How does it feel to see a rock-n-roll legend live? Incredible. Bob Dylan rocked Tupelo’s BancorpSouth Center Monday in front of an audience ranging from college students to young parents with small children, to older fans who probably jammed with Dylan and his oh-so-mellow voice.
Dylan opened the show with “I Am the Man, Thomas,” and his fans would agree. Although the show got off to a slow start, it wasn’t long before fans started rocking with Dylan and His Band. The young audience didn’t seem to get into the groove until a few songs into the set. Dylan basically stood on stage in his pointy boots and white cowboy hat and sang.
Dylan’s musical entourage consisted of guitarists Larry Campbell and Charlie Sexton, drummer George Receli and bassist Tony Garnier.
The show continued with “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),” “Searching For a Soldier’s Grave,” “Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum,” “Just Like a Woman,” “Lonesome Day Blues High Water (For Charley Patton),” “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” “Masters of War,” “Tangled up in Blue,” “Summer Days,” “Sugar Baby,” “The Wicked Messenger” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”
For his first encore, Dylan performed “Love Sick,” “Honest With Me” and “Forever Young,” but the house really rocked during his second encore with classics “All Along the Watchtower” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.”
The black-and-white checkerboard stage was packed with an array of instruments: roughly 30 guitars–electric, slide and acoustic, a stand-up bass, a dobro, a mandolin, a banjo, drums and of course, Dylan’s trademark harmonica.
While the musical icon was indeed awesome, the audience could have displayed some consideration for both Dylan and fans who came to actually enjoy the concert. Those who could were drinking beer, and some made repeated trips to the concession stands despite disturbing fans.
Smokers were smoking cigarettes and other stuff–the smell of cannabis probably brought back fond memories for some of Dylan’s older fans.
A few audience members claimed that Dylan didn’t sound like himself with his raspy voice and altered tunes. Others danced, waved their arms, lit their Bob Dylan Zippos and sang along as best they could.
Overall, the show was OK. Seeing Dylan in the flesh, getting a T-shirt and hearing “All Along the Watchtower” made suffering the insufferable audience worth the drive.