Bob Dylan gigs: They're notoriously hit-or-miss. Twenty-three years into what devotees affectionately refer to as the Never-Ending Tour and still playing well over 100 shows a year, it's a puzzle as to what motivates him. Dylan himself is nonplussed by his hectic touring schedule, referring to himself in interviews as being no different to a carpenter or an electrician; a man out there who has a trade to sell.
I've walked away from various Dylan concerts deflated or elated by the re-imagining and re-interpreting of songs many consider sacrosanct. To some his voice is now incomprehensible, his demeanour too gruff and his songs unrecognisable. Others, however, appreciate what Dylan strives to do in this phase of a career which has spanned six decades. In an age of 'X Factor' and shows choreographed to the nth degree, it's refreshing to see a modern-day troubadour playing music and revisiting and remoulding his songs simply, one imagines, for the love of it.
With a capacity of around 4,000, there really are worse places you could see the septuagenarian (Kilkenny's Nowlan Park being one) than Cork's Marquee. Nothing more than just a big tent it may be, but its relatively small size meant that no matter where you were you were guaranteed a decent view. I had seen Dylan here in 2006, and although he played some of his more recognisable repertoire that night, it didn't seem to have the energy of this year's performance.
With ticket prices ranging from €65-75, however, it wasn't exactly cheap, and really put into perspective the $40 I forked out to see him at the 2,000 capacity Warfield Theatre in San Francisco last September. A stark reminder of how concerts are still vastly overpriced in post Celtic Tiger Ireland.
He strode onstage in his trademark black suit and Stetson hat promptly at 8pm, and launched straight into 'Gonna Change My Way of Thinking', but the concert began in earnest with Bob stepping out from behind his keyboard and moving centre stage for a completely revamped 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue'. His first show in almost seven weeks, during which he celebrated his 70th birthday, this was Dylan at his most animated. His Oscar-winning 'Things Have Changed' was swiftly followed by 'Tangled up in Blue'. Although the arrangement was broadly similar to the 'Blood on the Tracks' offering, Dylan's staccato delivery proved at times frustrating, with the audience only able to snatch the odd moment for a sing-along.
Ably assisted by his five-piece band, Dylan moved through a set which you get the impression was picked by him, purely for his own pleasure. The die-hards out there were treated to 'The Ballad of Hollis Brown' and 'I Dreamed I Saw St Augustine', but many took the lesser-known songs as a chance to top up their beer.
Alternating between organ, guitar and harmonica, as the set drew to a close he drew on some of his more famous compositions, including 'Simple Twist of Fate' and the irrepressible 'Ballad of a Thin Man'. Unsurprisingly, though, it was a faithful rendering of 'Like a Rolling Stone' which was to get the biggest cheer of the night, the crowd gleefully seizing the opportunity to finally sing along to a recognisable melody. A reworked 'All Along the Watchtower' and a thoughtful 'Forever Young' closed out what was one of the most energetic Dylan shows you'd be ever likely to see.
Between now and August, Dylan will play 36 dates, more than one every second night. It's impossible to know what drives him to keep up such a hectic touring schedule (he's still on the on the road, heading for another joint), but next time he comes to these shores - and it's safe to assume he will in the next year or two -I'd implore anyone to go see him. He might not still be in his prime, but he's definitely not doing the cabaret rounds just yet.
Friday Evening at the Radisson Beer Garden Mix by pmeeny
1. Air - All I need
2. OOFT - Mazin
3. Vincenzo & Elmar Schubert - Wanna Love You
4. The Soul Renegades - Darlin
5. Andy Hart - Keep On
6. 6th Borough Project - Hang On
7. Trujillo - Baby your still the same (Social Disco Club Remix)
8. Dolle Jolle - Baleric Incarnation (Todd Terje Remix)
9. Tensnake - Coma Cat
10. Lindstrom - The Magnificent
11. Viadrina - Better (Arto Mwambe Remix)
12. Souls Of Mischief - 93 til Infinity (Hannes Fischer Remix)
13. Mademoiselle Caro, Franck Garcia - Soldiers (Ben Watt Remix)
Side A:
Radiohead - Weird Fishes / Arpeggi
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx - I'll Take Care Of U
The Specials - Do The Dog
Pixies - Monkey Gone To Heaven
The Strokes - New York City Cops
Butthole Surfers - You Don't Know Me
Thin Lizzy - Angel From The Coast
Side B:
Eric Clapton - If I Don't Be There By Morning
Marlena Shaw - California Soul
The Stunning - Romeo's On Fire
The Cure - Boys Don't Cry
Depeche Mode - People Are People
Nine Inch Nails - Sin
The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
This is a fine techno/house mix from Dermot Duffy on SoundCloud.
Tracklisting:
1. Art Bleek - Man on Wire // EevoNext
2. Estroe - Futuroscope (Darko Esser mix) // Snejl
3. Kassem Mosse - Demo Drums Ripping // Kinda Soul
4. Steffi - Nightspacer // Ostgut Ton
5. Jussi-Pekka - No One // Fassade
6. Art Bleek - Message To The Dreamer // EevoNext
7. Octave One - Daystar Rising (Aril Brikha mix) // 430 West
8. Hieroglyphic Being - Other Side Of Time // Mathematics
9. Stacey Pullen - Alive (Hi-Tek Soul mix) // Black Flag
10. Deep Space Orchestra - Streetlights // Applied Rhythmic Technology
11. Model 500 & Space Dimension Controller - OFI (SDC Evasive Funk mix) // Transmat
12. Raiders Of The Lost Arp - Beyond The Dark (DJ S2 - Los Hermanos mix) // Nature
13. Kuba Sojka - Fullness Of Life // Mathematics
14. Erell Ranson - Everything Need To Be Clear // aDepth Audio
15. Rolando - Junie // Ostgut Ton
Tracklisting:
1. DJ Shadow – Midnight In A Perfect World
2. Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman
3. Dionne Warwick – Walk On By
4. Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
5. Wu-Tang Clan – C.R.E.A.M.
6. DJ Krush – Kemuri
7. Pat Methney & David Bowie - This Is Not America
8. Crusaders – My Lady
9. Curtis Mayfield – Trippin’ Out
10. George Benson – What’s On Your Mind
11. Barry White – Love You Just A Little
12. Talk Talk - Life’s What You Make It
13. Duran Duran – Wild Boys
14. Falco – Der Komisar
15. Underworld – Born Slippy (Nuxx)
16. Death On The Balcony – Cruel Banana
17. Jori Hulkkonen – I Am Dead
18. David Bowie – Loving The Alien
19. Tubeway Army – Are Friends Electric?
20. Flash & The Pan – Lights In The
21. Adonis – No Way Back
22. New Order – Confusion
23. Guido – Way U Make Me Feel
24. The O’Jays – Give The People What They Want
25. Jill Scott – Golden
26. Sly & The Family Stone - If You Want Me To Stay
27. 78Edits – Been A Long Time
28. Black Sabbath – Planet Caravan
29. Queen & Bowie – Under Pressure
30. Social Disco Club & Maia – The Way You Move
31. Tensnake – Holding Back My Love
32. Black Science Orchestra - New Jersey Deep
33. Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant
Tracklisting:
1. Eddie Jefferson - So What
2. Fluffy Hunter - Walking Blues
3. Mr. Sad Head - Hot Weather Blues
4. The Ambassadors - Ain’t Got The Love Of One Girl (On My Mind)
5. The Ohio Players - Funky Worm
6. Hodges, James, Smith & Crawford - Nobody
7. The Universals - New Generation
8. Deda - Marked 4 Death
9. Lee Perry - Coco Macca
10. Puerto Rico Y Su Combo - La Cumbia Del Pescador
11. K. Frimpong - Kyen Kyen Bi Adi Mawu
12. The Elephant Band - Stone Penguin
13. Wagon Christ - Respectrum
14. Daly Wilson Big Band - Dirty Feet
15. Quantic & His Combo Barbaro - Undelivered Letter
16. Pierre Antoine - Kalabuley Woman
17. Staff Benda Bilili - Je T’aime
18. Owiny Sigoma - Margaret Okudo (Dub)
19. Ti Celeste - Population Basse-Terrienne Du Abois
20. Wareika Hill Sounds - Kumina Mento Rasta
21. Claro Intelecto - Peace Of Mind (Electrosoul)
22. Dam Funk - Galactic Fun
23. Dexter - D-Funked
24. Horsepower Productions - Classic Deluxe Part 2
25. Maddslinky - It Was U
26. Groove Chronicles - Millenium Funk
27. WagonChrist - Manalyse This!
28. Big Horns Bee - Vamp Intro
29. Al Foster - Night Of The Wolf
30. The Glitter Band - Makes You Blind
31. Smokey Robinson - Theme From Big Time
32. Kat Mandu - The Break
33. Sasha Dive - Deepest America - Moodymann Remix
34. Mr Scruff - Keep On (Demo)
35. Channel One - Rema Skank
36. Barrington Levy - Revelation
37. Souljazz Orchestra - Secousse Soukous
38. Pigbag - The Big Bean
39. Tom Browne - Fungi Mama
40. Hizatron - Von Glooperstein (Mr Scruff Mix)
41. Freak Seven - Feel The Soul
42. Floating Points - Shark Chase
43. Mr Scruff - Get A Move On
44. Oliver Cheatham - Mama Said
45. Kasso - Kasso (Instrumental)
46. L’orchestre Jeunesse De Paul-Emile Haliar - Mussieu A Tet’a Poisson La
47. Snowboy - Carga Tu Bateria
48. Brassroots - Good Life
49. Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved
50. Mr. Scruff - Fish
51. Mr Scruff Vs Kirsty Almeida - Pickled Spider
52. Macka B - Roots Ragga (Live)
