Never Ending Tour Rolling East with Dylan Still On Track to Arrive In Minnesota Thursday

The interview went as expected. He did not say much.
Photo credit: Michael Anderson

There are two primary ways to follow what's happening in BobWorld. One is ExpectingRain.com, the essential mashup of daily news regarding Dylan and Dylan-related themes, such as the Beatles and others whose paths he's cross. The second is BobLinks.com, Bill Pagel's labor of love, meticulously chronicling the schedule, setlists and concert reviews from the Never Ending Tour (NET).

This current U.S. leg of the NET began October 11 in Irvine, California, opening with "Beyond Here Lies Nothing" from the album Together Through Life, a nod to the late Robert Hunter with whom he corroborated. Is it possible that "Beyond Here Lies Nothing" is a reference to his Never Ending Tour as well?

Playlists have been varying in small ways on this tour so that you won't know exactly what is coming. What's common throughout are the reviews. "Bob in fine form tonight" and ""Mind blowing show last night" and "This was a very strong show indeed."

The guy is 78 and it's somewhat remarkable the pace he's keeping. Five shows this week beginning in KC, then flowing upstream to St. Louis, Ames Iowa tonight, Mankato in Minnesota tomorrow and Milwaukee Saturday.

Not only do the media write about Dylan on a regular basis--cf. Bob Dylan Returns to Milwaukee (WithNothing Left to Prove) and John Huthmacher's review of the Nebraska show--but fans send in their reviews to Bill Pagel every day from the various concerts. Here are a couple of these from the BobLinks site. The current vibe has been exceptionally positive.

Issie
Oh my God. Mind blowing show last night. Probably the most satisfying and radical rearrangements of songs across an entire show since the ‘78 tour. New drummer and guitarist have inspired Bob to keep moving forward and staying fresh. The band gets in a tight groove on every song that hypnotically sweeps you right into the moment. And rather than deteriorating into an ever more raspy and gravely voice Bob’s singing is now somehow as strong live as it has been at anytime this century.

Pete Shanks
In the Frost Amphitheater at Stanford, Dylan seemed to have as much fun as the audience did. He was on excellent form, and his band is (as usual) superlative.

Naturally expectations are running high now. It will be interesting to see what happens beyond the horizon.

* * * *

Clear Lake, Iowa is just up the highway.

Today Bob and the band are in Ames, Iowa, less than an hour from the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake where Buddy Holly played his last concert. I'd be curious if Bob has ever been out to the cornfield where the plane crashed that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. In fact, there are a lot of things I am curious about, which is interesting because at one time I felt that if I ever did get a chance to interview Mr. Dylan I wouldn't know what to say. In short, it would have been me and not him who was mute.

FWIW I will be scrutinizing the setlists from this week to see if I can forecast tomorrow's setlist in Mankato.

Here's lookin' at you, kid. Painting by the author.

As with his last cross-country tour there will be a week of concerts at the Beacon in New York, followed by one last exclamation point nearby, this time Washington DC.

Here are a pair of show openers from this past week. Lookin' forward to tomorrow.

Oct 19 in Lincoln, Nebraska
1. Beyond Here Lies Nothin' (Bob center stage on guitar, Donnie on violin)
2. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob center stage on guitar,
His 17 song set ended with Gotta Serve Somebody, the song he was opening concerts with i 1998. After closing there followed a two song encore: Ballad of a Thin Man, and It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry.

I read these set lists in awe of how many great songs he has produced over the years.

Oct 17. His Mission Ballroom show in Denver though opened with a different pair of great songs.
1. Things Have Changed (Bob center stage on guitar, Donnie on violin)
2. It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob on piano, Donnie on violin)

Vamos a ver.