PORTSMOUTH 2000 (TWO)


AND HE LOOKED AT ME

SEPTEMBER 25, 2000



GUILDHALL, PORTSMOUTH,

ENGLAND



1. HALLELUJAH, I'M READY TO GO @ (LARRY ON MANDOLIN)

2. MR. TAMBOURINE MAN @

3. A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL @

4. THE BALLAD OF FRANKIE LEE AND JUDAS PRIEST @

5. TANGLED UP IN BLUE @

6. SEARCHING FOR A SOLDIER'S GRAVE @ (LARRY ON MANDOLIN)

7. COUNTRY PIE

8. SHE BELONGS TO ME

9. TOMBSTONE BLUES

10. TRYING TO GET TO HEAVEN

11. DRIFTER'S ESCAPE (BOB ON HARP)

12. EVERYTHING IS BROKEN

13. THINGS HAVE CHANGED

14. LIKE A ROLLING STONE

15. IT AIN'T ME, BABE @

16. WATCHING THE RIVER FLOW

17. FOREVER YOUNG @

18. HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED

19. BLOWIN' IN THE WIND @







There we were back at the rail amid friendly
aficionados from Australia and Canada, to see
our tenth Bob Dylan show in a row. Now we are
heading this way (back to Ireland) and Bob and
his band are heading that way (off to mainland Europe).
For my wife Catina and me it sure was a fitting end
to our first year together out of Germany, this
holiday once around the Irish sea. Initially we
planned to go to six shows, ending up however
seeing ten. We saw 69 different songs performed
by Bob Dylan and "some of the finest players anywhere",
as Bob described them last night at his second show
at the Guildhall. He repeated but seven songs
from his first show the night before, but interestingly
enough 13 songs from Saturday in Cardiff, including
the masterfully performed "BALLAD OF FRANKIE
LEE AND JUDAS PRIEST".

As it was the fourth show in a row without a day off,
it could hardly be as great as the exceptional great
show on Sunday, but Monday's gig sure did have it's
peaks and fine moments. The "DRIFTER'S ESCAPE"
was as intense as ever, as was Bob's harp solo ending it.
We were reminded once again that "it sure ain't me ...
you're looking for". And once again we were told that
"EVERYTHING IS BROKEN", which kicked
the pillbox hat out of the main-set-ending-slot.
"WATCHING THE RIVER FLOW" was
equally rocking last night as in Cardiff.
Also notable were the only two additions to this tour,
"SHE BELONGS TO ME" (with Bob moving
around a lot while playing his guitar), and
"A-HARD RAIN'S A GONNA FALL"
(performed only for the fourth time this year),
which I thought before he might put into the number
three slot last night. It was on my wish list as
I saw it only twice before (Zurich 1999 and Cincinnati 1981).

Performed as a grave warning about this world which
can't stand long, it is all the more powerful within
a setlist containing also "HALLELUJAH I'M READY
TO GO" and "TRYIN' TO GET TO HEAVEN"
(he put these three in on set before in Horsens
in May, even adding "GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY",
which he also played in Portsmouth, however on Sunday).
"HALLELUJAH I'M READY TO GO" (one of his
most challenging openers ever / see my relevant page
for the lyrics), as well as his new slow arrangement of
"TRYIN' TO GET TO HEAVEN" were also
performed together in Cardiff on Saturday
(see my review for some comments on this combination).
These songs sure are most powerful and valid statements
about his faith, and once again I am very grateful that
Bob Dylan keeps singing them to us, warning us not to
"wait before it's too late", pointing out his
"wonderful saviour" to us, convinced that one day
they will "close ... close the door".














KILKENNY 2001
BOB IN CARDIFF TWO DAYS EARLIER