Bob Dylan and his entourage strolled casually, with nary an introduction, on to stage at Copps Coliseum and began to play.  Missing was the standard introduction to most Bob Dylan’s recent concerts:

“Ladies and gentlemen please welcome the poet laureate of rock ‘n’ roll. The voice of the promise of the 60’s counterculture. The guy who forced folk into bed with rock. Who donned makeup in the 70’s and disappeared into a haze of substance abuse. Who emerged to find Jesus. Who was written off as a has-been by the end of the 80’s, and who suddenly shifted gears releasing some of the strongest music of his career beginning in the late 90’s. Ladies and gentlemen – Columbia recording artist Bob Dylan!”

I suppose that no introduction is needed when it comes to Bob Dylan, but it’s good to keep that introduction in mind when considering his performance last night.  Dylan opened with “Cat’s in the Well” and it took me most of the song to figure out that that was what he was playing. 

The acoustics at Copp’s Coliseum were set for a hard rock band.  Everything was loud to the point of reverberation.  This made Dylan’s failing voice impossible to make out and his harmonica playing resonate painfully in my sinuses.  There were no theatrics or effects which was a good thing, save one:  A large display showing Dylan and his band would have made the event seem more intimate. 

As for Dylan’s performance, his voice has, with age, lost the ability to inflect.  It sounded like Dylan was speaking most of the songs and even at that, he was speaking in a foreign tongue.  When the ever present cannabis wafted my way, there was a moment where I could understand him quite clearly, but the moment was fleeting.

Had last night’s performance been the debut of some band, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it at all.  Just the same, the performance being Dylan, I was able to make out some of my favourites and appreciate his legacy as an artist if not his artistry that very night.

The songs played where:

1. Cat’s In The Well (Bob on keyboard)  
2. It Ain’t Me, Babe (Bob on keyboard)  
3. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again (Bob on keyboard)  
4. Girl Of The North Country (Bob on keyboard)  
5. High Water (For Charlie Patton) (Bob on keyboard)  
6. Just Like A Woman (Bob on keyboard)  
7. Rollin’ And Tumblin’ (Bob on keyboard)  
8. Tryin’ To Get To Heaven (Bob on keyboard)  
9. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)  
10. Moonlight (Bob on keyboard)  
11. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) (Bob on keyboard)  
12.  When The Deal Goes Down (Bob on keyboard)  
13. Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard)  
14. Ain’t Talkin’ (Bob on keyboard)   
  (encore)
15.  Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)  
16.  All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard)  

I’ve heard better versions of every one of these songs.  While that’s a criticism of last night’s performance, it’s an accolade to the songwriter whose songs have been lovingly covered by so many others.  From last night’s performance alone, here are some of the originals and their covers:

It Ain’t Me Babe
(A song about a rebuffed love which is really a thinly veiled reaction to his fame.)
Dylan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImpKzFXO1WI
Johnny Cash/ JuneCarter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkeBgz_7brI
Joan Baez: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cmNRVL1drA

Just Like a Woman
Dylan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueGuzmotwaI
Richie Havens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDfqkTVD0ls

How Does It Feel
Dylan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO0gSJGJ7Fs
Rolling Stones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuGjBNSRi1c

All Along the Watchtower
Dylan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_ncQgjIlFM
Hendrix (At the Isle of Wight) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCwCBh0z3Hs

Those are the covers from last night performance.  However, Dylan’s legacy goes far beyond that.  Some highlights are:

Blowing In The Wind
(a 60’s anthem)
Dylan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ced8o50G9kg
Peter Paul Mary : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LoBwkVLVKU

Times They Are A Changin’
(another 60’s anthem)
Dylan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D9S48A81os
The Byrds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzFulFba3HA

Forever Young:
Dylan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P22cMZFvJAs
The Band + Dylan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TLygQpSiyU

I Shall Be Released
Dylan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtjIf1iSbB8
The Band + Dylan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLjNjSpZxzg

Hurricane:
(A protest song on behalf of Rubin Hurricane Carter featured in the movie The Hurricane )
Dylan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=few4kiKjNzw

Knocking On Heaven’s Door
Dylan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-5JvACzGp8
Eric Clapton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh4WwCzjtL4
Guns N Roses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcWTTs8QVRc

Mr Tambourine Man:
Dylan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia06DeCxhTM
The Byrds:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVnU_WaTvdc