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“I've got a song to sing
Ain't very long
I'm gonna sing it right if it take me all night long..”

Bob Dylan and his band, along with Willie Nelson, and John Mellencamp (and the Wiyos) rolled into Central, NY on a warm, sunny summer afternoon. Syracuse is the Salt City, and considered the heart of N.Y.; home of the Salt Potato, and (in her latter years) Elizabeth Cotten, American Blues singer noted for her unique style of picking the guitar and her song Shake Sugaree.
This show took place at Alliance Bank Stadium, home of the National’s triple A-team, billed as a GA/Reserved show and we chose the rail.
We had just seen the show in Bethel, NY the evening before and were hoping for a little more get up and boogie from the bands. We got it!
First up, a Brooklyn based, animated, ragtime band: The Wiyos. The band takes it name from a late 1800’s N.Y. city street gang (Whyos). Armed with harmonica, kazoo, washboard, guitar, upright bass these boys provided hip swaying, finger snapping numbers such as Little Walter’s, My Babe and Georgia Sam’s, Blind Crapshooters Blues. The renditions of those songs almost captured my heart, but it was Jack Boon that surely stole it…”Cancun, drinking wine, white sand...” will surely be looking for more from this band in the future.
Second up, the man, with the forever sweet smile, long silver braid and genuine graciousness that plays his faithful old guitar, Trigger with such an effortless ability. With a sign held high that read: “Shut-up Willie and Kiss Me” we were, as was the crowd happy to have Willie in the park. With headbands thrown to the audience and waves and kisses being blowin’, this showman and his band delivered!
Revved up and ready, John Mellencamp and his band knocked it right out of the park!
With a flag flying to “Ain’t that America” we were dancing and singing along. The band free to roam and interact with the fans this turned into a real hometown barn burner. The stadium was singing along to just about every song. From the field you could see the crowd in the reserved seats chair dancing! Playing some old, some new and some old there was nothing not to like about Mellencamp and his band. The cherry on top of this sweetness was an encore of Jack n’ Diane.
As the sun was setting the headliner was up next "….ladies & gentlemen, Columbia Recording Artist: Bob Dylan." The opener was, surprisingly enough, Gotta Serve Somebody followed by Senor (Tales of Yankee Power) with Bob playing guitar. The crowd was ready to continue the ride.
There is a scene in the film: Forest Gump, where Forest has been running, across the United States and picks up a following as he runs along, and out of the blue clear sky he stops and one of the followers shouts “he’s going to say something!” Amazingly, that's what was running through my head as Bob muttered to the crowd a remembrance of our beloved CBS Nightly news anchor: the great Walter Cronkite. Through the crowd you could hear whispers, “he’s saying something!” ,“he’s talking!” It appeared to be a novelty. Dylan and the boys launched into Million Miles.
The set list was filled with what have become usual tour standards: Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again, Spirit On the Water, High Water For Charlie Patton, Highway 61, Summer Days and the always sad tune of Nettie Moore.
For an encore Dylan and his cowboy band left the crowd with a stellar version of Like A Rolling Stone; followed by a new soon to be classic romping bluesy, Jolene, and tied it all up with a Doozy of All Along The Watch Tower.
With a new number one album “Together Through Life” Bob Dylan has thrown some new ditties into his traveling trunk and hit the road again! This leg of the Never Ending Tour being dubbed: “The Blood Of The Land” provides some, funky blues, led by the well seasoned master musician accompanied by a dedicated band that keeps a well trained eye on their leader. Perhaps that is why Bob Dylan and his cowboy band appeals to me on a summer evening. Dylan and his cowboy band are running the diamonds this summer it’s time to pack up the family and go to the old ball park and catch this show, it’s the best game in town! Summer...a sweet season indeed.