BOB DYLAN : BRUXELLES, BELGIQUE 2000

 

Disc One (70:19)

  1. Duncan And Brady
  2. To Ramona
  3. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
  4. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
  5. Tangled Up In Blue
  6. Searching For A Soldier's Grave
  7. Countrie Pie
  8. Standing In The Doorway
  9. Tombstone Blues
  10. Tell Me That It Isn't True
  11. Cold Irons Bound
  12. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat

Disc Two (40:53)

  1. Things Have Changed
  2. Like A Rolling Stone
  3. If Dogs Run Free
  4. Seeing The Real You At Last
  5. I Shall Be Released
  6. Highway 61 Revisited
  7. Blowin' In The Wind

Label : no label

Venue : Forest National, Brussels, Belgium

Recording Date : October 2, 2000

Quality : Audience recording (A+)

Review : Bob Dylan has been giving strong performances in Brussels since, at least, 1995, the fist time I ever saw him live. Last night's was no exception. The band sounded very tight, Bob was in top form and the crowd seemed to enjoy every minute of the show, well almost. I don't recall seeing Forest National so full for a Dylan concert. It was really packed with people of all ages (and eras) and you could unwillingly inhale smokes from all varieties too. As for the songs, It's Alright, Ma, had a very country flavour, quite different from what I'd heard to this date. Searching For A Soldier's Grave is just a beautiful and very suitable piece of music for a concert that conjured up images of what a Hank Williams' concert probably looked like, which could also apply the waltzy To Ramona. Country Pie was quite a fun opener for the electric section of the concert, very joyful and polished, but Standing In The Doorway was just too big to be matched. Bob put on an amazing performance, articulating every word, accentuating every meaningful syllable, grimacing every rough moment. His guitar solo was untidy but tasteful, his Fender acting as a throwback from the 50's, but his voice just too old to be that old (if you catch what I mean). Cold Irons Bound has improved quite a lot since the last time I heard it in Köln, the start-stop new arrangement flowing much freely, probably because the drums don't seem to get so much in the way. Things Have Changed is a winner and a welcome addition to live performances, but the surprise of the night was obviously the inclusion of If Dogs Run Free, with some very jazzy arrangements, just soooo cooooool, with Bob thoroughly enjoying the new trick he managed to produce. It has to be one of the memorable moments of the night, so out of place but yet so fresh (who knows, we may be treated to things like Sign on the Window in the future_). For the rest, the old numbers sounded rock solid, bluesy and very pleasing. I Shall Be Released probably ranks with the most successful renditions of the song from the NET, and with the band doing The Band's chorus too. On the weak side, well, Tangled Up In Blue, which is just more of the same, pure senseless repetition, just killing off the song. All in all a quite strong performance, very countryish, some remarkable musicians, genuine solos by Sexton and Campbell, loose and who-cares-about-solos solos by Dylan and, of course, Bob not thanking or waving goodbye after the show, just facing the roaring audience, posing like a defiant torero in the center of the arena (or should I say a rodeo cowboy?), and probably asking for the next bull.