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Deep Beneath The Waves 1998
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Deep Beneath The Waves Vol. 67
From: Moe
Date: Fri, 2 Jan 1998 20:53:02 EST
To: karlerik@monet.no
TAILGATES & SUBSTITUTES 2CD (No label-TS1 & 2) Bournemouth,
UK 10/1/97 + filler same venue 10/2 (8 trax)
Tracks: 23 Times: Source: Audience Quality: Very Good(+)
Complete show from Bournemouth opening night in the UK, nicely
filled out w/8 tracks from the next night. Very, very good recording
quality - crisp, clear vocals, distinct instrumentation, and well
rounded sound. Ditto for the filler tracks, which IMO may even be a
tad better sounding overall. Notable for being the debut performance
of a TOOM track - of course, if you're reading this you know it was
"Love Sick."
Dylan picks up where he left off in September, kicking it into a
high gear right from the opening bell (Sweet Marie) and giving the
Brits a shot of atmospheric foreboding (Black Coat), a raw and well-
seasoned rarity (Tough Mama), country stomp (Nowhere), and the usual
stabs at guitar god-ness (Silvio), before launching into a "fireside
chat"-like acoustic set of Cocaine, Tangled & T'Man. A rootsy and
beautifully rendered Blind Willie precedes a wildly emphatic H61
and LARS is reined in a bit and given a nice, punchy reading. A kick-
up-your heels Don't Think Twice is next and then the crowd starts
buzzing when the opening chords of "Love Sick" are recognized. Man,
this tune is sooo much better live than on the record. RDW closes
things out but the festivities are not over, as the filler trax take
things to another level - melodic Staying Here With You, a slow and
bluesy Lot to Laugh, twangy Rovin' Gambler. The highlight comes
next with a truly sublime Love-0, quicker and a bit heavier than
in the past (remember the spoken '92 version?) but a wonderful
rendition of a most elastic tune. Goosebump material, with some
great picking and Bucky coloring it all in with some of that ringing
keyboard sound he gets from the steel. God Knows, This Wheel's,
Pillbox and It Ain't Me Babe all shine just as brightly - not a tune
here that isn't played with great conviction and purpose.
IN CONCERT
April 1963, Carnegie Hall and 26 Oct 1963 - New York City, NY
Trax: 9 Time: 49 Source: Original Acetate Quality: Excellent
Well, you Dylan fans who were disappointed in 1963 when Columbia
canned this album, your 34 year wait is over. The album, just as it
was originally intended, is within your grasp. Complete with a color
glossy reprint of the original intended cover (beautifully reproduced
picture of Bob on stage wearing brown jacket, jeans, boots and work
shirt, the ever-present harp rack & strumming a guitar, alongside a
stool with an open notebook - A CLASSIC SHOT from above the stage),
replete with the "STEREO 360 Sound" at the top and the old Columbia
logo in the left top corner, plus a gorgeous color shot on the back cover,
PLUS an unseen b&W pic of Bob and Suze on the inside booklet and
one of Bob alone on the back booklet, PLUS 2 original ads for each of the
venues, PLUS a long essay by Bob called "Blowin' In The Wind" (or
"Busted") that is vintage early 60's Bob wit and keen insight and
written in that inimitable fashion - whew! Bottom line - the classiest,
most attractive and best put together single CD package that these eyes
have ever seen - and we ain't even talked about the music yet.
Ahhh, the music - this does for 1963 what "All Hallow's Eve" does for 1964,
"Now Is the Time For Your Tears" does for 1965 and "Guitars Kissing"
does for 1966 - Dylan at his best in 1963 singing tunes that had not,
and would not, grace any of his official albums (except*). Songs of wit,
candor and insight that would have caused, had the LP been released, as
much mixed-up confusion and study as the classics that followed.
Taken from an original copy of the acetate and in sharp, cutting, full bodied
and TRUE quality, the best to date of this material (save "Last
Thoughts....", since officially released on TBS1-3):
Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie
Lay Down Your Weary Tune
Dusty Old Fairgrounds
John Brown
When the Ship Comes In*
Who Killed Davy Moore
Percy's Song
Bob Dylan's New Orleans Rag
Seven Curses
presented 34 years after the fact, and packaged in a way that
would have done 'em proud had it been issued like this in1963.
ACETATES ON THE TRACKS 3 1CD (Howlin Wolf BDAT03) Various trax
1974-1982
Trax: 15 Time: 74 Source: Studio/Aud/SBD/Test Quality: VG+/Exc
Let's get one thing straight, these tracks are not from acetates.
Having said that, this is a collection of wildly unrelated but nicely
selected tunes, presented in chronological order from '74 to '82.
A myriad of sources has been used, I feel it best to just run down
the tracks and let you decide if they are for you. The one "notable"
inclusion is the only live performance of Caribbean Wind. I believe all
the other trax are available on other disks (save for the live '79/80
offerings - Dr. Jibe, a bit of help??), although the quality on here seems
at least as good and, in some cases, better.
1) Lily & Rosemary - from BOTT original test pressing
2) Hazel - Last Waltz (not included on official album)
3) The Water Is Wide - ShangriLa sessions w/Clapton 1976 - excellent!
4, 5) Stop Now 1 & 2 - Street legal outtake previously available only
on the Genuine Bootleg Series 1 & 2
6) Don't Ever Take Yourself Away - Shot Of Love outtake 1981
7) Precious Angel - audience live 6 Nov 1979 San Francisco
8) Saving Grace - audience live 6 Nov 1979
9) Caribbean Wind - audience live 12 Nov 1980 San Francisco
10) Ain't Gonna Go To Hell For Anybody - audience live 17 Nov 80 S.F.
11) Magic - '81 Shot of Love outtake (previously on GBS 2)
12) Heart of Mine -'81 Shot of Love outtake
13) Jokerman - Infidels session alternate version 1982
14) Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight - Infidels alternate version
15) Tangled Up In Blue - not listed on cover. Excellent quality live
version from Rolling Thunder. I believe this is taken from the
video used to promote BIOGRAPH in 1985.
Moe
Deep Beneath The Waves Vol. 68
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 21:25:46 EST
(bathed in a stream of) PURE HEAT 2CD (QR 17/18) Spring 1997 compilation
16 different venues April-May 1997 + (1) Sapporo, Japan 1997
Tracks: 21 Times: 74/72 Source: Audience Quality: Excellent
The oft rumored and much-awaited compilation from the acclaimed
April-May '97 tour of the US (+1) lives up to the the hype and then
some. Flat out, this is easily the finest and most awe-inspiring
COMPILATION of Dylan performances ever assembled, bar none.
Think of a dream show without the "usuals" (Watchtower, Silvio, H61,
LARS, RDW), then think of the best performances of the rarely-played,
the debuts & the one-off performances. Add to this top-notch quality
which consistently delivers from the opening track until the end with not
a dud among them. Then, sequence them in a way that puts together a
dream show minus the "usuals" mentioned above (i.e. placed in context
of a regular Bob show) so they flow together perfectly. The sum of what
you get is a package that is a true testament to Bob Dylan's genius as
an artist and a performer and (arguably?) certainly :-) establishes the
current band as the finest and most versatile of all the ones he's worked
with. Each disk stands on its own but is best heard in its entirety. The
sheer magic of the performances is incredible (I'm pulling no punches
here), from the vocals, the harp playing, the instrumentation, everything,
and the last 7 tracks on disk 2 had me (literally) shaking my head in
amazement. The last track, MyBack Pages with Larry Campbell on violin,
is a stunning and beautiful climax to a Holy Grail-like set of performances.
The highest accolade I can offer:
1) Play this for your friends who aren't Dylan fans and don't be surprised if
they become converts.
2) If limited to bringing 10 CDs to a desert island, this would be one.
The track list:
Disk One:
Not Fade Away - Hartford, CT 19 April
Pretty PeggyO - Albany, NY 10 April
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - Huntsville, ALA 3 May
Every Grain Of Sand - Bangor, ME 9 April
Pledging My Time - Indiana, PA 22 April
O Babe It Ain't No Lie - Durham, NH 11 April
Friend of the Devil - Providence, RI 17 April (w/Larry on violin)
John Brown - Northampton, Ma 15 April
Viola Lee Blues - Sapporo, Japan 24 Feb 97 (live debut)
Roving Gambler - Hartford, CT 19 April
Desolation Row - Moncton, New Brunswick, CA 5 April
Disk 2:
Stone Walls & Steel Bars - Beverly Hills, CA 21 May (live debut)
Love Minus Zero/No Limit - Bangor, ME 9 April
Wicked Messenger - Indiana, PA 22 April (live debut)
Shooting Star - Indiana, PA 22 April
Long Black Veil - Wheeling, WV 28 April
Born In Time - Wayne, NJ 13 April
You're A Big Girl Now - Providence, RI 17 April
This Wheel's On Fire - W. Long Branch, NJ 20 April
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall - Portland, ME 10 April
My Back Pages - Utica, NY 24 April
A word about the quality: it is so consistently excellent that it is hard
to imagine that there are much better circulating tapes around, and the
obvious care that was taken in selecting the best performances of each
song is to be applauded. This was obviously a labor of love for someone.
HOUSE OF THE BLUES 2CD (No label) Atlanta, GA 3Aug1996
plus Vienna, VA 24Aug97 (3) + "MyBlueEyedJane" original version
Tracks: 19 Times: 72/57 Source: Video feed/AM transmission/Studio
Quality: Excellent (8/3/96) / Very Good (8/24/97 / Exc (studio cut)
The first "board" from 1996 (lucky us) comes as quite a shocker as
this apparently was uncirculating before now. The recording seems to be
taken from a videotape of the show and is excellent - full, spacious sound
that really "breathes," nice separation, distinct instrumentation and upfront
vocals that come through crisp and clear. This one has none of the
harshness or high-end bias that characterizes some "boards", and is very
well balanced w/ a nice bottom end. Some hiss (video noise?) but it barely
detracts and then only on the acoustic tracks (& is easily alleviated w/a bit
of the eq). Crowd noise is at a minimum and in the background.
As for the show, I recall the raves from those on the list who were lucky
enough to attend and posted about the show back in Aug96. Well, the
raves were well deserved. This is one of those you hear and think ,"I wish
I coulda been at this one," as the fun and sheer enjoyment at playing shines
through on every track. Some highlights for me: ShakeSugaree is given a
sweet country lilt, bouncy and rhythmic and it puts a grin on your face.
BigGirlNow is a real keeper, delicately sung with Bucky coaxing some
great sounds out of the pedal steel. A very slow & bluesy LotToLaugh follows,
seemingly lazy until you realize this is the effect they are going for. Some
nice jamming on this one. BootsOfSpanishLeather is hypnotic, a stunning
version done a bit more uptempo than normal w/ a heartfelt vocal by Bob.
The banjo-accompanied HollisBrown follows, haunting and full of dread, a
great arrangement. DontThinkTwice steals the show, as Bob obviously feels
the rising pulse of the crowd and builds each verse up until the last one
just EXPLODES, and they then take off into some fancy picking. Best I've
heard. Maggie's is a bit different also, it sounds sharper w/a bit more of a
melody and some edgy, cutting guitar. SheBelongsToMe features some nice,
Garcia-like guitar figures and is sung very powerfully by Bob. His playing
on H61 is also quite fine and features strong, confident leads. MyBack
Pages is a stunner, with a magnificent harmonica solo and a vocal
performance that drips with feeling. Overall, a top notch performance and
sound to match - a real treat.
Filler tracks are the 8/24/97 WolfTrap acoustic set (3) from the
transmission, and the original, unreleased version of MyBlueEyedJane
w/Emmylou Harris on backing vocals, in outstanding studio quality. The
latter is sensational.
THE GENUINE BASEMENT TAPES 1-5 (Wild Wolf 6701-6705)
BobDylan and the Band, Spring-Fall 1967, Saugerties, NY
Tracks: 104 Time: 5 hrs+ Source: Reel-Reel Quality: VG>Exc
A "genuine" re-issue of the original Scorpio release presenting the
legendary Basement Tapes sessions in the best quality around. Over
104 tracks spread nicely over 5 disks and including such unreleased
gems as SignOnTheCross & I'mNotThere(1956), not to mention may
wild, alternate versions of what appeared on the official Basement
Tapes release and numerous covers like BigRiver, YoungButDaily
Growing, AllYouHaveToDoIsDream, etc. The set is too overwhelming
to go into detail, suffice it to say that each disk is stellar and the set
as a whole is "required" listening. Disk 3 of the set is now in stereo.
Quality is very good to excellent throughout, though certainly not
official release quality. John Howell's has reviewed this set song by
song and his "essay" can be found on his excellent BRINGING IT
ALL BACK HOME Dylan home page. Check "Links" on Expecting
Rain to find it.
HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED AGAIN 1CD (Wild Wolf 6506) June-Aug
1965 tracks from original acetates, Columbia Studios, NYCity
Tracks: 13 Time: 70 Source: Acetates Quality: Excellent but
expect some pops & clicks due to flaws in the acetate source
Another "original" re-issue from the Scorpio folks, this one
presenting
the Highway61 acetate tracks, including different mixes, mono mixes,
outtakes & alternate/single versions. Quality is excellent but do expect
the flaws in the acetate to cause some pops and clicks, and there are
short periods in tracks 4-6 where a buzzing noise is evident. The
tracks:
1) Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window
2) Killing Me Alive
3) Like A Rolling Stone
4) Ballad Of A Thin Man
5) Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
6) Highway 61 Revisited
7) Positively 4th Street
8) It Takes A Lot To Laugh
9) Tombstone Blues
10) Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window
11) Desolation Row (boiled guts of birds version)
12) Queen Jane Approximately
13) From A Buick 6
A nice collection of things you may or may not have elsewhere. The
package features some wild color pics of Bob from this period and many
B&W pics from 1965 inside the studio.
NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, HERE'S BOB DYLAN 2CD (Digital
Sounds - MACH 08/09) Cardiff Int'l Arena, Wales, UK 3Oct1997
+ various filler Summer/Fall 1997 (6) + complete Bologna, IT gig
for the Pope (3) 27Sept97
Tracks: 25 Times: 70/75 Source: Audience/TV Quality: VG++/EXC
The complete Cardiff show presented in extremely good sound w/
upfront Bob vocals, great separation with the instruments clear, well-
defined and balanced, and a nice overall warmth to the recording.
Arguably the best of the 4 UK shows in October (see the reviews),
and noted for the transcendent performance of BabyBlue and, IMO,
an equally grand MyBackPages. IWantYou is also a standout, despite
the fact that Bob completely forgets the first 2 lines and mumbles
unintelligible words before re-grouping nicely (how does he do that?).
Anyway, this will be a short one - this show is a good one, a fine
performance and the aforementioned tracks kick it up into heavenly
heights. Track List: SweetMarie/WantYou/TMama/BabyTonight/Silvio/
StoneWalls/Tangled/BabyBlue/MemphisBlues/ThisWheel's/H61/LARS/
BackPages/LoveSick/RDW12&35.
The filler (also excellent sound) is worth going into:
Cocaine/RGambler/BlindWillie from Bournemouth 1Oct, plus the one-off
'97 performance Rank Strangers To Me from London 10/5 (which is really
welcome after you read the review of the whole London show below).
Then, the creme de la creme of the filler: the high-lonesome sounding
"Long Black Veil" from Wheeling, WV 28Apr97 (also a one-off
performance) and the truly incredible "One Of Us Must Know (Sooner or
Later)" from Scranton, PA 12Aug97 (performed only 1 other time, the
next night in Hershey!). AND, if that isn't enough to satisfy your
"jones," throw in the last 3 tracks from the Pope gig in drop-dead
perfect quality: Knockin'/Hard Rain & ForeverYoung. The cover graphics
are well worth mentioning, mimicing the legendary & colorful cut and
paste motif of the Sex Pistols debut album of the same name. All in
all, to borrow from John Lennon, a real "killer diller" of a set.
LOVESICK AT WEMBLEY 2CD (Crystal Cat 442-43) London, UK
5Oct97 + filler Bournemouth 1Oct (1), Cardiff 3Oct (5) & Pope Gig (3)
Tracks: 24 Times: 75/73 Source: Audience/TV
Quality: Lame (Wembley)/ Exc (B'Mouth & Cardiff / OK: Pope
I'll cut to the chase: the Wembley part of this recording simply blows.
The sound is harsh and tinny with no bottom, the vocals are thin and
the whole thing is a disaster. This must be what it sounds like when
you have a "tin ear." Quite surprising, too, coming from a high-quality
label like Crystal Cat. Perhaps I got a defective copy but I doubt it.
In the car, I had to turn the treble down to -10 and the bass up to +4
to make it listenable. In any case, the Wembley part of this set is a
throwaway due to the sound. The same cannot be said about the filler
from B'Mouth & Cardiff, the quality of which is truly outstanding. These
6 tracks are top-notch and well-chosen: CocaineBlues from 1Oct and
the following from Cardiff: IWantYou, BabyTonight, StoneWalls, and
the classics previously mentioned in the Bollocks review, BabyBlue
& MyBackPages. I would even give these the nod over "Bollocks"
in the quality department. Not so the 3 Pope tracks, which are pristine
on the "Bollocks" but carry a fair amount of hiss on this collection.
Despite the beautiful packaging with color photos from the gig,
imaginative graphics and a transcript of an interview as liner notes,
this one is for completists only. Its snazzy look belies the quality
of most of the content.
OKAYAMA 2CD (No label) Okayama, Japan 13 Feb 97 + filler
from 4 other Japan gigs Feb 1997
Tracks: 20 Times: 65/73 Source: Audience Quality: Decent
A direct clone of the Japanese set "Hollis Brown At Ivy," same
tracks, same sound. Refer to DEEP #55 (1997), which contains
the review of that disk. The same holds true for this clone of it.
Moe
Deep Beneath The Waves Vol. 69
From: Moe
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 23:26:35 EST
To: karlerik@monet.no
The backlog of titles requiring attention was beginning to wear on me,
so here is a "rushed" critique of what has transpired the past couple of
months on the collecting scene......
YOU AIN'T GOING NOWHERE 2CD (Exclusive Series ES 008 1/2)
San Jose, CA 14Nov97 (15) + filler Columbia, SC 2Nov97 +
various venues Summer/Fall 97 (4)
Tracks: 24 Times: 71/72 Source: Audience Quality: Exc/VG
The complete Applied Materials arena gig presented in crisp, clear
and upfront quality. A fine recording, with distinct instrumentation
and separation, excellent balance and Bob's vocals riding nicely in
front of it all. Very energetic and inspired performance, with strong
and charismatic vocals by Bob, proving anyone wrong who may have
thought he was there to grab the money and run. The band senses the
energy and provides strong, muscular backing, to boot. They all sound
like they are having a ball, which makes for some great listening.
Set: Maggies/StayingHereWithU/ColdIrons/Ain'tGoin'Nowhere/Silvio/
Cocaine/OneToomany/Tangled/TillIFell/ThisWheel's/H61/LARS/
ForYoung/LoveSick/RDW. The bonus trax were thoughtfully selected
from the eclectic Columbia, SC 2Nov show: CantWait/StoneWalls/
TomorrowLongTime/FriendOfDevil plus others: Masterpiece (Jackson
25Oct), RGambler (Asheville 1Nov), NeverGonnaBeTheSame (B'ton 9Nov)
and TMama (Mansfiels 16Aug). The bonus trax are a notch below the
SanJose quality-wise but still very good, IMO. Highly recommended.
CAN'T WAIT1 2CD (Exclusive Series ES 009 1/2) Scranton, PA
12Aug97 (14) + filler (8) various venues Aug 97
Tracks: 22 Times: 74/74 Source: Audience Quality: Very Very Good
Yet another ES release and a well-chosen one at that. The Scranton
gig holds a special place in my heart for the live unveiling of OneOf
UsMustKnow, and the entire gig is notable for the eclectic setlist
that included 6, count 'em, 6, rarely played tunes.
Included are
Joey/BornInTime/SheBelongsToMe/EverythingIsBroken/GirlFromTheNC
and the above Blonde on Blonde gem. Recording quality is strong once
again, nice and loud w/Bob's raspy growl coming in nice and crunchy
and the instruments all there. Recording has a nice warmth to it.
A pity they bailed out on SoonerOrLater after the next night's Hershey
performance, surely our loss..........this is a good one.
Bonus tracks abound, with BlindWilie (Montreal 8/5), an incredible
quality Knockin' (Hershey 8/13), sweet Shelter (Philly 8/20),
Released (W'Ford 8/18) and 3 excellent trax from Toronto 8/7:
LARS, FYoung & RDW. The first 11 trax from this Toronto gig will
reportedly be the subject of CAN'T WAIT 2.
MILLION MILES 2CD (Exclusive Series 005/006) St. Johns, New
Brunswick, CAN 8Apr97 + filler St. John's, Newfoundland 1Apr97
Tracks: 19 Times: 69/71 Source: Audience Quality: Very Good
Still another ES release, this one from the fantastic Spring '97
tour that, mysteriously, still remains under-represented on CD. In
fact, this makes only the 2nd release of an entire show, the other
being Hartford, CT available on "Wicked Messenger." Once again,
a fine quality show that benefits from a bit of a boost to the highs
on your system, and one that after repeated listenings has become
a favorite of sorts. Sublime performances of some rarely played
tunes - IDontBelieveU/SimpleTwist/GirlOfTheNCountry and BornIn
Time - set this apart from the "ordinary." Dylan rips into each vocal
nicely, running the gamut from tough to tender (as only he can) as the
"situation" calls for. The acoustic set is particularly intriguing, with
a sweetly melodic OBabeItAin'tNoLie and melancholic GirlFromThe
NorthCountry. An interesting setlist and performance.
The set: Flood/IfNot4U/Watchtower/STOF/IDontBelieveU/Silvio/OBabe/
Tangled/GirlOfNC/MemphisBlues/BornInTime/Maggie's/LARS/Think2x.
Bonus tracks: Senor/tremendously powerful TomThumb's/heavenly
ForeverYoung and another delightful OBabeItAin'tNoLie. A good one.
THE PRIVATE AFFAIRS OF BOB DYLAN 2CD (Satintone 001/02)
San Jose, CA 14Nov97 + filler WolfTrap 24Aug97 + Beverly Hills,
CA 21May97
Tracks: 23 Times: 71/64 Source: Audience Quality: Outstanding/VG
Another release from the San Jose gig that gets the nod in the
quality department over the ES release, albeit slightly. The sound
here is quite outstanding, actually, oh so crisp and clean, with
everything shining through with the utmost clarity. Perhaps we need
to come up with a system to rank levels of excellence. Although not
up to the standards of SOUL (what is?), this one rates very high. I've
described the show on the ES release above - to reiterate, it is fiery
and cocksure, to say the least. The bonus trax from WolfTrap 24Aug
are, curiously, from an audience source and not from the readily
available hearing-impaired transmission - SweetMarie/TMama/
RGambler/RiverFlow/BlindWillie. Very good sound but the broadcast
source is preferable.
The Simon Wiesenthal Benefit at the Beverly Hills winds up the
proceedings with Bob's 3-song acoustic set - StoneWalls/Masters &
ForeverYoung. Nice quality considering the security and notable
in that it was the final gig before the illness that incapacitated
our man. Knock wood he came back better than ever :-)
Note: this one is tough to find, apparently. However, the bonus trax
on the ES release make that particular set more desirable.
KNIGHT OF THE HURRICANE 2CD (Razor's Edge GWW 001/002)
New York City, NY 8Dec1975 Benefit for Hurricane Carter
Tracks: 22 Times: 51/52 Source: Audience Quality: Outstanding
Let's make this one short and sweet. This is by far the best audience
recording of a RT show, far eclipsing the Toronto tracks available
on "Flagging Down the EEs" and easily setting the standard for a
75/76 audience tape of Rolling Thunder, IMO. The sound knocks me
out - every nuance of voice and music is intact, Bob's vocals ring loud
and clear (yes, even at very high volumes) and the recording retains
a warmth that is unusual for a mid 70's tape. This one was worth the
wait. Need I mention the performance? To me, these '75 gigs are
arguably the most memorable of a career filled with memorables (sic).
You gotta hear the guitar (Ronson?) on Hattie Carroll to believe it.
Dylan's vocals rip at the heart of injustice and the guitar IS Hattie
Carroll's screaming anguish. Incredible stuff. The duets with Baez
are superb. MamaYouBin is a shit-kicking foot stomper.The band weaves
a unique stew of rock-folk-country-Arabian-blues and seemingly
creates a new type of music along the way - just call it Dylan. The
solo acoustic tunes are incredibly sung, filled with sorrow and pain
and regret and longing - Love-0, SimpleTwist, OhSister. Scarlett
Rivera's violin is nothing short of remarkable - it's amazing how
the "Desire" sound is recreated on stage by all the musicians. It
just meshes, this traveling troupe of musicians and the king of the
troubadors, blowing into NYCity and playing their asses off for Rubin
Carter. OneMoreCup/Sara/JLAW - divine, all. This one sits nicely
with the boards from this leg - Waterbury, Plymouth & Boston - and
is a real stunner. Not to be missed.
BOB DYLAN DOES THE BIG APPLE 2CD (CIB Archives CIB 06/07)
New York City, NY - Jan1998 Disk One: Jan 16,18, 20 (11)
Disk Two: Jan 17 (12)
Tracks: 23 Times: 73/70 Source: Audience Quality: Outstanding
Here we have the first entry from the 1998 tour sweepstakes, with
tracks culled from 4 nights of the 5 night residency at the Theater at
Madison Square Garden. Recording quality is consistently good
throughout the four shows, providing for a nice flow on disk one where
we find tracks from 3 different shows. In my estimation, the recording
seems to improve with each listen - the vocals, most importantly,
are upfront and full of the rasp, roar and tender touches that need
to be heard to fully appreciate Bob's singing. The instrumentation
is well balanced and clearly defined - the subtle picking of Bucky's
steel and mandolin is all there, Larry's sharp guitar, Tony's robust bass
and Kemper's perfectly restrained drumming are all distinct and at
a nice level. A real treat to listen to - warm, smooth and cozy with
not a hint of harshness. Particularly pleasing are the the acoustic
tracks and the mid-tempo numbers, of which there are many.
The tracks on disk one are well selected and (without checking) seem to
consist of one-off NYC residency performances, with the exception of
the opener, SweetMarie. The 11 tracks each deliver, to my ears, and
are high quality performances, one and all. To hear these tracks
individually and outside the context of an entire show provides a
new listening perspective. This can be attributed to the uniqueness of
each performance.
Disk 2, as noted above, contains 12 tracks from the Jan 17th gig. If
anything, the quality takes a step up here. Several more one-off
performances from this night add up to a helluva collection. My only
gripe is that the producers failed to include ColdIronsBound and
TilIFellInLoveWithYou on either disk. That's small potatoes when you
consider the otherwise sweet collection of tunes residing here.
Mention must be made of the first class packaging - the front cover
pic of the whole band on stage is brilliant and graphics are top notch.
Other pics of Times Square w/Bob on the big screen and the NYCity
skyline with the Brooklyn Bridge in the foreground add a touch more
class to an already top-notch release.
Tracks: SweetMarie/IWantU/BigGirlNow/DesRow/BabyBlue w/divine
minute-long intro/Knockin'/JustLikeAWoman/StayingHereW/You/
BornInTime/HardRain/Pos4thStreet/Senor/NotDarkYet/TomorrowIs
ALongTime/HattieCarroll/Tangled/MillionMiles/TearsOfRage/PillBox/
LARS/ForeverYoung/LoveSick/RDW 12&35
Moe
Deep Beneath The Waves Vol. 70
From: Moe
Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 00:14:58 EDT
The backlog of titles requiring attention was beginning to wear on me,
so here is a "rushed" critique of what has transpired the past couple of
months on the collecting scene......
BLOOD ON THE TRACKS - NEW YORK SESSIONS 1CD (A&R)
Tracks recorded in NYC for the LP on Sept 12, 16 & 23, 1974
Tracks: 10 Time: 52+ Source: Original Test Press Quality: Superb
Here we have the legendary album as it was originally intended to be
heard, prior to Dylan deciding to re-record 5 of the tracks in Minnesota.
Carefully mastered off a clean, original test pressing, it has never
sounded better, IMO. Period! Anywhere! Listening to Idiot Wind is
an amazing experience, what with the keyboards FINALLY revealing
themselves honestly and without that WHOOOOOOSH and in much
greater detail than previously heard. This is a dynamic listening
experience, the only way to describe it is to say it's like listening in
3-D. The other 4 "original" NYC tracks are just as grand, with a scope
and depth that's all new, at least to my ears. The album takes on a more
melancholic "tone" when heard in this original incarnation - I'm not
saying it's better, only different (and just as mesmerizing and awesome
in its ambition). The sound is really something, far superior to what was
previously available. A beautifully done package, including two rare and
contemporaneous photos gracing a booklet with the original, Grammy Award
winning Pete Hammill essay, plus some nice original artwork. The A&R
Studio label is reproduced on the disk itself and adds a grand final touch
to a first class and essential release. (Note: hold on to your Blood On
The Tapes, this does not supercede it. Two different animals, IMO).
A capsule summary of the latest in a dearth of recent live releases.......
CAN'T WAIT vol 2 1 CD (Essential Series ES 010)
Toronto, Canada, Aug 7, 1997 (remainder of show on Vol 1)
Tracks: 11 Time: 67 Source: Audience Quality: Very Good
The first 11 tracks of the excellent Toronto performance from last
summer (the remaining tracks can be found as bonus songs on vol 1
of Can't Wait, the bulk of which is the complete Scranton, PA '97 set).
In other words, the 3 disks of Vol 1&2 provide the complete Toronto
& Scranton '97 shows, plus a few other songs to boot. Anyway, back to
vol 2. An excellent performance (I always loved the tape) done justice
on this release, with upfront vocals and distinct and well-balanced music.
The superlatives have run dry for the summer '97 shows (in my book,
at least), but this one is up there (where oh where is Lenox, Mass.??).
One of the first gigs after the histo scare, Dylan delivers with energy and
enthusiasm from the opener here (Sweet Marie) to the raucous main set
closer Leopard Skin PillBox Hat. An incandescent OneTooManyMornings
graces the acoustic set (I'm on my fifth straight listen as I write this!!).
Dylan sings (and the band plays) with a verve and vigor that belies the 2+
month respite from the road. He had his mind made up............
Tracks: SweetMarie/IfUSeeHer/TMama/BabyTonight/Silvio/DontThink2X/
OneTooMany/Cocaine/RiverFlow/ThisWheelsOnFire/PillBoxHat
THE DAYS BEFORE HARD RAIN 1CD (Colosseum/Wild Wolf 7605)
Rolling Thunder Rehearsals, Bellevue Biltmore Hotel, Clearwater, FL
April 1976 + Ft. Collins, CO* rehearsals 22May76, + demo**
Tracks: 17 Time:70 Source: Rehearsal mikes(?)/board Quality: VG+
A voyeuristic look at the "loose as goose grease" atmosphere of a Rolling
Thunder rehearsal, & funky as all get out!! Nice quality with the vocals
clear, albeit just a bit in the background, and the music hitting a real
groove on some interestingly arranged versions of Dylan tunes. Of
particular note is the totally re-written and crazed version of Tangled Up
In Blue - you gotta hear that one. Most tunes performed whole, with some
fits and starts, and the groove never drags, coming through with a nice
sort of otherwordly, Desire-like mystical feel. Dig it?? :-) One nice
unreleased blues, The Sun Is Shining, is included, plus the original
Spanish Rider demo of Seven Days. This one's a straight re-issue of the
original Scorpio on Wild Wolf but with a great new front & back cover and,
obviously, in the best circulating quality. Highly recommended.
Tracks: IThrewItAllAway/GoingGoingGone/CupOfCoffee/TomorrowIsA
LongTime/Mozambique/LayLady/IdiotBlues(Wind)/Maggie's/
OneTooMany/7Days/TomThumb/LotToLaugh/YouAngelYou/
*: JustLikeAWoman/Tangled/SunIsShining **: Seven Days
ACETATES ON THE TRACKS 4 (Lost Recordings 64-94) 1CD
(Habeamus Papam Records) Various live/studio tracks 1984-1992
Tracks: 20 Time: 80+ Source: Studio/Audience/Board Qual:VG to EXC
The 4th volume in the inaptly named acetate series (only 1 & 2 were
acetate sourced, and even then not all the tracks), providing a motley
assortment of cuts from various sources in overall damned good quality.
Among the 20 tracks are some live performances of rarely (if ever else)
played tunes that are indeed the highlights of the set. The tracks are so
diverse that I'll just list 'em all and let you decide whether it's your cup
of tea. I'll just add that the quality is exceptionally quite good throughout,
so if the quality of the sound is your concern, worry not.
Times (Real Live outtake 1984)
License to Kill (Amnesty, LA 6/6/86 board)
Shake A Hand ( same as above)
Had A Dream About You Baby (Mansfield, MA Great Woods 2Jul88 board)
Nadine (NYCity May 1988 soundboard)
Shelter From the Storm (Den haag, Neth 10Jun89 audience)
OH MERCY outtakes: SStar/GodKnows/DiseaseOfConceit/RTBells/
MostOfTheTime/BornInTime
Water Is Wide (Dublin 3Jun89 audience)
Congratulations (Birmingham UK 7Jun89 audience)
Peace In The Valley (Frejus 13Jun89 audience)
HouseOfGold (Madrid 13Jun89 audience)
Crazy Love & It Stoned Me (w/Van M. Athens 29Jun89 audience)
I Believe In You (Offenbach 19Jun91 audience)
Hazy Shade Of Winter!!!!! (Belfort, FR 2Jul92 audience) GREAT!!!!
From: Moe
Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 01:36:44 EDT
Hi karl Erik,
Here's 3 more. I have only 2 left but go with these if you will, I may
not get to the others for a day or 2.
Best - Moe
WEEKEND AT WOLFTRAP 3CD (Scorpio ScBo 001/2/3)
23&24 Aug 1997, WolfTrap Performing Arts Ctr, Vienna, VA
Tracks: 28 Times: 58/63/61 Source: Line Transmission Quality: EXC
Both shows in their entirety from the wonderful WolfTrap gigs,
taken from the hearing-impaired transmission. The first show is
an upgrade from the show offered on "Back At WolfTrap," with a much
more rounded and balanced sound, particularly on the low end.
The mix is more "centered," with the vocals on even ground with the
instruments (good or bad , though, depending on your taste. I STILL
like the vocals on the "BAW" set - in your face and in all their ragged
glory). No need to tweak the eq on the first show, it's a fine mix with
fewer moments of "broadcast" distortion described in the "Back At.."
review (see previous DEEP for a review of the performance of this
incredible show).
The second show takes another step up in sound, whoever taped this one
really nailed it. The well balanced mix remains but the vocals are a
bit more upfront and prominent on this show, which was another
terrific performance. The acoustic tracks are amazing and every
single pluck and strum comes through replete w/all the nuances and
subtle touches intact. You wanna hear how the summer of '97 shows
sounded, well, this is it. Japanese release.
Nice gatefold, glossy slipcase w/cool "block" graphics house the 3
disks. These are certainly 2 keepers from the summer of '97.
8/23: SweetMarie/BlackCoat/TMama/RedSky/Silvio/StoneWalls/TMan/
Tangled/MemphisBlues/BlindWillie/LeopardSkin/LARS/Think2X/Alabama
8/24: SweetMarie/StayingHereWithU/TMama/Nowhere/Silvio/
RGambler/Tangled/Cocaine/RiverFlow/BlindWillie/H61/LARS/ForYoung/
RDW12&35
NOT DARK YET 2CD (Waveband 01/02) New London, CT 14Jan98
complete show (16) + NewYorkCity 16&18 Jan 1998 filler
Tracks: 22 Times: 69/73 Source: Audience Quality: VG++/Excellent
Quick and dirty analysis: the TOOM-heavy New London, CT show presented
in exceptional quality. SIX, count 'em, 6 TOOM songs given an airing at this
outing and the rest of the setlist is a killer, too, what with TIMES & LOVE
-0 gracing the acoustic set and THIS WHEEL'S ON FIRE thrown in for good
measure in an unusual 16 song gig! What's not to like, eh? Bob and the boys
are up to the task as usual - strong vocals and energetic backing on the
rockers, tender and emotive on the "quieter" ones - as they work out the
rust from a few weeks off and gear up for the Garden run. This show is a
special one, make no mistake. Well selected filler tracks from the NYC
run that followed puts this listening experience over the top. SIMPLE TWIST,
the always elegant ONE TOO MANY MORNINGS and a superb slow, powerful
JohnBrown are the highlights. This one's a keeper. Nice cover, too.
New London: SweetMarie/NotDarkYet/ColdIrons/BabyTonight/Can'tWait/
Silvio/Times/Love-0/Tangled/MillionMiles/ThisWheel's/TilIFell/
LARS/DontThink2X/LoveSick/RDW12&35
NYC: 1/16 - STwist/One2Many/JBrown 1/18: DRow/Knockin'
ALWAYS ON MY MIND vol 1 2CD (Exclusive Series ES011 1&2)
Detroit, MI State Fairgrounds 29Aug94 + Konstanz, GER 3Jul96
Tracks: 19 Times: 72/71 Source: Audience Quality: Outstanding
Another1994 release you say? An outdoor show in Detroit? Must be
ho-hum, you think. Think again. This show is a pure joy to listen to.
The sound is tremendous. Dylan's vocals jump out of the speakers in a
real tour de force performance. If you did'nt know better, you'd swear it
was a small club show. This is another example of why really, REALLY
good audience recordings are preferable to line recordings. The guitar
playing, both acoustic and electric, is tremendous (oh my, what playing
on It Ain't Me Babe......and whaddya know, another amazing OneTooMany
Mornings!!!). And what a jolt to hear that harp again (I should pull some
other '94's out, you forget how good they were sometimes). Just a killer
show all around with great sound!!
The filler tracks are the last 5 cuts from the amazing Konstanz, GER show
from 96 and feature members of the DaveMatthewsBand on all 5 cuts
(3 of which are on our friend EYES OF THE IDOL), including the sax man on
RDW12&35. All 5 cuts showcase BoydTinsley on violin providing some
terrific accompaniment. The TIMES is simply magnificent from beginning
to end, particularly Bob's inspired harp playing that wraps up this version
for the ages. The first part of this Konstanz show will presumably be
released sometime down the road as Vol 2 under this same title.
Oh yeah, quality on the filler is most outstanding, to say the least.
Detroit: Jokerman/IfNot4U/Watchtower/Pos4thSt/Tangled/RedSky/Mama
YouBin/Masters/One2Many/GodKnows/InGarden/MFarm/ThinMan/AintMeBabe
Konstanz: IllRememberYou/EverythingBroken/AGetaway/Times/RDW12&35
Moe
Deep Beneath The Waves Vol. 71
From: Moe
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 22:09:44 EDT
Greetings from the DEEP. In an effort to catch up with the 3-4 month
backlog on the new, the not-so-new and those that fell through the
cracks, here's my skinny on the latest "field recordings..."
VOICES IN THE GARDEN 1CD (QR-20) January 16-21, 1998 NY City
Tracks: 10 Time: 78+ Source: Audience Quality: Very, very good
A "concept" disk compiling the 10 different tracks that Bob
generously offered up during the acoustic sets at the 5-night Garden
residency (w/Tangled being the one common denominator each night but
not included owing to time constraints, it seems). While listening to this
wonderful set of performances it dawned on me that each and every one of
these tremendous songs were penned between 1962-64, and 35 years
later thay all sound as fresh as ever. All 10 tracks in consistently VG++
quality and awe-inspiring performances one and all. Particularly
pleasing to sample this set from beginning to end in one session and
marvel at the unique vocal stylings and phrasings that Bob employs to
set himself apart (and above) other singers past and present :-) An
astounding collection w/a cover caricature guaranteed to bring a guffaw,
with a couple of other great pics to boot. OneTooMany/JBrown/TomorrowIsA
LongTime/HattieCarroll/DRow/BabyBlue/HardRain/GirlOfNC/Times/TMan.
IN THE SUMMERTIME 2CD (Dandelion DL 022/23) 10 July 1981,
Drammen, Norway + Rainbow Music Hall, Denver, CO 22 Jan 1980
Tracks: 29 Times: 69/72 Source: Soundboard Quality: Very Good
Finally, the Drammen '81 board in its entirety. While a smidgen over-
recorded, this serves as a nice companion piece to the outstanding
"Avignon" '81 board, with a slightly varied set list and several different
tracks. Only the Dylan sung tracks are included here, and sing well he
did during the entirety of the Europe '81 trek. The 8 bonus tracks were
reportedly salvaged from a Columbia Archives (acetate?) and supposedly
considered for actual release. True or not, if Dylan's '80 "religious" shows
appeal to you, this one's for you. Only the Toronto '80 board eclipses these
tracks in trems of quality and the performances are full of gospel soul. An
outstanding set nicely packaged with 8 page booklet, color pics, essay.
Drammen: Times/ServeSomebody/IBelieveInU/LARS/ManGaveNames/Girl
OfNC/ThinMan/Summertime/SlowTrain/LetsBegin/LBruce/JLAW/FYoung/
JesusIsTheOne/HeartOfMine/WakeUp/InGarden/Blowin'/Ain'tMeBabe/
Knockin' Denver: WhenHeReturns/ManGaveNames/PAngel/STrain/Change
MyWayOfThinking/DoRightToMeBaby/SolidRock/SavingGrace
ALWAYS ON MY MIND vol 2 1CD (ES 012) Konstanz, GER 3 JUL 96
Tracks: 10 Time: 71+ Source: Audience Quality: Outstanding
The killer opening 10 tracks from the sensational Konstanz show (the
balance of which can be found on the exceptional ALWAYS vol 1 set -
which also provided a wonderful, complete Detroit 94 collection). Easily
one of the highlights of '96, IMO up there with Berlin, Magdeburg and
Pistoia as the top performances that year. Sublime versions of I Want U,
Shelter, Tambourine Man & One Too Many Mornings stand out, sung
with a delicate, deliberate grace and with the reins pulled a little on the
music. Stately and elegant sounding, with much conviction. You'll play
these over and over, as each has those chilling moments that raise the
goosebumps and leave you with mouth agape in awe. Excellent sound,
upfront and true, every nuance and pluck intact. Astounding.
Flood/IWantU/Watchtower/Shelter/RiverFlow/Silvio/TMan/Masters/One
TooMany/Maggie's.
improved data
JUST BECAUSE 2CD (LS 001/002) Lewiston, NY 16 Aug 94 (14) +
filler Roseland, NYC 19/20 Oct 1994 (4)
Tracks: 18 Time: 69+/69+ Source: Soundboard/Audience Quality: VG+
A soundboard recording from '94 making its bow on disk in very good
quality, albeit with a smidgen more hiss than on some circulating tapes.
Strong show with some excellent peformances of IfNot4U, IDontBelieveU,
MamaYouBin, and particularly Hattie Carroll and a phenomenal Girl Of
the North Country show closer. The bonus trax from Roseland are spirited
and include the truly unforgettable version of Shelter From The Storm -
if you have never heard that one, well, shame shame (it is now on the
SONY Dylan website in amazing quality) . Some glitches are inherent
that require noting: two songs inhabit one track on disk one, which is
preferable to the converse, I suppose. Additionally, the If You See Her
on disk 2, track 5 is listed but absent from the mix, so don't expect to
hear that one. Again, the Lewiston is a good one and the Shelter is
otherwordly. A worthwhile disk despite the glitches. Complete track
list: JokerMan/IfNot4U/WatchTower/BelieveU/Tangled/BabyTonight/Mama
YouBin/Masters/Hattie/GodKnows/BlackCoat/Maggie's/ThinMan/GirlOfNC
Filler: BigGirl/Shelter/SimpleTwist/Joey.
TIME & TIME AGAIN 2CD (Dandelion DL 41/42) NYCity 16 Jan 98
complete (15) + filler Jan 17/20/21 98 (9)
Tracks: 24 Times: 77+/71+ Source: Audience Quality: VG++
More from the MSG stand, this one the complete opening night show that I
had the privilege of attending. So much has been written about these
shows that to belabor the point becomes tedious - Dylan and his band
were outstanding and played the hell out of it every night. The OneTooMany
is breathtaking, the new arrangement of JohnBrown leaves you marveling
at his genius and the TOOM tracks are swampy, chilling and delicious.
When you get SimpleTwist, OneTooMany & a glorious MyBackPages in
one show, what's not to like? Recording quality is just shy of excellent
and the generous sampling of bonus trax are well chosen - Senor/Can't
Wait/TearsOfRage/BornInTime/BlackCoat/Shelter/MillionMiles/Memphis
Blues/H61. Combining this with VOICES above and Cats' MSG below,
you 've got the NYCity residency pretty well covered.
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN 2CD (Crystal Cat CC452/53) 21 Jan 98
NYCity (16) + various Fall/Winter 97 (6) various NYCity 98 (6)
Tracks: 27 Times: 78+/76 Source: Audience Quality: Outstanding
After the embarassingly bad anomaly of "LoveSick At Wembley,"
Crystal Cat returns to form nicely with this set from the finale of the
MSG residency, presenting that show in the razor sharp, crisp sound that
we've come to expect from prior Cat releases. While not the best show
IMO, the sound is outstanding with all instruments ringing true and
bubbling perfectly just under Bob's impeccable roar. The butchering of
Shelter is the only lowlight here. What sets this one apart are the
carefully selected and well-chosen bonus tracks, several of which
make their CD debut* and are worth mentioning:
CantWait Starkville, MS 10/24/97, TomorrowIsALongTime/MakeYouFeel
MyLove Columbia, SC 11/2/97, BeNotAStranger* Columbus, OH 11/7/97,
White Dove* NYCity 12/8/97, RagtimeAnnie* Chicago 12/14/97, This
Wheels New London 1/14, plus more Garden filler: NotDarkYet 1/17,
More&More* w/Van 1/18, BigGirlNow 1/18, BornInTime 1/20, and Blue
SuedeShoes* 1/21/98. Further plaudits to the artwork, design and
2 booklets containing pieces of the MOJO interview plus TOOM lyrics &
beautiful color pics taken from the show. Gorgeous package.
NOT DARK YET 2CD (A&E A19710612-01E) New London, CT
14 Jan 98 (16) + filler Los Angeles 17-19 Dec 1997 (8)
Tracks: 24 Times:72+/75+ Source: Audience Quality: Excellent
Another release presenting the TOOM-heavy New London, CT show and
bearing the same title as its predecessor. For a review of this show, see
the previous DEEP. Quality-wise, another outstanding effort and I may give
the nod to this release as it is as clear and crunchy as a fresh bagel chip.
Well, the bonus tracks here will simply floor you and the quality is top
notch - even a fresher bagel chip than the main content!!! All lowdown and
dirty field recordings with an aura of 50 year old soil to all of them: Oh
Babe It Ain't No Lie, Cocaine, MrTMan, It Ain't Me Babe, Rovin' Gambler
and MyBackpages. They all have that "Smithsonian Anthology of Folk
Music"-feel to them. Thrown in are duets with Sheryl Crow on Knockin'
and Highway 61. Sheryl's cool but how great would it be to hear a duet
with Gillian Welch or Lucinda. Great stuff!!
HIGHWAY OF DIAMONDS vol 1 - THE NEVER ENDING TOUR (WWL013)
Compilation of various live tracks 1988-1997
Tracks: 12 Time: 70+ Sources: Audience Quality: VG+>Excellent
A semi-enjoyable compilation of tracks with every year represented save
1990 and 1994. While not up to the compilation standard of PURE HEAT
or several HARD TO FIND sets, some intriguing perfromances included
here, such as Frankie Lee & Judas Priest/Trail Of The Buffalo from '88,
And It Stoned Me/Tomorrow Is A Long Time from '89, One More Cup of
Coffee '91, Peggy-O '92, Man In Me '93. The remaining 5 tracks (95-97) are
forgettable insofar as the oddity factor - Dignity, 4th Street, Don't Think
2x, LARS & You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - with only the unforgettable Berlin
4th Street (religions have been founded on less :-) ) a standout but we've
heard all about that one from SOUL. Nice color cover. The disk would
imply it's a promo - it's not.
HIGHWAY OF DIAMONDS vol 2-TV Performances 1993-97 (WWL-014)
Tracks: 12 Time: 72+ Sources: TV Quality: Excellent
Superb sounding collection of various TV performances, including the
Prince's Trust, previously available only on a hard to find Japan set. No
need for any critique here beyond listing the tracks:
Pancho & Lefty / Hard Times Willie Nelson's Big Six-O 28 Apr 93
Forever Young w/Bruce R&R HOF 2 Sept 1995
Restless Farewell Sinatra 80th 19 Nov 1995
Pillbox Hat/Tom Thumb's/Silvio/Pos4thSt/H61 Hyde Park 29 June 1996
Knockin' / Hard Rain / Forever Young Pope Gig, Bologna, IT 27 Sep 1996
Great color cover from Willie's Big Six-O. A good one.
SUNSET STUDIO 1965 1CD (Firepower FP-034) Nov/Dec 1965 studio
Tracks: 10 Time: 42+ Source: Studio Quality: OK
A Japanese release of outtakes from the studio sessions w/the Hawks and
nothing that we have'nt seen before in better quality. If you don't have it
already, it may be worthwhile. The 10th track - Jokerman outtake - is
a puzzle. Housed in a beautiful, color glossy slipcase. Tracks: Midnight
Train/CrawlOutYourWindow/IWannaBeYourLover/Number1/Johanna/She's
YourLoverNow/CrawlOut/IfYouGottaGo/KillingMeAlive/Jokerman. So-so.
AT THE SPECTRUM 1974 2CD (AMS 838) Philadelphia, PA 8 Jan 74
Tracks: 18 Times: 41/44 Source: Audience Quality: Decent
Surprisingly, a worthwhile 1974 audience recording in decent quality. While
not up to current quality standards, an enjoyable set with some rarely
offered tunes - Something There Is About You and Nobody 'Cept You. Don't be
fooled by the listed tracks - As I Went Out One Morning & Sad Eyed Lady Of
The Lowlands - they are not on there, but, of course, if you are going
to spring for this one you would most likely know that anyway. Nicely
housed in a color, glossy slipcase, as are most Japanese disks these days.
DAY & NIGHT 2CD (Killing Floor KF 98009/10) Seattle, WA 9 Feb 1974
Tracks: 37 Time: 71/68 Source: Audience Quality: Fair
Both the afternoon and evening shows on 2 disks in (somewhat) listenable
quality but by no means good. The quieter songs sound better than the
electric numbers, and includes a rare performance of Wedding Song.
Beautiful color, glossy slipcase w/great cover pic & design. For 1974
completists only, IMO.
POWER GREED & CORRUPTIBLE SEED 2CD (Montserrat BRCD 1909/10)
Montreal 5 Aug 97, Paris 24 Mar 95, Jimmy Rodgers Tribute 1997
Tracks: 23 Times: 68/57 Source: Audience/Studio Quality: Lame
A forgettable release with the Montreal '97 gig presented in poor quality &
bonus tracks containing 5 songs from Paris '95 that are abominable. Filled
out with the Dylan track "My Blue Eyed Jane" from the Jimmy Rodgers
soundtrack. Avoid at all costs.
CDRs OF NOTE:
Only CDRs with professionally printed covers/tray cards/
inserts AND only from established labels will be mentioned here. Those
cheesy (homemade), laser printed/color xerox cover CDRs merit no space.
CALIFORNIA OR BUST 2CD (CIB Archives CIB 10/11) UCLA-Los Angeles, CA
21 May 98 (14), Anaheim 23 May (3), UCLA 22 May (5), Vancouver 14 May (5)
Tracks: 27 Times: 74/74 Source: Audience Quality: Exc/VG++
Beautifully packaged 2CD set chock full of tunes from the West Coast arena
gigs. While I'm not a big fan of these things, when done like this they are
easy to swallow. Color glossy covers w/great graphics, all the gig info,
color pics, cartoon tray card and back tray pic. Disk itself is nicely silk-
screened w/ sharp, printed graphics. Quality is very, very good to excellent
throughout, nicely recorded with a clean, warm sound and packing a wallop
also. The entire 21 May UCLA gig is on disk one thanks to some between song
editing. Great performances of ManInMe, RankStrangers, MakeYou FeelMyLove &
RESTLESS FAREWELL are among the the highlights.
Bonus trax from 3 other West Coast '98 gigs are top notch, well-selected and
include the 2nd ever live performance of I'm NotSupposed ToCare, which is
wonderful. Complete track listing:
SweetMarie/ManInMe/ColdIronsBound/JLAW/Silvio/RankStrangers/Masters/
Tangled/FeelMyLove/H61/FYoung/LoveSick/RDW/Restless Farewell
LayLadyLay/ImNotSupposedToCare/Times/Maggie's/IfUSeeHer/Simple
Twist/ThisWheelsOnFire/AintMeBabe/Senor/BigGirlNow/MemphisBlues/
IShallBeReleased/MrTMan.
An excellent collection from top to bottom. A few more like this should bring
some converts.
NIGHTS OF THE LIVING ICONS 1CD (CIB Archives CIB 13) Van Morrison, Joni
Mitchell & Bob Dylan sampler from May 1998 West Coast US Tour
Tracks: 13 Time: 75+ Source: Audience Quality: VG+
A classy looking single CD w/tracks from the 3 "icons" in very good+ quality.
Color glossy cover w/nice pics, poster repro, caricatures, sharp graphics &
cool-looking silkscreened disk. Track list:
VAN: Tupelo Honey>Crazy Love / Fire In The Belly/ Burning Ground /Cypress
Avenue/ Healing Game
JONI: Black Crow/Refugee Of The Road/Big Yellow Taxi/Crazy Cries of Love
BOB: Cocaine Blues/Stone Walls & Steel Bars/Tangled/Cold Irons Bound
WESTERN ELECTRIC 1CD (Wild Wolf) Hollywood Bowl 3 Sept 1965
Tracks: 13 Time: 72:11 Source: Board or Reel-Reel Quality: Very Good
The recently surfaced Hollywood Bowl "board," the second electric performance
by Dylan w/the Hawks. A fascinating recording with both the acoustic &
electric sets in "nowhere near 'Guitars Kissing' quality" but stunning
nonetheless. Sensational b&w pic on cover w/classy title graphics, plus
rare back cover pic w/gig info, tracks, personnel. Sharp looking!
An incredible acoustic set by Dylan gives way to a loose yet tentative
electric performance, more of a feeling out and "searching for the groove"
type gig. Interesting to compare this to the more "polished" performance from
Berkeley later that year and then to the transcendent electric '66 gigs. This
is the first step in the "evolution" and provides a vital link that runs from
Newport through Manchester & London. This ones a must.
Track listing: SheBelongsToMe/ToRamona/GatesOfEden/BabyBlue/DRow/
LoveMinusZero/Mr.TMan........
electric: IDontBelieveU/TomThumb's/ FROMABUICK 6/Maggie's/ThinMan/LARS
No doubt we'll be seeing "regulars" like this, particularly since another tape
supposedly came into circulation with the missing electric trax Tombstone
Blues and It Ain't Me Babe.
Deep Beneath The Waves Vol. 72
From: Moe
To: karlerik@monet.no
Subject: Yet another new DEEP
EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS 2CD (Dandelion DL 043/44)
19 Dec 1997, El Rey Theater, LA, Calif (16) + 17/18 Dec El Rey (6)
Tracks: 22 Times: 70/69 Source: Audience Quality: Excellent
The first complete set from the "club tour" is absolutely sensational.
From the opening chords of a roaring Maggie's, the lethal doses hit
furiously and often throughout the whole show. The sound on this
particular "field recording" is loud and strong, upfront and vivid,
and captures Dylan and the band perfectly, in both the full roaring
electric blues and the tamer, more "subtle" acoustic tunes. THE VOICE
is in your face, cracked and ancient, a voice from another age and
time, yet rooted firmly in the here and now (listening to these El Rey
shows, I get an overwhelming urge to listen to the Smithsonian
Anthology or the 1928 Mississippi John Hurt Avalon recordings. It's
like he takes you back in time to experience those days gone by). The
"Love-0" is just too good for words. Dylan plays with the phrasing by
pausing and then drawing out the last word of each line, then may
decide to do the same with another word in the next line, and back and
forth and it's just sooooo cool to hear. I'm pulling into work shaking
my head and smiling in wonderment how he pulls this off or even comes
up with gems like this from time to time. What a performance - and the
sound of the band, wow!. How wildly eclectic and versatile they are -
from the swampy, blues- rock sound of Cold Irons Bound, the straight
ahead rock of Silvio, to the old- timey feel of "Oh Babe It Ain't No
Lie" (is this the house band for "The Grapes of Wrath?") and the
majestic picking on "Love -0," they strum and pluck and bang along
with Bob and provide the perfect "coloring" for his voice and lyrics.
Best band he's ever had - most def!!!!!!!!!
Sheryl Crow duets on H61/ Knockin' (w/a great Crow accordion) and the
filler trax from the previous 2 nights are out of this world perfect -
One Too Many Mornings and My Back Pages in particular. Beautiful
package w/8 page booklet, color photos, El Rey info, a comical essay
and LA Times review. Of all the club shows, IMO, the El Rey gigs stand
a bit above the rest. This one's the best evidence of that.
Tracks: Maggies/Black Coat/Cold Irons/ JLAW/Cant Wait/Silvio/Oh Babe/
Love-0/Tangled/Masterpiece/Joey/Till I Fell/H61/LoveSick/RDW
Filler: LARS/It Ain't Me Babe/MrTMan/RovingGambler/OneTooMany
Mornings/MyBackPages
ELECTRIC BLACK NIGHT CRASH 1CD (Junk 001) 3 Sept 1965
Hollywood Bowl, California
Tracks: 13 Time: 71+ Source: Board?/Reel-Reel Quality: VeryGood+
The first "real" release (non-CDR) from the recently surfaced
Hollywood Bowl tape. If I may, the cover, a 1965 color close-up of
Dylan's head in front of a microphone, is absolutely stunning. Quality
is very good, not Guitars- Kissing good but complaining about a '65
performance w/the Hawks from a board or reel source is a bit
ludicrous, no? The show provides a revealing look at Dylan at the
height of his unique powers during the acoustic set, which is
compelling and IMO a more inspired performance than the '65 UK shows
or even the '64 acoustic sets, for that matter. May be heresy but I
find this acoustic set better even than the '66 ones (I got my
flame-proof jacket on).
The electric set is a different story. You can sense the tentative,
apprehensive nature of the performance, with the reins pulled back a
bit and the confident, headlong burst into the fire that would
characterize the '66 shows not yet in evidence. Still, we get a rare
live FROM A BUICK SIX w/ some lyric variations and a chance to hear
Dylan w/the Hawks in only their second live gig (1st Forest Hills) in
very good sound, taken from the board or a reel source. In any case,
this one's a must, as much as the '63 TownHall/Carnegie, '64 NYC
Philharmonic, '65 Manchester & '66 Manchester are musts. A major link
in understanding the chain. Nice package w/the previously mentioned
cover and artwork all around. Essential. (Same quality as the intial
CDR release "Western Electric" on Wild Wolf).
TOUR DIARY '97 - ON THE ROAD TO THE HIGHLANDS 1CD (ZEN CD 978)
August 1997 sampler
Tracks: 13 Time: 75 Source: Audience Quality: Excellent/VG+
A fine collection of tracks from the August 1997 shows in consistently
strong EXC/VG+ quality, taken from 7 different shows, with only one
track seeing the light prior to this, so far as I can tell. Nicely
selected for the strength of performance, it seems, as all provide
thrills and chills. I'd forgotten how enjoyable those TOUGH MAMA's
were, and the Friend Of the Devil is simply incredible. Also includes
the second of only 2 performances of the killer One Of Us Must Know
from Hershey. Very enjoyable set.
Complete track list:
LINCOLN 3 August: Sweet Marie/I Want You/ This Wheel's On Fire
WALLINGFORD 18 August: Pretty Peggy-O
HERSHEY 14 August: To Ramona/One Of us Must Know
CLARKSTON 10 August: I Shall Be Released/Tough Mama/Blind Willie
MONTREAL 8 August: LayLadyLay
VIRGINIA BEACH 22 August: Friend Of The Devil
PHILADELPHIA 20 August: Tears of Rage/Leopard Skin PillBoxHat
ERIC CLAPTON & FRIENDS - "HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC" 1CD
(Dandelion DL017) Shangri-La Studios, March 30, 1976
Tracks: 10 Time: 63 Source: Studio Quality: Very Good
Clapton says,"I had a magnificent birthday party right in the middle of the
sessions and we decided to record everything and everybody that came into
the studio. There's Billy Preston singing a couple of Ray Charles songs with
the BAND backing him along with Jesse Ed Davis, me Robbie Robertson &
Woody (Ron Wood) on guitars. Bob showed up about eight o'clock in the
morning and it went on from there." Here's the account of those "sessions,"
with Dylan taking the lead vocal on a few verses of "Spanish Is The Loving
Tongue," a complete and gorgeous 6 minutes of "The Water Is Wide" and
almost 5 minutes of Idiot Wind. All are acoustic, by the way. Best quality
I've heard of this material, particularly the Dylan segment.
Rest of the tracks and who sings 'em:
Billy Preston: It's Eric Clapton's Birthday
Van Morrison: Who Do You Love & Stormy Monday
Rick Danko: Hard Times
Instrumental Jam
Clapton: Big River
Levon Helm: Steppin' Out
A loose, fun disk, packaged nicely w/a color 8 page booklet.
Moe
Deep Beneath The Waves Vol. 73
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 07:43:01 EDT
A rather busy time these last several months. To wit...........
A KNIFE A FORK A BOTTLE & A CORK (Junk 002) Toledo, OH 15Feb98
+ filler 16-20Jan98 NYC, 31Jan98 (2), 01Feb98 (2), 13Jan98 (1)
Tracks: 24 Times: 69/74 Source: Audience Quality: Excellent
An excellent sounding, well balanced field recording with a nice, warm
vibe to it. Clear separation & distinct instrumentation blend together
for a perfect mix. Dylan's performances are full of depth and his
unique phrasing and vocal inflections are in full bloom. I Want You is
a stunner. Masters is chilling in its grim and determined delivery.
The band is really into it, each track moving seamlessly into the next
and Dylan's performance giving us ONE whole show and not JUST 15
songs. The filler tracks keep the level high - Born In Time & Tom
Thumb's stand out - overall this is a set deserving of high praise.
SweetMarie/IWantU/Can'tWait/BigGirlNow/Silvio/
CocaineBlues/Masters/Tangled/MillionMiles/ThisWheel's/H61/TilI I Fell/
ItAintMebabe/LoveSick/RDW + NotDarkYet/ColdIrons/StayingHereWithYou/
JLAW/Hattie/BornInTime/TomThumb/BackPages/HardRain
BLOOD & THUNDER 1CD (Junk 003) StateFair, Okla City, OK 18May76
(11), San Antonio, TX 11May76 (2), Fort Collins, CO 23May76 (1)
Tracks: 14 Time: 74 Source: Soundboard Quality: Very Good
A complete and much improved recording of the Okla City soundboard
tape. It's always nice to get a RThunder upgrade and, although not up
to the standards we've come to expect from boards these days, this one
will have few complaints. The sound, in fact, fits the event, giving
it a mangy kind of dust-bowl & tumbleweed type vibe. Unlike the more
"choreographed" '75 leg of RollngThunder, the '76 leg seemed like a
more shoot from the hip, spontaneous kind of deal. The unique Desire
sound is captured on stage, running the gamut from the raunchy rock
blues of Maggie's to the soul- searching, almost plaintive Going Going
Gone, from the mystical sound of Isis to the countrified and jaunty
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go. The Shelter defines a new
genre - Dylan blues, and the incredible Oh, Sister is, well, a
masterpiece IMO, Scarlett's haunting violin and the jangle of guitars
defying categorization. Just listen.................oh, and the
filler. Just check the last 3 tracks below- what's not to like????
Maggie's/Isis/Mozambique/OneTooMany/Immigrant/Shelter/OhSister/
You're GonnaMakeMeLonesome/Laylady/IWantYou/GoingGone + BigGirlNow/
IDIOT WIND/Hard Rain.
ROCK SOLID 1CD (Junkyard Angel - JUNK 004) Toronto, CAN 19Apr80
+ (1) Montreal, CAN 20Apr80
Tracks: 8 Time: 48 Source: Line/Board Quality: "Almost" Official
Not much need be said about this terrific sounding set, allegedly the
"unreleased" live album considered for official release way back when.
The sound is as close to official release quality as you are likely to
hear. The performances of the "gospel" material is breathtaking, w/
Dylan's singing never better and his conviction awe-inspiring. The
melodies and rhythms of these songs are simply beautiful. Essential
stuff.
Gotta Serve Somebody/Covenant Woman/ When You Gonna Wake Up/
PreciousAngel/SlowTrain/SolidRock/InTheGarden/Coverdown-Breakthrough
THE TALL GRASS & THE ONES I LOVE 1CD (no label) State Fair,
Okla City, 18 May 76
Tracks: 9 Time: 48 Source: Soundboard Quality: Very Good
An abbreviated version of the set above, avoid at all costs if the above is
available. Decent quality but falls short of the Okla City tracks on Blood
& Thunder. For completists only. Way cool cover graphic art on his one.
CHILD'S BALLOON 2CD (No Label) New Orleans, LA 10 Nov 1981
Tracks: 20 Time: 52/52 Source: Soundboard Quality: Excellent
No need to hold onto "Stadiums of the Damned" now, as this set raises
the "sound" bar considerably and renders it obsolete, IMO. It is so
much better, in fact, that any attempts at comparison are ludicrous.
The sound here is smooth and clean, upfront and not at all intrusive,
stunning actually. Dylan's vocals are bright, the instruments are crisp
and well defined. A better comparison would be to the legendary "You
Can't Kill An Idea" set from the Houston show the next day. In the
hierarchy of '81 soundboards, I'd give this the nod over Houston, with
Avignon and Oslo behind. Dylan's performance is so confident and
full of zest that you find yourself shaking your head. Each and every
song is played with gusto and the guitars and keyboards provide a
full throttle thrust to the proceedings. Dylan is playful, animated and
cocksure in his delivery. A truly monumental "ITS ALRIGHT MA" has to
be heard to be believed. I won't spoil it by trying to describe it. A
dynamite '81 show.
Trax: ServeSomebody/BelieveInU/LARS/IWantU/
ManGaveNames/Maggie's/GirlOfNC/ThinMan/HeartOfMine/SimpleTwist/
Watchtower/BabyTonight/ForeverYoung/Gamblin'Man/Times/Watered
DownLove/ShotOfLove/Masters/JLAW/ThiefOnCross/DeadMan/InGarden/
Blowin'/It'sAlrightMa/ItAin'tMeBabe/Knockin'. High marks on this one.
MUDPLEX 3CD (No label) Mud Island, Memphis, TN 26Jul88 complete
Starplex, Dallas, TX 28Jul88 complete
Tracks: 33 Times: 62/58/52 Source: Audience Quality: VG+/Fair
A triple set coupling two complete '88 shows on 3 disks that probably
should have been limited to the first show + filler. Quality on the
Memphis set is quite good w/clear, upfront vocals and distinct, well
balanced instrumentation. Performance is a dandy, full of vocal twists
and turns with some drastic rearranging of vintage "classics" - see
Big Girl Now. The acoustic set is terrific, with Barbara Allen, Boots
& Hard Rain the clear standouts, Dylan's vocals strong and hard
hitting. Repeated listenings on this one, the
next...................not so often, as the quality is simply fair to
middling on the Starplex show, even a bit lame on the electric
numbers. The softer, acoustic material suffers less but is still left
wanting. A pity, too, as the setlist is a treat and what you can glean
from the performances is inspired. Had the Starplex been filler - Back
Pages/EveryGrainOfSand/LoveMinusZero/Ramona/Blowin' - this one would
be worthwhile. As Neil said in the mid 80's - the saddest words are
"It Might Have Been." In summary, a 3 disk set with 2 disks worth of
worthwhile material.
OH BABE IT AIN'T NO LIE 2CD (Dung Beetle) ElRey, Los Angeles
20 Dec 97 complete + filler 19 Dec 97
Tracks: 23 Times: 70/70 Source: Audience Quality: Excellent
Another outstanding ElRey show to pair with the magnificent "Even
After All These Years." While falling shy of the supreme magnificence
of that disk in terms of ClubTour sound quality, this is next best by
far. A warm, crisp sounding set that is characterized by the vigor
with which Dylan attacks each and every tune. Clearly, he is laying it
all on the line here. His yearning vocals and incomparable phrasing
stand out, he twists and turns words and sounds inside out, this way
and that, peeling away the seeming endless layers of emotion in his
songs. A "darker" feeling embodies this show, a feeling of dread and
foreboding - Cold Irons, Can't Wait, Cocaine, John Brown, I&I - the
fear lurking beneath the grit of Dylan's delivery. You almost wish he
did "Masters" this night- and when was the last time that happend? The
beauty of Dylan (to me at least) is his ability to tap into every
human emotion. This show does that in spades, thanks in no small part
to the incredible accompaniment of messers. Garnier, Baxter, Campbell
& Kemper. They seem to always set this most unique of tables, and
allow Dylan to serve up his one-of- a-kind menu of love, hate, fear,
regret, desire, desperation and adventure, and always with such an
appealing poignancy. You'll hear all this and more with this set.
Don't be late......
Maggie's/TonightI'llBe/ColdIrons/RedSky/CantWait/Silvio/Cocaine/
JohnBrown/Tangled/I&I/I'llRememberYou/TilIFell/H61/DontThink2X/
LoveSick/RDW 12/19: LongBlackCoat/JLAW/OhBabe/Love-0/WhenI
PaintMyMasterpiece/Joey/Knockin'
BETTE DAVIS STYLE 2CD (no label) Birm, UK 24Jun98 complete +
filler London, UK 27 Jun 98
Tracks: 24 Times: 74/73 Source: Audience Quality: Outstanding
Simply fantastic collection in wonderful quality and full of terrific
performances. Not much more to be said about this one - a real keeper
with a superb selection of tracks.
Check it out: ServeSomebody/Tonight
I'llBeStayingHereWithYou/ColdIronsBound/BornInTime/Silvio/GirlOfNC/
JohnBrown/MamaYouBin/DesRow/Tangled/Knockin' w/Van/H61/LoveSick/
RDW/Blowin' + ServeSomebody/LongBlackCoat/ColdIrons/FeelMyLove/
Times/TomorrowIsALongTime/HardRain/ForeverYoung/TillIFellInLove.
Hard to get this one out of the player.
AT THE GLOBE ARENA 3CD (Crystal Cat CC 464-66) complete
Stockholm, SWE 9 June 1998 plus various Scandanavian venues
June 6, 7, 10, 11, 26 1998
Tracks: 36 Times: 76/78/78 Source: Audience Quality: BlowAway
Not since "(bathed in a stream of) PURE HEAT" have more uniquely
sublime Dylan performances been gathered together in one place. In
fact, let me go so far as to say that, other than the
GenuineBootSeries 1&2 volumes, it does'nt get much better than this,
kids. The quality is stunning, to say the least, and it is far and
away the best "Cat" Dylan yet. Crystal clear, upfront sound, every
quirk and rasp of those glorious pipes ringing true in all their
raging glory, every pluck, strum, bash and cymbal hit burning through
with astounding clarity.....and even some sorely missed harp thrown
in for good measure. Perhaps the ultimate live collection to
date...............don't you dare miss it!! Includes the usual,
classy full color, multi-page booklets (2) & gorgeous photos.
Watchtower (new arrangement)/TonightI'llBe Staying/ColdIrons/Every
GrainOfSand/Silvio/DesRow/OneTooMany/Tangled/MakeYouFeel.../
ThisWheel's/H61/ForeverYoung/LoveSick/RDW12&35/Blowin' + Peggy-O/
Pos4thSt/Rovinggambler/SimpleTwist/MrTMan/ToBeAloneWithYou/
Times/BabyBlue/SheBelongsToMe/ShootingStar/Ramona/ Masters/Love-0/
BlindWillie/Don'tThink2x/ServeSomebody/IfNot4U/You Ain'tGoin'Nowhere/
ItAin'tMeBabe/ThinMan/IShallBeReleased
Moe
Deep Beneath The Waves Vol. 74
From: Moe
To: karlerik@monet.no
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 1998 14:36:26 -0500
Well, it's been quite chaotic in the DEEP these last couple of months,
having to navigate the murky depths filled with new releases coming
fast and furious. I surveyed the volume and put off the daunting task
of laying down my "entusiastic ramblings," figgerin' I'd let 'em
multiply until there were so many of 'em I could delay no longer. So,
for the 7 of you out there who find amusement, bemusement, pleasure or
pain from the sometimes wacky, oft times enthusiastic and (most
definitely) always biased (hey, I love the guy - keep that in mind),
here's the latest from 20 fathoms.....I've dispensed w/the track
listings on some( for the sake of brevity) and the length of the disks
under "Time(s)" are very "approximate" based on my recollection. I
don't feel like slipping all these disks in and checking the times,
mates. As for the track listings, if you have accessed "Expecting
Rain" it probably means you are capable of seeking out the setlists
through Olof's, Pagel's or any number of other "Bob" internet
resources.
THE N.E.T. IN FRANCE - PARIS VOL 1 (Lucky) Paris, FR 30 Jun 98
Tracks: 15 Times: 50+/50+ Source: Audience Quality: Very Good
A fantastic show presented in very good quality, albeit a bit
overcooked, meaning that it's not as sharp as the best and at loud
volumes Bob's voice is a bit TOO loud. Having said that, let me extol
the virtues of this disk - the sound seems close-up, more like a club
show than an arena gig. It has an intimate feel to it - you can
imagine the audience getting up for a pint at the bar and returning to
their table. I put this down for several weeks and when I threw it in
again it seemed more alive than I remembered. The combo of the clubby
feel, the terrific performance and the 6-song acoustic set makes for a
great listen. Make You Feel My Love in the #4 slot is unique - as is
Back Pages at #11 - the acoustic set is a wild ride: Times/Masters/
DRow/Mama/ Tangled/and Back Pages!!!!!! Not a Hall of Famer but no
slouch, either.
THE N.E.T. IN FRANCE - DIJON VOL 2 (Lucky) Dijon, FR 1 Jul 98
Tracks: 18 Times: 55/55 Source: Audience Quality: Pretty Good
Similar in sound to the above PARIS but without the clubby, intimate
feel - once again, the sound is loud and strong, separated nicely from
the music but retaining a somewhat murky quality that detracts from
the overall enjoyment just a tad. Once again, though, a disk that
deserves more than a cursory listen as there are many hidden pleasures
throughout. To wit: the rave-up Seeing The Real You At Last as opener,
the dark and smoky Cold Irons Bound, mood-changing mourner Big Girl
Now. The sound takes a step up on the 5-song acoustic set - TMan/epic
HardRain/MamaYouBin/ Tangled/Forever Young. A taut, punchy I & I and
the finale Blowin' In The Wind, a warhorse delivered with strong
conviction and sounding as fresh as if written yesterday. The filler
track w/the Stones in Brazil - LARS - should be excised - pretty
horrendous. A good listen overall - not up to the standards of
previous delights like Bette Davis, Jack the Cowboy or At the Globe -
but a reliable utility vehicle when those are played out and you need
a fresh blast. Nice color package/design w/vintage pics. Ditto for
the PARIS above.
CENTER STAGE 1CD (Exclusive Ser) Nurenberg, GERM 31 May 98
Tracks: 12 Time:77 Source: Audience Quality: Very Good*
The complete "festival" set of a unique show - unique in light of the
fact that no TOOM tracks are performed, giving the show a much
different vibe than expected. Funny, when I saw the setlist I figured
it had to be mis-dated. Right off I'll state that there is a sound
"defect" running intermittently throughout the recording (bad mike?
faulty sound system?), and although a bit annoying at times when you
settle in and realize it's part of the meal, it's not as intrusive as
at first bite. Beyond that, we've got a real nice recording, crisp and
clear with the brights bright and the bass booming. Not great but
enjoyable and the performance just puts a big grin on your face.
Upbeat and flowing, with an old-timey, "feel good" sound - Bob and the
boys sound like they are having a blast. Fun, fun fun. It takes A Lot
to Laugh is a swampy blues, Baby Blue slow and mournful and full of
pain and regret, Friend Of The Devil jaunty and countrified. From the
opening To Be Alone With You to the close, a rip roaring affair, loose
as goose grease and as much fun as rolling in the mud with your
buddies. Not for all tastes but a delightful pleasure for some, I'm
sure.
COWBOY ANGEL BLUES 2CD (QR) Boston, MA 21 Nov 75 + Plymouth,
MA 31 Oct 75, Waterbury, CT 11 Nov 75 & Toronto, CA 1 Dec 75**
Tracks: 30 Times:60+/60+ Source: Soundboard/Aud** Quality: Exc
This one falls into the category of, "If you don't get it, you don't
get it." Along with the fabulous Knight Of The Hurricane, this is the
definitive collection of Rolling Thunder '75. The performances are
outrageously good - the Boston is complete and in much better sound
that the old Great Dane set (and not cut up, either). To include the
complete circulating Plymouth soundboard (7 tracks) was a master
stroke, considering the original Japanese "Plymouth Rock" is
impossible to get. The 2 tracks from Waterbury (STOF, Oh Sister) are
the ones left off "Tell It Like It Is," so if you have that, coupling
it with this gives the complete circulating Waterbury (which was
issued complete on "Satisfied Man" but that, too, is a toughie).
Then, to finish it off with two transcendant Toronto tracks not
included elsewhere on the set (Baby Blue/ Love-0) is just icing on an
already tasty cake. Essential stuff in terrific quality. Oh - the
wonderful, original artwork is a welcome departure from the usual
"slap on an old photo and graphics" fare - I particularly like the
colorful background scheme, which to me has a nice "Rolling Thunder"
feel to it. Read the Sam Shepard excerpt from the "RT Logbook" on the
inner sleeve, too. It captures the scene perfectly. More than
essential.
MAY YOUR SONG ALWAYS BE SUNG 2CD (DL) Brussels 17 Jun 98
Tracks: 16 Times: 55/55 Source: Audience Quality: Very Good++
Excellent show, just shy of excellent quality when you consider it's
not up there with the GLOBE's and Bette Davis' of the world. That
said, the quality is very, very good - nice balance and separation, a
clear distinct mix with Bob's vocals riding nicely above the fray. The
performances are not very good, they are terrific. Setlist is quite
the doozy, too. Couple the very, very good sound with the performance
and the unique setlist and you come up with a winner. Complete show
with no fillers - not a criticism, this show stands on its own.
Tracks: PillBox Hat/LICENSE TO KILLl/ColdIronsBound/ Bound/TEARS Of
RAGE/ Silvio/MamaYouBin/HOLLISBROWN/MrTMan/ Tangled/MAKE YOUFEEL/CANT
WAIT/I DONT BELIEVE YOU/H61/Forever Young/LoveSick/RDW/Blowin'. Nice
package w/color pics from the show.
HE'S GETTING READY FOR THE SHOW 1CD (DL) Rotterdam, Holland, 15 Jun 98
Tracks: 14 Time: 79+ Source: Audience Quality: Pretty Good
The Rotterdam festival show "compacted" to fit on a single disk by
dispensing with the usual Bob intro and fading out RDW 3 minutes in.
No loss on either end, IMO. Decent quality - a warm, gentle feel to it
with a clear, distinct sound but having a somewhat cavernous, echoey
vibe going. This improves during the acoustic set, which regrettably
has been pared to 3 tunes in the festival setting. A nice workout for
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere in the 2 slot - how can you not like any
version of this? - and JLAW is now performed with that "kingdom of
experience" of many lives lived. It's not played much anymore but it
has a regal feel to it whenever it is. Nice versions of DRow , Times
and Make You Feel My Love highlight a rather average disk - not
essential but nice to have an (almost) entire show on a single disk.
HARD TO FIND VOL 5 1CD (Tashuna Wilco) Various Tracks '64-98
Tracks: 14 Time:79+ Source: B-Sides/Outtakes/TV/Aud Quality: Exc
Another volume in the "Never Ending" HTF series, this one containing trax
from the Live '96 promo/LoveSick single b-sides/Jimmy Rodgers tribute +
the outtake with EmmyLou and a few cursory audience recordings, plus the
Gershwin tribute "Soon." Not much need to comment so here's the tracks:
My Blue Eyed Jane (regular version + original outtake version w/Emmylou)
LoveSick/GrammySpeech!!!!! (cool to have this)/Shelter (Jerry Maguire)/
BackPages/TombstoneBlues/ThinMan/Boots (Live '96 L'Sick b-sides)/
Knockin & Highway 61 w/Sheryl Crow at El Rey 12/97/I Shall Be Released
w/Costello UK '95/Mr TMan w/Ramblin' Jack in 1964 and "Soon." Excellent
quality throughout - not for everybody but certainly worthwhile for some.
SAN JOSE ''98 SOUNDBOARD 1CD (No lbl) San Jose, CA 19 May 98
Tracks: 13 Time: 75 Source: Soundboard* Quality: Outstanding
An astounding recording sourced from either the soundboard or* if you
listen to the rumors, from someone tapping into the frequency that was
transmitted to Bob's "ear monitors," i.e. no monitors on stage at this
show. Feel free to comment on that rumor in the newsgroups. In any
case, a devastatingly bright, true sound highlighted by the full
richness of Bob's vocals, vocals that were strong and energetic during
this show, full of feeling and raw, naked emotion. A seemingly
pedestrian setlist is eclipsed by the amazing recording quality and
performances of all parties involved. You wanna get "next" to him,
can't get much "closer" than this. An "in your face and in your heart"
recording. Essential. It gallops, it trots, it lopes, it sprints -
it's a wild ride but enjoyable every step of the way. Sweet Marie/ The
Man In Me/Cold Irons/JLAW/Silvio/Stone Walls/Masters/Tangled/Make
YouFeelMyLove/H61/ForeverYoung/LoveSick/RDW.
FOLK ROGUE 1CD (Wild Wolf) Newport Folk Festival 1964-65,
Hollywood Bowl, LA 9/1/65
Tracks: 14 Times: 75 Source: Soundboard Quality: Superb
Terrific quality performances from Newport '64 and '65, some only
recently circulating. No need to mince words - if you like early
acoustic Bob in '64 and '65, you'll love this disk. The electric
Newport has never been heard in better quality, at least by these
ears. Mind-blowing stuff. The 2 "missing" tracks from the "first"
Hollywood Bowl 9/1/65 tape are plugged in here - Tombstone Blues/It
Ain't Me Babe. The entirety of the Newport 65 - acoustic and electric
- is presented. All told, the entirety of the Bob sets at Newport in
'64 and '65 - workshops and all (including an amazing live debut of
Chimes of Freedom) - are presented in superb sound. Not to be missed.
Newport '64: It Ain't Me Babe/All I Really Want To Do/To ramona/ Mr T
Man/Chimes. Newcastle '65 UK: Don't Think Twice. Newport '65: All I
Really Wanna Do (workshop), electric set: Maggie's, LARS, Phantom
Engineer (Lot To Laugh), Baby Blue/Mr T Man. Hollywood Bowl 9/1/65:
Tombstone Blues/It Ain't Me Babe. Essential.
QUEST FOR NEWPORT 1CD (No label) Newport 64/65, Canadian Quest
TV show 1 Feb 1964
Tracks: 14 Time: 70 Source: Soundboard Quality: Excellent
Another issue of the Newport material, curiously omitting several
workshop tracks AND Mr T Man from the Newport '65 acoustic set. In
their place are 6 tracks from the Canadian Quest TV show:
Times/WorldWar3Blues/HattieCarroll/GirlOfNC/HardRain/RestlessFarewell.
Matched up with the above Folk Rogue, this one comes in a clear
second. The Quest material is interesting but the track order and the
omission of several of the Newport tracks is inexplicable. Overall, a
very good disk but it gets lost in the imposing shadow of FOLK ROGUE.
PAINT THE DAYTIME BLACK 2CD (QR) Los Angeles, CA 14 Feb 74
(afternoon show) + 5 tracks (evening show)
Tracks: 31 Times: 70/70 Source: Soundboard Quality: Excellent
A killer soundboard recording that easily eclipses the previously
available circulating boards from Boston & NY City. Almost complete
(missing the opening "Most Likely" - not on the circulating tape, most
likely :-), the sound is oh so fine - clear and distinct, packing a
wallop and perfectly mixed between voice and instruments with nice
separation. Contains both Bob and the Band's sets and the performances
are explosive - includes rare '74 outings (and transcendant versions)
of She Belongs To Me and Baby Blue. Sublime stuff......for '74 lovers,
a revelation. For those who think '74 was "ho-hum," this one will turn
some heads and make you reevaluate. Nice package with some fine pics
from the tour. Awesome set!
FROM THE VAULTS 2CD (Dandelion ) various live tracks 1992-1998
Tracks: 18 Times: 58/51 Source: Download Quality: Superb
A collection of 18 of the 30+ tracks that have, at one time or another,
resided on the dylan.com website. Whoever did the downloading had some
damned fine equipment - the fidelity of the recordings is incredible. Sounds
nothing at all like I heard them on a friend's PC. To call the quality of the
Supper Club recordings or the Shelter from Roseland '94 astonishing would
not be overstating the case here. In fact, the 3 Supper Club tracks are worth
the price of admission - suffice it to say I "heard" these songs for the first
time when I played this. You cannot "hear" how great Bob, et al really sounded
on the previously circulating audience recordings of the shows. Night and day
is an understatement. The "Tight Connection" is pure joy - I was afraid I'd
wear out the repeat button. The classic 'aw shucks' from Weeping Willow has
an even greater impact. In a perfect world, we'd get an officially released
box set of all four shows. Oh, to dream........and then there's the Roseland
'94
"Shelter From the Storm" - MY favorite Dylan performance of the 90's. You
think it's funky on the tremendous audience tapes, wait'll you hear this.
What a gem - he never did it like this before or since. Your body becomes one
big funky goosebump. The rest of the set is peppered with more goodies -
some wondrous, some very good, some okay. One constant is the great
sound throughout. Track list: Visions (Minneapolis '92), Tight Connection/
Delia/Weeping Willow (Supper Club '93), Shelter (Roseland '94), MrTMan
WolfTrap '97), Hattie Carroll (El Rey '97), Various 1998: Tears Of Rage,
Born In Time, Girl Of NC, The Man In Me, LoveSick, Make You Feel My
Love, I'm Not Supposed To Care, Hard Rain, Mama You Bin, Boots Of
Spanish Leather (fantastic-Europe '98), Senor. Judging from the title, a
volume 2 is in store with (hopefully) the rest of the tracks that have graced
the site. The only complaint on Vol 1 is the non-utilization of CD space -40
more minutes could have fit comfortably on here. Nice, colorful package
with small booklet/notations for each track.
TONIGHT I'LL BE PLAYING HERE FOR YOU 2CD (SCO) Irving Plaza,
New York City Dec 8, 1997
Tracks: 16 Time: 55/55 Source: Soundboard Quality: Devastating
According to Webster's, the definition of "benchmark" is as follows:
"Something that serves as a standard by which others may be measured."
Suffice it to say that (IMO) this set is the benchmark for Dylan soundboards.
Yes, it's that good. Everything - mix, separation, balance, clarity,
definition,
fidelity - is stunning. I honestly cannot find one single negative criticism
to level at it. The performance is top notch - To Ramona is a sparkling gem,
full of vocal tricks and phrasing to die for - when he sings "....your sorrow
duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz steeeeeeeeeeeem" - wow! Dark and spooky readings
of Cold Irons, I & I and even Til I Fell In Love w/You counter the tender
emotions flowing through Big Girl Now and the rollicking opener Maggie's
and hoedowny (?) "Tonight I'll Be Playing Here For You. The clarity of the
acoustic instruments is startling and further illustrates the many subtleties
and complexities inherent in Cocaine and Tangled. You feel like you're in a
Mexican village restaurant listening to a mariachi band during the
instrumental
ending of "To Ramona." Try to suppress the ear-splitting grin. This one's a
monster - don't you dare miss it!!!!!! (Note: I don't think this one was
circulating on tape prior to this. Just an observation).
[More on this set in the next Deep Beneath The Waves]
Moe
Deep Beneath The Waves Vol. 75
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 10:46:27 -0500
Backtracking a bit to DEEP 74 and the Irving Plaza "Tonight I'll Be
Playing Here For You" set, specifically my comment that this "show
had not circulated on tape prior to this CD coming out." I should
have clarified that by stating that "the SOUNDBOARD recording of this
show had not circulated on tape prior to the CD coming out." I
incorrectly assumed that folks would interpret it that way......
Karl Erik has been inundated with a total of 2 e- mails from folks who
pointed out the show WAS circulating on tape - of the audience
variety, I ASSUME :-)
FROM NEWPORT TO THE ANCIENT EMPTY STREETS IN L.A. 2CD
(Dandelion DL 061/62) Complete* Hollywood Bowl, LA 3 Sept 1965
acoustic & electric, plus Newport 1964/1965, + Tombstone Blues dub
Tracks: 24 Times: 67/69 Source: Soundboards Quality: Excellent*
A stunning upgrade* of the complete* ("Tombstone Blues" beginning cut)
Hollywood Bowl, 3 Sept 1965 soundboard. What a shocker!! This one
sheds what seems like 3 layers of skin from previous editions and
emerges with a brightness and clarity that enhances the listening
experience immensely. Without the compression and muddiness that
characterized earlier circulating recordings - on here Bob's vocals
are clear, distinct and without the distortion on the louder vocal
passages. The acoustic set has more definition and a lot more "air"
between the vocals and guitar - like hearing it for the first time,
really. The electric set benefits even more from the significant
upgrade - Robbie's guitar is more prominent, Kooper's keyboards more
distinct and the drums have a punchier sound, more snap than thud.
Bob's vocals are much clearer- the bottom line is the recording has a
crisper, more defined and punchier sound with very little of the
compression found on the earlier versions. Initially, It was a TREAT
to simply get a '65 live recording of the H' Bowl in decent quality.
Now, to get it like this, in better sound and now complete, is a JOY.
The balance of the material is the Newport '64 and '65 material (see
FOLK ROGUE review), but missing "It Ain't Me Babe" from '64 and "Mr
TMan" from the acoustic '65 set, and it does not include the '65
"Don't Think Twice" from Newcastle. Quality is on par w/Folk Rogue,
excellent in every way. The inexplicable omission of the 2 Newport
tracks above from this set is the only negative criticism here.
Bottom line: if you have the FOLK ROGUE set and this, you have it all.
Last bits: one bonus cut on here is the acetate sourced, overdub
version of "Tombstone Blues," with background vocal overdubs provided
courtesy of the Chambers Bros. Quality is OK but you'll see why they
did'nt use it. More a curiosity piece than anything else.
Final word: a terrific package on this one with a vintage (unpublished
'66??) close-up cover shot of Bob, a heavy duty,16 page glossy b&w
booklet chock full of more vintage '65 and '66 pics (some unpublished,
I believe), classy graphics and picture disk CDs. Essential.
Tracks: Newport July 26, 1964: All I Really Want To Do/To Ramona
/Mr.Tambourine Man, Chimes Of Freedom (missing It Ain't Me Babe)
Newport July 25, 1965: Maggie's/Like A Rolling Stone/Phantom Engineer,
Baby Blue (missing Mr. T' Man) Hollywood Bowl, LA, Sept 3, 1965: She
Belongs To Me, To Ramona, Gates of Eden, Baby Blue, Desolation Row,
Love Minus Zero/No Limit, Mr TMan Tombstone Blues (beginning cut on
all circulating versions), I Don't Believe You, From A Buick 6, Tom
Thumb's Blues, Maggie's Farm, It Ain't Me Babe, Ballad Of A Thin Man,
Like A Rolling Stone H61 Overdub: Tombstone Blues w/Chambers Bros.
To Deep Beneath The Waves 1999