BOB DYLAN : THE PEDLAR NOW SPEAKS

 

Disc One (73:00)

  1. Down in the Flood
  2. If Not For You
  3. All Along the Watchtower
  4. License to Kill
  5. Most Likely You Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine
  6. Silvio
  7. Mr. Tambourine Man 
  8. Visions of Johanna 
  9. Girl of the North Country 
  10. God Knows
  11. Never Gonna Be the Same Again

Disc Two (78:15)

  1. Unbelievable
  2. Knockin' on Heaven's Door
  3. Tangled Up in Blue 
  4. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
    Bonus Tracks :
  5. Shelter From The Storm
  6. Masters of War
  7. What Good Am I
  8. Cat's In The Well
  9. My Back Pages
  10. Like A Rolling Stone

Label : The Razor's Edge

Venue : Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Date : June 21st, 1995

Quality : Audience recording (A-)

Comments from Deep Beneath The Waves : Let me go out on a limb and say that all things considered (recording and performance), this release is the best representation of what Bob Dylan & Band sound like live in 1995. Quality of the recordings is superb and the performances are, well, words can't describe. It's like trying to describe one of Michael Jordan's best games - they are all so good but when he takes it to another level you are left speechless. Many will hear this and find their mouths agape with awe...others who were lucky enough to be there will know what to expect. You get the feeling that even Bob Dylan himself "felt it" on these nights as he pulled out never and/or not-oft played Visions of Johanna, Girl From the North Country, License To Kill (radical new epic arrangement), If Not For You, Never Gonna Be The Same (very moving), Unbelievable, and a "to-die-for" Knockin' On Heaven's Door. Not to mention the definitive acoustic Tangled Up In Blue and a momentous Most Likely You Go Your Way. No less impressive are the rest of the trax: Down In The Flood, All Along The Watchtower, Silvio,Mr. Tambourine Man, God Knows, Rainy Day Women. ALL tracks are a wonder to behold and things don't end there, either. The bonus trax from 6/22 sustain the heights attained the previous night: Shelter From The Storm, Masters of War, an amazing and definitive What Good Am I (I played it 5 times in a row), an incredibly loud and energetic Cat's In The Well, My Back Pages and Like A Rolling Stone. The only negative I can pin on this one is that you might want to slightly EQ the treble up and the bass down. Do yourself a favor & get it. Bob described it best that night with "Unbelievable." He himself knew it was something special. (Footnote for all you English language freaks : "Pedlar" is spelled "peddler" on the disks themselves).

Review from Bob's Boots : "Amazing" is the only way to describe the sound quality and the performance on the two nights at Philly's 'Theater of Living Arts'. The vocals are powerful, crisp, and way out front. The drums are fat and warm, and the instruments blend to a studio quality perfection. Two highlights are the 8 minute acoustic versions of Tambourine Man and Visions Of Johanna that are as soft and pretty as you'll hear. The simple, but tasteful aesthetics of the package belie the jaw dropping experience the listener will soon find themselves immersed in. The back lists the tracks, venue and personnel. One of the many highlights of a great tour. The only thing to even remotely fault this great package with is the spelling of 'Peddler'.