Loading...
Johnny Ray's Collection

Bob Dylan   05/06/2002

Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales
Source Crystal Cat Records 637-38>commercial bootleg>unclekurty's wallet>eac>wav>shn(seek files appended)
Media CD-R/SHN   2 discs
Notes Crystal Cat Records 637-38>commercial bootleg
Tech Notes unclekurty@unclekurty.com
J-Card Comment Review from inserts:

After the last Cardiff Dylan concert in September 2000 we thought
it couldn't get any better.

We were wrong . Last Monday (6th May) the packed all-ages audience
experienced a generous 2 hr 20 minutes worth of magic as Bob, in his
61st year, in suite and white stetson, steered us through a varied
collection of his back pages. He was again supported by the excellent
Larry Campbell and Charlie Sexton, muscular bass player Tony Garnier
and Jim Keltner (who toured Europe with Neil Young And Booker T & the MGs),
although on a personal note I preferred former drummer David Kemper
who always seemed to hold both skill and intuition well in
place giving a complex subtlety to things.

We got off to a slow yet nicely paced four song acoustic set,
"Humming Bird" country and laid back, then into a well-arranged but
non-vibrant "Times" where we got that kind of mumble he has been
doing followed by high note nevertheless the band provided definition
and there was wonderful strong cohesion on "It's Alright Ma". The
acoustics ended with "Baby Blue" which for me would have been
mediocre had it not been lifted by the winsome harp.

Then without warning we were thrust into "Solid Rock" with punchy
bass by Tony Garnier and some great vocals. "Positively 4th" came in
ballad form and "Lonesome Day" was traditional 12 bar delivered with
tight precision and receiving mega applause.

The low point of the concert was undoubtedly the lackluster
"Memphis Bluesbut the re-worked arrangement of "Masters of War" was
spit out - and fabulous.

We were now warming up to something special and it came.
"Visions of J." What a superb extended harp intro, and his voice did
something great on this track. It was almost liquid, flowing but
without too much sentiment, leaving you aching for more.
An eternal moment, I could have stayed there forever.

There followed 11 more songs - a masterful version of
"Tangled up in Blue", great flare and disregard on "Summer Days" and
a slower "Rainy Day Women".

The first encore gave us a tight "Thing have Changed" and then
far off lightening flared on to the audience during "Rolling Stone"
which is now resigned to being his theme tune.

Oh but it was not over yet. No No No. The best was yet to be.
We were given the performance of a lifetime on the acoustic "Knockin'
on Heaven's Door" - here the lighting flushed everyone in majestic
purple, and with an apocalytic hush the audience stilled. Not even
a cough . The hairs on my neck lifted; it was simply magnificent.
I want that version that night at my funeral, it was quite simply
the best I have ever heard from him.

The concert finished long and strong with a gripping version of
"All along the Watchtower" prefixed with the first bar from the
musical "Exodus".

Thank you Bob for a glorious performance. When I am old I shall sit
in that rockin'chair sipping Rioja and blowing smoke rings and
remember it all, and smile.

=======================================
Trades Allowed Yes
Owned by Johnny Ray · Last Updated May 23, 2023