Gigs coming up

Culture
5781

An uncompromising setlist, as they say.

I know Bob is old but I probably could make out more lyrics at My Bloody Valentine, and it wasn’t a problem with the sound. That’s probably a slight exaggeration but not much really.

Being in the second from back row of the venue is really fucking shit when you have eyesight issues. I didn’t know which one was Bob, because they all appeared like blobs to me I was so far away, but I guess I must have seen him at some stage.

The honest truth is Bob seemed to be putting a good few people around me to sleep. There was a youngish lad of maybe 17 or 18 in an Arsenal jersey beside me with a big bucket of popcorn, he was there with his Da. I could sense him steadily losing the will live as the show wore on. There was a steady trickle of people descending the stairs in the last 40 minutes or so of the show and not many seemed to be coming back.

I saw some stewards in high viz clothing moving with purpose maybe 3 or 4 songs from the end. They moved around the back of the front seating part and into one of the lower exits on the right hand side. They seemed to be moving towards what I guessed may have been some sort of flashpoint situation.

The crowd lifted big time for Rainy Night In Soho for three reasons - one because the chance to hear this song in any setting is beautiful - two because the chance to hear Bob Dylan sing it is a sort of “wow, I was there to hear this” moment, and three, because Bob had put a lot of them to near sleep by this point.

There was a chap with a guitar outside who made a fortune from playing the songs Bob didn’t sing. He had a suitcase literally overflowing with banknotes.

I’m not sorry I went because at least I can say I saw Bob Dylan (sort of) and I suppose I definitely heard him.

The War On Drugs have a lyric about “the time we went to see Bob Dylan, we danced to Desolation Row”. Nobody danced to Desolation Row but at least I heard Desolation Row being played live.

I might have a listen to a bit more of Bob Dylan’s stuff because I do consider him to be a great artist - well he objectively is - but the gap between the quality of the art and the delivery of it is wider of it than with any other artist I can think of, nobody else even remotely compares in that regard.

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5782

I don’t think it was uncompromising or there was a gap to delivery. He doesn’t play the hits and everyone going should know that. Ever since the 90s if he plays his older songs they’re reworked and usually don’t sound like the original records. Except last time I saw him all along the watchtower sounded pretty close to the original and The tour is named after his most recent album which is class and he played nine songs from it as they sound on the album. Recommend listening to it, it’s genuinely up there with his best.

That was de dubs and Deco to the lower right side alright. Fairly ruined most of the gig for anyone around them.

I was at the back the last time he played there and it’s worse back there. Sound is worse and there’s the visual intrusion of seeing everyone getting up and down in front of you. Must be worse again with the vision issue. Ultimately the arena is shit.

Bob was good though.

5783

Yes I was aware that I’d likely not know much or perhaps any of the stuff he was going to play. He plays 18 songs. I understand he wants to remain relevant as an artist but don’t think it would do any harm if he ditched one the other songs for a Mr. Tambourine Man or Blowin’ In The Wind.

Christy understands people want to hear Ride On.

The arena is what it is. It’s a utilitarian place in a very good setting in terms of the outside. A lot depends on where you are insoide and what the gig is like. My Bloody Valentine managed to transform it into an otherworldly, menacing yet magical place. But again that might be influenced by me being in the standing area at the front as opposed to up against the back wall.

5784

He played about four of his classic most well known songs plus a rainy night in Soho. What more do you want. Shut up and play the hits. Get out of it.

I don’t think Bob wants to remain relevant as an artist. Bob does his own thing as he has always done.

I’ve been to lots of gigs there including some great ones but the sound is regularly shit and Bob was obviously louder in Belfast, so I blame the venue.

5785

Concerts these days are just an avenue for middle aged men who rarely get out to get tanked up on beer and the bag. They ruined David Gray in the 3 Arena with their boorishness

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5786

I went to see Public Service Broadcasting last year. During The Other Side there’s a period of quiet for about 20 seconds - just radio static/soft synth. It’s magical on the record as leads to the euphoric part.

Lads were obviously looking forward to it. It comes around and two lads chatting away. You can feel the crowd around them absolutely bristling. Eventually one lad snaps and screams “SHUT THE FUCK UP”. My son thought it was the highlight of the gig.

4 Likes
5787

Not only does Bob not play the hits, the known songs he does play he plays arseways.

But because of who he it doesn’t matter.

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5788

Lads with white gold wedding rings.

5789

Funny the last (the only) time I was at Bob Dylan in 2022, I was also sat right behind someone who wouldn’t stop talking, one Glen Hansard. Glen was with an older man, who I assume might have been his Dad or maybe his partners great grandfather. Anyway it was also a Rough and Rowdy Ways tour, the album having then only been recently released. But Glen and the older man had already studied it closely and sang along to most of it and yelped at the few lewd bits on the album, when Glen wasn’t telling anyone around him that he toured with Dylan and what a sound guy Bob was.
I didn’t bother telling him to shut up because it amused me.

16 Likes
5790

:grinning::grinning::grinning:

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5791

I would have definitely taken the opportunity to tell Glen Hansard to shut up.

5792

Bwahahahahahahahaha!

5793

Heading to Bad Manners on Sunday night in opium. Is it a good venue? Haven’t been to a good ska night in years. Been listening to BM for donkey years.

5794

Heading to Opium tomorrow night to see Daniel Avery

4 Likes
5795

Drone Logic and All I Need are hard bet

1 Like
5796

Deafheavan in the Button Factory on the 3rd December. Went to see them last year on the “Sunbather” tour. Thought they were amazing.

5797

Bob Vylan in Whelan’s last night were fucking class. The whole place was bouncing and it was fucking roasting with the heat of it. Despite some of the music sounding quite aggressive they make it a really fun and happy gig they’re class. Lots of chants of death to the IDF from the crowd.

5798

Not anymore. FFS

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5799

Will you take the yokes anyway?

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5800

I know how you feel, I had a call today from my dentist to say that my planned surgery to put in a crown which was scheduled for next Wednesday would not now be taking place until January.