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Set List
- Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35
- It Ain't Me, Babe
- Rollin' And Tumblin'
- Spirit On The Water
- High Water (for Charlie Patton)
- Tryin' To Get To Heaven
- Honest With Me
- Tangled Up In Blue
- It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
- Beyond The Horizon
- Highway 61 Revisited
- Nettie Moore
- Summer Days
- Ain't Talkin'
- Like A Rolling Stone
- Thunder On The Mountain
- Blowin' In The Wind
Photos
Comments
Gianluca's First Dylan Experiance
I took my 5 year old son Gianluca to see The Great
Bob Dylan perform in our home State of NJ, and it will be a time that he will remember forever. We were on the floor in front, looking into Bob's eyes the entire show. It was great that Luca knew and could understand most of the songs, he even played his harmonica along with Bob. He was on my shoulders the entire show, he could see everything. I wish the sound was alittle better and I wish they would have put on some A/C, but the experiance of having my son there, who loves Bobbie Dylan was PRICELESS.
Great show
Second time seeing Dylan live. Was on the floor maybe 50 feet (75 max) from center stage. Close enough to make out all Bob's weird facial tics, which was pretty cool.
Sound wasn't great by any means, but not significantly worse than any other show I've ever been to and nowhere near as bad as what the people who had reserved seats seem to have had to deal with. I had no problem at all telling what songs they were playing and could pick out Donnie's banjo and violin and Bob's keyboard.
It's Alright and Summer Days were both amazing. So was the guitar solo during Rolling Stone. Rainy Day Woman was also great. Only low point, as far as I was concerned, was Tangled Up In Blue. I'm not a big fan of Ain't Talkin' either. It was a good version, I can just think of three or four Modern Times songs they didn't play that I'd rather hear.
All in all a great night and well worth the money and three hour drive each way. I only wish I could make to Canadaigua and Saratoga too.
Does Bob even care?
I decided to head down to Asbury on my own at the last minute figuring I might catch a piece of history. I knew all the Bruce rumours were nonsense and I question anyone who says they saw him there considering his Jacksonville show tonight (Sat Aug 15).
Still, I bought a partially obstructed seat two hours before the show ($77). I had seen Bob in Poughkeepsie on the Time out of Mind tour and it was a wonderful show. The Poughkeepsie venue was similar in size to Asbury, and the song arrangements were fresh and exciting, so I was expecting a similar experience. Further, I had seen Bruce do his Seeger Session rehearsal show at the same venue and the sound for Seeger Sessions was phenomenal. I particularly recall the clarity on City of Ruins and the rollicking good time of Jacobs Ladder. During that show, Bruce's band was literally twice as large and loud as Bob's yet unbelievably clear - which begs the question - why was Bob's sound so horrible?
Tangled up in Blue was absolutely indecipherable. I asked several concert goers, who were raving about the show at the Wonder Bar afterwards, what the set list was. Not one person could name more than two or three songs. How can someone say that a concert was fantastic when they cant even identify more than four out of fifteen songs?
As for the obstructed view, it wouldn't have been that bad if the band (including Bob) hadn't been pushed fifteen to twenty feet back from the front of the stage. I was probably no more than forty feet from Dylan and could see his back quite clearly. And yet, Dylan did not move from behind his keyboard, he did not address the crowd, and he did not turn even slightly so that anyone stage right could see that it was him playing keyboard. i moved around a bit in the bleachers and there was no place on the second tier where the music was anything but a mind numbing reverb. If Bruce was there I wish he would have given the sound crew some pointers and made it a little bit enjoyable.
I don't think it would have taken too much effort to run through some sound checks, adjust a few mikes, and make that show loud and crisp. As I said, it had been done before. A few people felt it necessary to point out that this was not a Bruce show and believe me, I get that. I'm not looking for Bob to do a microphone handstand or to get up on a piano and shake his sweat on the audience. I didn't expect studio recording arrangements, or a sing along to Rainy Day Woman...But for crying out loud, do a sound check and acknowledge the fact that a lot of folks are spending money they don't really have to hear (and understand at least a little bit) the songs they love.
So, don't look at the set list, as i did, and expect to head down to AC for a special Bob show, because if you ask me, Bob used to care, but things have changed!
In The Land of the Boss
The show was awesome! Bob was energized the setlist was good and the sound was ok where I was standing on the far left. Leaving the show I heard an older woman yelling that "he bastardized all the songs." I guess some things never change. Some people just don't get it and they never will. Summer Days was a real crowd pleaser which means it will probably stay in the set. Whenever it starts, 20% of the audience groans and the rest start dancing the jitterbug rag.
Asbury Convention Hall
just some background: first saw Dylan in 1986, saw many shows as he opened for the Dead. also saw his 1990's acoustic stuff about 10 times. The last show I saw was Richmond, 3 yrs ago, same band format.
It seemed like the band was into it and playing quite well, but from my standpoint in the "bleechers" the sound was so bad, I had to decipher "was the band having a bad night or was the house having a bad night?". It turned out to be the the house. Convention Hall was like a bad South American prison from Papillon, which made the scenery and crowd very cool, but the sound just did not cut it.
Always love seeing Bob, but like so many things in Asbury, what seems like a lot of effort results in an undermanaged mess. The bleecher seats were $90 bucks and the general admission for $55 was on the floor next to the stage. Not such a big deal , except they would not allow the high price ticket holders on the floor.?????? I should have bought the cheap ticket.
I could not figure out why the those lines were setup the way they were. show was a bit short as well, but hey I am getting old too!
Hos
Bobbie and Bruce!
Thanks for the Great show, Bob! I was lucky, I was in the corner on the left side of reserved seating (facing the stage) and the sound in that area was actually not bad, I guess it is all about the location of the echo. Also I was sitting about 15-20 feet from Bruce Springsteen and his wife, and got to say hi them!!! I also saw Bruce do his Seeger Sessions Band Tour at Asbury Park too, so I feel rather lucky to have seen such legends in such a small venue. Now if only Bruce had gotten on stage and played with Bobbie, I would have been in pure ecstasy, my two all time favorites playing together, ooooooo so close! Maybe next time, who knows?
Asbury Park Show
No Rating
Although the sound was poor at the show, it is always a thrill to see Bob! His choice of songs to play for us fans, in my opinion, was great. Bob always chooses a good mix of new and old favorites. There are so many songs that are really great, it must be a difficult decision. Personally, anything Bob plays is alright with me! Going to the Borgoda Saturday night and looking forward to it. I have seen him at the Borgota several other times and the sound there is really good. Would not matter to me if the set list is the same or different. I would really love to hear Changing of the Guards, a personal favorite that would just be a fantastic treat!
It aint me babe? Nah
I have been following bob since buying the single Like a Rolling Stone in 1965 and have seen him at Bangla Desh, 1974 tour, Rolling Thunder and maybe 25 times since then. I was "backstage" before a Rolling Thunder show for Rubin Carter at a state prison and had the pleasure of having Bob scream at 9 or 10 year old Jakob for having talked to me because i was a journalist at the time. I got over it. the man helped shape my life. Had to scrape my heart off the floor though and go over and speak to Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez et al.
He doesn't owe me anything, I owe him. Absolutely love his old music and new music such as Modern Times. But I also know in concert that objectively while he occasionally hits the target with his rejiggered melodies, in the past 10 years or so many of his old songs are unrecognizeable and his band sounds more like Ornette Coleman than anyone would like to admit. And sometimes his heart just doesn't seem into it.
Last night his heart was into it, he seemed to enunciate the words, but the songs were similarly replated and frankly - even knowing all the words it took a couple of stanzas to figure out what he was singing. When I saw that he sang "It ain't me babe" as the second song I had to laugh. I had no idea.
I had been to convention hall in the early 70s for shows and the sound was even worse -- painful. It still wasn't good last night. But like the other posters said, how often do you have a legend stop by the Jersey shore? Live Nation really blew it with the ticket lines but once inside, where else can you bring the cheap beer back to your seats? I was even tickled that he has many younger fans who like all the new melodies.
great performance, terrible sound
Dylan and the boys were great, it was just a shame that the setting did not match their performance. Sound system was terrible, but the cozy atmosphere made me feel close to the Man.
I went with a Dylan virgin, and spent the night trying to explain that each performance is a re-imagining of the songs (she had no idea Dylan ended with Blowin' in the Wind until I mentioned it later). My only complaint with last night's interpretation by Bob was Tangled Up In Blue. There is just no good way to play that song upbeat. It feels wrong to hear it without the wailing.
Otherwise, immensely enjoyable to be there.
- Had seen Dylan twice
- Had seen Dylan twice before and was content to leave it at that, but playing on the Jersey Shore, I had to go.
-Yes, the sound was horrendous...this crack band would be better served in a smaller setting.
- The lineup outside the venue was idiotic.
- Evidently they didn't want anyone to drink or spend money on vittles...not enough vendors!
- Thanks for holding off the fireworks until after the show! Nice treat!
- Good long set
- I enjoyed the newer songs the most
- reverent crowd of all ages
- he is a sixty something year old living legend, those who expected something more should reassess their expectations or just haven't been paying attention since the early nineties.
- I enjoyed seeing the buzz in Asbury Park!
Too much music, too little life...
the showmen
I am fairly young man. I've been a Dylan fan for a good part of my life and i've seen him live six times in the past nine years. Each time I've seen him he's performed so many different songs, there is a collection that i never heard and would love. 'Don't think twice', 'Most of the time' and so on. Though in my live experience I have never heard him play so many songs of a new album before. But its Dylan. he can do whatever he pleases. And for reasons unknown to us, he did things the way he does things and say thank you. To have someone think things instead of do things makes it for the best. He's an amazing guy and he brings an interesting persona to the stage. I've heards those songs before live, but not like this.
So, i think whatever happened this night, it was something he did because he's a genuis and we shouldn't judge or complain because he will continue to amaze you.
Asbury Park 8/13 show
A truly great artist and a horrible sound system, to bad, was looking forward to seeing Bob again, left early, it was that bad.
Who do I see about getting my money back?
Don C From Oakhurst NJ.
whatta beach day!
sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, it is so difficult 2 write when u r in the midst of such a powerful vortex of truth, but how can i not? its swirling all around me. i got home from brooklyn, prospect park relatively early, about 12:30am. i sat 4 a while on a park bench with my gf who i only see on tour eating a chocolate bar and discussing our master, while watching the last of the tour busses getting ready 2 take off for the jersey shore.(she is a strikingly beautiful young buxom black woman with piercing green eyes with the best home made bob dylan hat on the face of the planet). by the time i got down the shore the other two busses were already parked at the ocean place resort in long branch and i imagined bob dylan was safely tucked away for a good nights rest a few blocks from my home. i was up and on line 4 the asbury park show by 7:30am, first on line. it was a perfect beach day; sunny, warm and an ever-so-slight ocean breeze off the water. bud from philly was there and i woke him up and we started the line which happened 2 be right on the boardwalk closest to the beach. yes, i brought my boggie board, two of them in fact, but there was no surf, it was more of a delicious wrapping of the cool, rocking sea against my hot skin that day. mike was there too, a young 19 year old musician who grabbed the bass and bud was on harp and i was singing and playing percussion, all bob dylan songs, only bob dylan songs, it is what we had in common. the 11 hours on line FLEW by. and just as a side note, my print from the drawn blank series arrived serendipituously on my door step that very afternoon. what can u say about a show that had everything? including the HUGE rocks on bob dylans fingers? the pleasure factor exceeded my ability 2 measure it. again my favorites were beyond the horizon and spirit on the water. no one can write a better love poem or sing a better love song than bob dylan. so girls if u r into the mushy romantic stuff that makes u melt into thin air then bob dylan is ur man. bob dylan also appealled 2 the socially conscious and the spiritually aware with songs like blowing in the wind, high water and its alright, ma. i dont understand people who say they r bored with the same set list night after night. to me these same songs song different every time he plays them. almost as if another musician was covering bob dylan songs. tangled up in blue is a perfect example of this. i am very impressed with the way bob dylan dresses up his songs to fit his rhythmic mood. he was in an extremely playful mood on this moonstruck evening and his sublte interacton with the audience was nothing short of graceful. the boys did some SERIOUS rocking as well. summer days, highway 61, thunder on the mountain all shook the gymnasium like building that is convention hall. my body was wet with sweat from head 2 toe, i dont understand how bob dylan and the band could wear suits. they look so fine and r such a class act. they really care about their audience and dont just want 2 steal our money. eye candy is not the word, but they all r very pleasing 2 the eye. bob dylan had on a pale yellow tie, that picked up the color in his feather on the hat. to tell u the truth i couldnt see much in the front row, every time i looked i was blinded by the light of the diamondssssssssssssssss!
when i left the concert a myriad of fireworks shot off from the beach, the way asbury park pays tribute and a fine farewell 2 an amazing artist we hope comes back again soon. and b.t.w. the fireworks were NOTHING compared to what was going on in my heart............foxwoods, deal it up, baby!
Asbury Park Show
We hadn't seen Bob in about 10 years. Unfortunately we went to the Convention Hall show. I've heard some miserable sound systems but that one takes the cake. I "saw" a gentleman in the band play a banjo, a pedal steel and a violin and never heard any of them. I couldn't believe that anyone was enjoying the show. It was one way too loud undifferentiated blur of noise. The vocals were indecipherable. I mean really bad. I've seen Bob several times in the last 40 some years, and last night was awful. I can't believe Convention Hall has actually found someone to run that awful noise device they call a sound system.
Sorry Bob. We left early and had seafood at the joint next door. After the show the fireworks on the beach were spectacular.
Asbury Park
A truly great show with truly horrible sound. Bob and the band were sharp and tight, and in fine voice as well. Really, really good crowd - mostly young - on top of all the material with some of the newer songs getting the biggest ovations of the night. Three encore songs, so I guess that they were feeling the love.
- Seem like every time you stop and turn around,
Something else just hit the ground