Dylan/Knopfler on tour

[robwms]

Knopfler is the "opening act" on Dylan's current tour of Canada and the US. However based on the reviews I've seen, both amateur and professional, Dylan should have stayed home. His performances are generating a lot of controversy - many fans are walking out after a few songs. complaining about unrecognizeable songs and unintelligible lyrics. There is also a fair amount of criticism of the way he has treated Mark and his band for most of the tour - second class citizens at best. The tour was more than half over before he invited Mark to play a song with him. (He must be warming up - I hear they played two songs together in Dallas this week.)

On the other hand, Knopfler's sets have been universally acclaimed. Even hard core Dylan fans have been saying how awful Dylan was, but Knopfler was amazing.

For an interesting view from inside the Knopfler tour bus (and jet), check out Guy Fletcher's tour diary. Guy has played keyboards for Mark for nearly 30 years. While he spends too much time writing about non-music stuff, you still get a fascinating viewpoint:

http://www.guyfletcher.co.uk/index.php/diary/2012_US_Bob_Dylan_Tour_Diary

[jeremy3220]

I haven't seen Dylan this year but saw him a couple years ago and a few times before that. All the indoor shows I've seen him in were great. The last one would have made a great live album. There have always been people not getting what they want from Dylan. It's not even interesting anymore.

[BigTRS]

Vancouver got the same reviews. Knopfler was excellent, Dylan was hot & cold.

[hadden]

I love Knopfler. Shangri-la is just about the best thing he has done (its been out for a few years), which is impressive for an older artist. Usually people run out of gas creatively with age.

Dylan's iconic status has always been something of a mystery to me -- but I better leave that alone.

[ducktrapper]

Saw it in Winnipeg. Knopfler was a tad boring but his band was very tight. Dylan, whom I was seeing for the sixth time was beyond train-wreck awful. I was pretty disappointed especially since we took a thousand mile round trip and spent several hundred bucks on the whole affair. Let me just add that I'm one who has no problem with his voice or his decision to change up his arrangements and finds Dylan's reworkings pretty interesting. The first five times I saw him were all terrific shows. I'd heard about "bad" Dylan shows and always thought to myself, "Well, they probably expected him to sound like he did on Freewheeling and likely just don't get it." Now I know the guy can lay a stinky rotten egg on occasion. As well, I could play better piano with my butt.
I really like Tempest, however, except for Roll On John.

[jeremy3220]

Let me just add that I'm one who has no problem with his voice or his decision to change up his arrangements and finds Dylan's reworkings pretty interesting. The first five times I saw him were all terrific shows. I'd heard about "bad" Dylan shows and always thought to myself, "Well, they probably expected him to sound like he did on Freewheeling and likely just don't get it."

The part I quoted above is what I've always thought as well so it's interesting to hear he actually might of had a bad show as opposed to someone not liking his voice or rearrangements.

[ducktrapper]

The part I quoted above is what I've always thought as well so it's interesting to hear he actually might of had a bad show as opposed to someone not liking his voice or rearrangements.

Well, it's a mystery to me. I've been in bands. I've had bad shows, usually due to lack of preparation, someone or more on too much of something, illness, sound problems etc. I've had bad shows but this truly was beyond that. I just didn't get how a professional show could train wreck so badly.  

[robwms]

Tour update - Dylan must be reading his press reviews.

After spurning Mark Knopfler for the first half of their tour, he has in the past week asked Mark to play two songs with him in Dallas, three songs in Tulsa, and four songs in Omaha.

By the time they get here to DC, it will be Mark Knopfler and his Band, with special guest, Bob Dylan!

[ducktrapper]

I have to say I wasn't that  impressed with Knopfler either. His band, yes, but it's weird that Dylan refuses to play new songs and Knopfler old ones. Okay, Dylan did one song off of Tempest and Knopfler did one from Dire Straits. Must be nice to be so famous, you don't have to give anyone what they want. Heh. 

[jitterboogie]

I saw the show in Vancouver and I thought Knopfler was great.  A very tight 8 piece band well suited to the song selections.  Knopfler is a real artist and I get that he wants to play his new material.
I'll reserve comment on Dylan...I went to the show specifically to see Mr. Knopfler and I was impressed.

[ducktrapper]

Well, I enjoyed his set. His band, especially Richard Bennett, was terrific as was his guitar playing. His vocals, on songs that few were familiar with, were mostly indecipherable, however. That's usually the knock on Dylan.

[Walkerman]

I have to say I wasn't that  impressed with Knopfler either. His band, yes, but it's weird that Dylan refuses to play new songs and Knopfler old ones. Okay, Dylan did one song off of Tempest and Knopfler did one from Dire Straits. Must be nice to be so famous, you don't have to give anyone what they want. Heh. 

Paul McCartney went for years without playing Beatles tunes in his shows.  He seems to have made peace with his past now, and he plays lots of them.

[ducktrapper]

Paul McCartney went for years without playing Beatles tunes in his shows.  He seems to have made peace with his past now, and he plays lots of them.

It's a strange thing, however, and I give them credit. It would be pretty easy for them to do tours and play the popular stuff until they drop. For many though, and I guess they aren't paying close attention, they are expecting what they are familiar with and are disappointed not to get it. I would have preferred Dylan do more songs off of Tempest and for Knopfler to do a couple more Dire Straits hits. I wasn't the only one but, hey, we're only paying for it. What do we know?