LONDON 2002

LONDON ARENA DOCKLANDS, LONDON,

ENGLAND

1. I AM THE MAN, THOMAS @

2. TO RAMONA @

3. IT'S ALRIGHT, MA (I'M ONLY BLEEDING) @

4. IF YOU SEE HER, SAY, HELLO @

5. STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE WITH THE MEMPHIS BLUES AGAIN

6. MOONLIGHT

7. SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK BLUES

8. CRY A WHILE

9. MAMA, YOU BEEN ON MY MIND @

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

11. FOREVER YOUNG @

12. SUMMER DAYS

13. SUGAR BABY

14. THE WICKED MESSENGER

15. RAINY DAY WOMEN #12 & 35

16. LIKE A ROLLING STONE

17. HONEST WITH ME

18. KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR @

19. ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER

Checking our 4th row seats (70 + 71) again
before the show, my wife and I had to find out,
they were almost beside the stage, with a view
obstructed by speakers, so we would have seen
only the front part of Bob's mike stand.
Fortunately we were offered row 10, (55 + 56)
spots by two nice Ladies from the other side
of the Atlantic, as they intended to really
go up front. But when the same appalling security
as the day before showed them back to their seats
during "Stuck", we had to move into the aisle.
(Thanks anyway again to Miss Lucy and to Mary J.)

Trying to avoid confrontation with security,
we could move enough up front to stand almost
underneath the left speakers. Since security
focused on keeping the aisles clear everywhere
else but very close to the stage (where they
certainly would have greatly distracted Bob
and the band, as it was a noisy business,
conducted in a very disturbing manner for
everyone nearby), we ended up with rather
excellent sights and sounds to enjoy the
last of the eight shows we came to Britain for.

And what a show it was, with only 19 songs again,
but only seven repetitions from the night before,
most of which were well worth repeating, most of
all the brilliant opener, "I AM THE MAN THOMAS",
which Bob chose to sing for the third time in Britain
this month, thus having started eight shows each of
both his tours this year so far with this wonderful
song about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This is something he probably would not have done,
if he would not indeed be hanging on to this Solid
Rock, he sang about to 15 audiences in Europe during
this fine tour. He won't let go no more the nail
scarred hand of his wonderful Savior and risen Lord
that will lead him beyond the burning sand.

The nicest surprise of the night was the inclusion
of the second "If You See Her, Say Hello" of this
European tour. Performed acoustic, it started with
violin and harp, featuring some lyric changes, and
more violin by Larry throughout the song. The second
acoustic set (always three songs) deserves special
mentioning as well. Another soft "Mama", starting
with harp intro, preceded a good "HARD RAIN", which
always is a lyrical high point for me and welcome
to my ears, especially if it is followed by a
surprising and beautiful "FOREVER YOUNG",
which actually even benefits from a position
further up front in the set. (Very nice choice
indeed, as this also meant, that London remained
"un-tangled" this year ;-)

The only acoustic song during the encores was an
intense and surprising "Knocking", which knocked
"Blowing" off its post-"Honest With Me" position.
Which brings me to another observation I made last
night. Bob performed five songs from "Love & Theft"
during his set, and each and every one of those
performances he nailed (I mean NAILED), as if his
life depended on it (or to put it this way, as if
5000 copies of "L&T" would have to be sold right
after the show, and every one of them HAS to go).
He really put a lot into his newer lyrics (all his
other songs last night were at least 28 years old).

The way his voice delivered softly the lyrics of
"Moonlight" and "Sugar Baby", or the way he almost
yelled the words of "Cry A While" and "Honest With
Me", was simply amazing. (It was the last show of
the tour, so his voice can rest for a while now.)
"Summer Days" was brilliant as ever, and remains
my favorite "L&T" song I saw during these shows
(did I ever mentioned those guitars ? ;-), as
"Mississippi" did not appear at all in Europe ;-(

It is also great to watch how Bob can rely on
these outstanding musicians around him, who play
all those various styles with ease, together in
perfect harmony; and always on their toes (as they
had to be last night, when they started "Drifter's
Escape" and then Bob all of the sudden sang
"There was a Wicked Messenger"). They all seem
to really enjoy playing with Bob as well, even
during the songs played often, visible last night
during songs like "Rolling Stone" (which was again
more enjoyable for me as the first encore song
than it was as the second), and during the perfect
curtain closer, another rocking "Watchtower",
which might have been the last song in which we
could have seen Jim Keltner in Bob's band, a great
drummer, who had been introduced by Bob Dylan in
London in 1981 as "a legend in his own time".
Who knows who will beat the drums during the
next Bob Dylan concert?

Anyway, Bob Dylan in May 2002 sang 163 songs
in Britain (100 of them he performed in the
last five days alone). 63 different songs we
got to hear during these eight shows, 23 of
them but once, and a further 15 of them only
twice. There sure have been some nuggets worth
crossing the Irish Sea for, and worth driving
all those miles across Britain in our little
red Micra, which took me to 29 of my 40 Bob
dates by now.

As I type in this last review, having found
internet access in Swansea/Wales again on our
way back to Ireland (as I did before in September
2000, when I typed in the last of ten reviews
from Vicar Street to Portsmouth), I have to say
it was again a great way to spend our vacation,
as we also met many wonderful people along this
trip (some of which I already knew via email),
like Geoff and Jeff in Brighton, J. J. in
Bournemouth and beyond (I told him already
that I actually saw him yawning twice last
night during "12&35"), and the nice couple
from Tel Aviv (who flew in just for the two
London shows, after waiting in vain for nine
years on Bob to revisit Israel); just to name
a few. And of course we would do it again, anytime.



MAY 12, 2002 LONDON ARENA DOCKLANDS, LONDON, ENGLAND 1. I AM THE MAN, THOMAS @ 2. TO RAMONA @ 3. IT'S ALRIGHT, MA (I'M ONLY BLEEDING) @ 4. IF YOU SEE HER, SAY, HELLO @ 5. STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE WITH THE MEMPHIS BLUES AGAIN 6. MOONLIGHT 7. SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK BLUES 8. CRY A WHILE 9. MAMA, YOU BEEN ON MY MIND @ 10. A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL @ 11. FOREVER YOUNG @ 12. SUMMER DAYS 13. SUGAR BABY 14. THE WICKED MESSENGER 15. RAINY DAY WOMEN #12 & 35 16. LIKE A ROLLING STONE 17. HONEST WITH ME 18. KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR @ 19. ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER Checking our 4th row seats (70 + 71) again before the show, my wife and I had to find out, they were almost beside the stage, with a view obstructed by speakers, so we would have seen only the front part of Bob's mike stand. Fortunately we were offered row 10, (55 + 56) spots by two nice Ladies from the other side of the Atlantic, as they intended to really go up front. But when the same appalling security as the day before showed them back to their seats during "Stuck", we had to move into the aisle. (Thanks anyway again to Miss Lucy and to Mary J.) Trying to avoid confrontation with security, we could move enough up front to stand almost underneath the left speakers. Since security focused on keeping the aisles clear everywhere else but very close to the stage (where they certainly would have greatly distracted Bob and the band, as it was a noisy business, conducted in a very disturbing manner for everyone nearby), we ended up with rather excellent sights and sounds to enjoy the last of the eight shows we came to Britain for. And what a show it was, with only 19 songs again, but only seven repetitions from the night before, most of which were well worth repeating, most of all the brilliant opener, "I AM THE MAN THOMAS", which Bob chose to sing for the third time in Britain this month, thus having started eight shows each of both his tours this year so far with this wonderful song about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is something he probably would not have done, if he would not indeed be hanging on to this Solid Rock, he sang about to 15 audiences in Europe during this fine tour. He won't let go no more the nail scarred hand of his wonderful Savior and risen Lord that will lead him beyond the burning sand. The nicest surprise of the night was the inclusion of the second "If You See Her, Say Hello" of this European tour. Performed acoustic, it started with violin and harp, featuring some lyric changes, and more violin by Larry throughout the song. The second acoustic set (always three songs) deserves special mentioning as well. Another soft "Mama", starting with harp intro, preceded a good "HARD RAIN", which always is a lyrical high point for me and welcome to my ears, especially if it is followed by a surprising and beautiful "FOREVER YOUNG", which actually even benefits from a position further up front in the set. (Very nice choice indeed, as this also meant, that London remained "un-tangled" this year ;-) The only acoustic song during the encores was an intense and surprising "Knocking", which knocked "Blowing" off its post-"Honest With Me" position. Which brings me to another observation I made last night. Bob performed five songs from "Love & Theft" during his set, and each and every one of those performances he nailed (I mean NAILED), as if his life depended on it (or to put it this way, as if 5000 copies of "L&T" would have to be sold right after the show, and every one of them HAS to go). He really put a lot into his newer lyrics (all his other songs last night were at least 28 years old). The way his voice delivered softly the lyrics of "Moonlight" and "Sugar Baby", or the way he almost yelled the words of "Cry A While" and "Honest With Me", was simply amazing. (It was the last show of the tour, so his voice can rest for a while now.) "Summer Days" was brilliant as ever, and remains my favorite "L&T" song I saw during these shows (did I ever mentioned those guitars ? ;-), as "Mississippi" did not appear at all in Europe ;-( It is also great to watch how Bob can rely on these outstanding musicians around him, who play all those various styles with ease, together in perfect harmony; and always on their toes (as they had to be last night, when they started "Drifter's Escape" and then Bob all of the sudden sang "There was a Wicked Messenger"). They all seem to really enjoy playing with Bob as well, even during the songs played often, visible last night during songs like "Rolling Stone" (which was again more enjoyable for me as the first encore song than it was as the second), and during the perfect curtain closer, another rocking "Watchtower", which might have been the last song in which we could have seen Jim Keltner in Bob's band, a great drummer, who had been introduced by Bob Dylan in London in 1981 as "a legend in his own time". Who knows who will beat the drums during the next Bob Dylan concert? Anyway, Bob Dylan in May 2002 sang 163 songs in Britain (100 of them he performed in the last five days alone). 63 different songs we got to hear during these eight shows, 23 of them but once, and a further 15 of them only twice. There sure have been some nuggets worth crossing the Irish Sea for, and worth driving all those miles across Britain in our little red Micra, which took me to 29 of my 40 Bob dates by now. As I type in this last review, having found internet access in Swansea/Wales again on our way back to Ireland (as I did before in September 2000, when I typed in the last of ten reviews from Vicar Street to Portsmouth), I have to say it was again a great way to spend our vacation, as we also met many wonderful people along this trip (some of which I already knew via email), like Geoff and Jeff in Brighton, J. J. in Bournemouth and beyond (I told him already that I actually saw him yawning twice last night during "12&35"), and the nice couple from Tel Aviv (who flew in just for the two London shows, after waiting in vain for nine years on Bob to revisit Israel); just to name a few. And of course we would do it again, anytime.
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