Bob Dylan in Kelowna

[Glacier]

Anyone going? My dad offered to take me, but I declined (I've seem him before). Here he is from earlier this month in Norway.

[Noisy Boater]

Not sure bout Bob but I am going to see U2 in Vancouver. WooWhooo!!!!!!!

[Poindexter]

I've seen him before and was disappointed. Could barely tell what song he was singing.

[Glacier]

I've seen him before and was disappointed. Could barely tell what song he was singing.

Same, but I think his new tour is better with softer songs so he can actually hit the notes.

[Whyme2]

Not sure bout Bob but I am going to see U2 in Vancouver. WooWhooo!!!!!!!

Lucky guy!

[JayByrd]

I'm going.

I saw Bob about ten years ago and was left feeling that he didn't have much left as a performer, though his band was top notch and I did enjoy the show. I had decided I wouldn't bother seeing him again.

But it's Kelowna and he's Bob Dylan, and a few of us agreed that that was a good enough reason to see him one last time. I am aware of what I'm in for; his current set list draws a lot from "the American songbook", particularly Sinatra covers. While he'll play a lot of the faves from his own catalog, they won't sound like they did on the records.

[drex1999]

The last words you will have any chance of understanding at a Bob Dylan concert is "Ladies and Gentlemen, Columbia recording artist Bob Dylan" The rest of the night will be monotone mumbling

[JayByrd]

The last words you will have any chance of understanding at a Bob Dylan concert is "Ladies and Gentlemen, Columbia recording artist Bob Dylan" The rest of the night will be monotone mumbling

That hasn't been my experience when I've seen him, or in recent concert footage I've watched. Maybe I just have a gift for that sort of thing.

[Poindexter]

Was given a pair of tickets yesterday so decided to give ol' Bob a second chance. The last time I saw him was in BC Place stadium so figured it may have been the venue that made him sound so bad. Turns out he's horrible in this venue too.

It was about the 6th song when he sang "tangled up in blue" that he finally performed something most would associate with him. Up until that I thought I had mistakingly shown up at a Hawaiian all inclusive with a house band made up of luau rejects.

Even with this popular song of his, before he actually sang the lyric "tangled up in blue", I had turned to my wife and asked "why is he singing a Dire Straghts song"? Simply couldn't make out the melody or lyrics of anything they performed.

I understand he's old and would be willing to overlook his phrasing that made his lyrics unintelligible, but there is no excuse for the band behind him. He still has that unmistakable voice but it was drowned out by a rumble of musicians that all seemed to be playing a different song.

While ultimately it's the customer who's being ripped off, I have to assume someone is taking advantage of Dylan. I imagine his hearing isn't the best anymore so whoever is telling him this ensemble is doing his iconic status justice is flat out lying.

Another thing I should point out is that Dylan has a strict no cellphone rule that we were all lectured about as we funneled into prospera. I have no problem with this and after seeing his show I can see why he wouldn't want anyone taping it either. What was distracting though was the way security had to patrol in order to fulfill Dylan's edict. I don't mind security either but this was over the top not to mention they never turned the lights down in order for security to see what everyone was up to. It took a lot of the energy out of the crowd who were being stared down the entire time.

Usually at concert such as this there isn't a huge contingent of people dancing in thier seats but you do at least see some heads nodding along to the music, at this concert however the only nodding we saw was those on the verge of nodding off.

Brutal performance, brutal song choices and brutal sound. All in all just a brutal concert and the last time I'll waste my time going to a Dylan concert.

[JayByrd]

Poindexter, I had the exact opposite experience.

I came in with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised. I'm quite familiar with Dylan's catalog, and his lyrics, so maybe that made it easier for me to recognize songs that don't sound like they do on the records, many of which were recorded decades ago.

He opened with Things Have Changed, which was featured on the soundtrack of the film Wonder Boys. The song won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Second and third were Don't Think Twice, It's Alright and Highway 61. Not exactly deep tracks from the archives. Poindexter, you mentioned Tangled Up In Blue...I recognized that from the opening chords. Again, maybe my familiarity with his stuff made it easier for me.

He played a bunch of stuff from the Tempest album, released in 2012. I'd never heard those songs before but I liked them. Summer Days and Pay In Blood rocked.

I thought the band was top notch, and decently made up for what Dylan lacks as a dynamic performer. Charlie Sexton is a brilliant lead guitar player, I wish he was able to stretch out a little more, but obviously that's not what the current sound is about.

I would tell anyone seeing Dylan now to get familiar with his current sound, set list, and remember that you won't see the earnest folkie he was in the 60's. Dylan has always done pretty much whatever he wanted which is usually the opposite of what people expect, and his current live show is no exception. To each their own.

[Glacier]

My dad was there, and said that Dylan was better than he was 18 years ago when I went with him to Dylan/Simon in Vancouver.

[Poindexter]

My dad was there, and said that Dylan was better than he was 18 years ago when I went with him to Dylan/Simon in Vancouver.

I agree with your dad, Dylan's voice was better than the last time I saw him in Van but that's not saying much.

Also agree with Jay bird, to each their own but when we finally walked out after about an hour we were among a large group who obviously felt the same way. The next night at the Nazareth concert in the beverage line up I commented on how good Prism (the opening band) sounded, much better than the night before at Dylan and the guy laughed saying how the Dylan concert was the worst. Another woman over hearing us gave her two cents which were equally uncomplementary.

I also agree that I'm obviously not as big a fan of his new music if that's what that Hawaiian luau version of rockabilly swing jazz was. As far as I'm concerned people shouldn't have to be super fans to know what song he's playing, especially his older material which I am very familiar with.

To me there isn't any excuse for the sound quality which turned most of his songs into an incoherent rumble. Prism for example started a song about half way into their set and they had that same rumble but you saw the sound guy immediately scramble to fix it and within about 20 seconds he had it dialed back in.

Like Jay bird says, to each their own, I thought it was brutal but I'm glad others were able to enjoyed it.

[JayByrd]

My dad was there, and said that Dylan was better than he was 18 years ago when I went with him to Dylan/Simon in Vancouver.

I was at that show!

[JayByrd]

I agree with your dad, Dylan's voice was better than the last time I saw him in Van but that's not saying much.

Also agree with Jay bird, to each their own but when we finally walked out after about an hour we were among a large group who obviously felt the same way. The next night at the Nazareth concert in the beverage line up I commented on how good Prism (the opening band) sounded, much better than the night before at Dylan and the guy laughed saying how the Dylan concert was the worst. Another woman over hearing us gave her two cents which were equally uncomplementary.

I wouldn't argue with anyone who didn't care for the show. As you said, it's not very accessible to someone who isn't a big fan of Dylan, or of his current sound. And he's definitely not an entertainer, if he ever was one. Didn't say a single word during the show, or even acknowledge the crowd except for taking a bow at the end.