional folk-rocker under a harsher white light stage left, sometimes
sitting, sometimes standing before a piano.
There was the irresistible "Highway 61 Revisited". The old Frank Sinatra
number "Once Upon A Time". On the latter Mr. Dylan quietly and smoothly
poured out his soul on a platter. Sturdy, he seemed almost shy in
performing that great song. Mr. Dylan was reflective and vulnerable in
that moment, recalling what was or maybe what could have been when it came to
love's lost glories. You don't have to hear every word Bob Dylan is saying
to understand how he is feeling when he is on stage. And his band
punctuated with electric guitar riffs. It was amazing. And to think
that years ago Mr. Dylan was pilloried for going to electric guitar from
acoustic guitar.
The Beacon Theatre crowd bounced, danced and often stood during some of Mr.
Dylan's songs part of a joyous, feel-good atmosphere that engendered warmth,
applause and occasional sing-along. It was infectious and Mr. Dylan kept
rocking, going from one song to the next in methodical fashion. He was
economical but never lacked the quality and essence in his method or
musicianship.
Throughout a night that had already featured the phenomenal Mavis Staples in
great form, Bob Dylan possessed a steely commitment to respect and consumate
professionalism. The vintage Mr. Dylan has written and performed many a
protest song over the years. On this night those songs were not
supplemented with any words calling attention to saving the planet or decrying
the menace pervading the current White House. No overtures or
acknowledgements. Just the music. Mr. Dylan did not disappoint.
He was splendid. Still unconquered.
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