Wednesday, July 29, 2009

76 is the new 68, unless it's the new 57


Caught the Nelson, Mellencamp, Dylan show last night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Great atmosphere and a perfect evening for this kind of show, although the $9 beers dampened my spirits a bit.

Nelson was great, as always, cramming 20 songs into 60 minutes. He was in fine voice and playing well. He has really become a kind of twisted jazz soloist over the past 20 years. His lines are strange but beautiful- one of the underrated greats on the instrument.

Mellencamp, the youngest buck at a mere 57, put on a very entertaining show. After the sound was adjusted during the first couple of songs, the band sounded fantastic. Lots of hits (Hurts so Good, Pink Houses, Small Town, Check it out, Rain on the Scarecrow, Paper in Fire) and a few from the new one, which were good enough to make me want to check the album out. Pretty intimidating to be sandwiched between two legends, but he and the band really pulled it off.

Dylan. Well, Bob was Bob. Great band, very rough vocals, and sketchy song selection. With Dylan, it is more like a trip to Mecca or the Vatican. You do it because you should. I don't know exactly how entertaining it was, but I love and respect the guy for doing it how he's doing it. Highlights were a pretty ripping version of Highway 61 and my favorite from Love and Theft, Tweedledee Dum and Tweedlede Dee.

3 comments:

Joe said...

I would have loved to have seen this show. Live Bob is definitely an acquired taste. I don't always love the endless blues groove his band seems to play.

Looks like he only did a couple of songs off the new album. I was wondering if he'd have an accordion player with him.

Shit, Johnnie Cougar is 57?!! Man, we're all getting old.

Jay said...

Yes, we are.

Mike said...

I saw this poster on vacation, the tour is stopping in Orange Beach, AL at the end of the month.

Old is exactly what we're getting.