My Bob Dylan Concert Experience

May 1, 1996


The Mid-Hudson Civic Center


Poughkeepsie, New York



The Set List


    

  1. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat 

  2. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You 

  3. All Along The Watchtower 

  4. I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) 

  5. This Wheel's On Fire 

  6. Silvio 

  7. Tangled Up In Blue (acoustic) 

  8. To Ramona (acoustic) 

  9. Friend Of The Devil (acoustic) 

  10. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again 

  11. When I Paint My Masterpiece 

  12. Highway 61 Revisited

     (encore) 

  13. Alabama Getaway 

  14. Girl Of The North Country (acoustic)  

  15. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
    16. 



I was on line for tickets the second they went on sale, and was rewarded with 
row 11 center seats that were unbelievable.  Amy Mann opened up to a pretty
much empty house.  Her set was good, but I was waiting for one thing, and one
thing only.  Amy left the stage, and the place was suddenly packed, as we all
waited for him to come to the stage.  Suddenly people started walking onto stage.
Which one was him?  Was that him?  No, that's a stage hand.  "Good evening Ladies
and Gentlemen, would you please welcome, Columbia recording artist, Bob Dylan." 
The place errupted as the band kicked in, and he ripped into a rousing version of 
Leapord-Skin Pill-Box Hat that told me that this was gonna be one hell of a show. 
There he was, standing center stage, voice far clearer then I had imagined, rocking 
all of us with an amazing song.

That pretty much sums up the first half of the show.  Song after song, it was like
a live greatest hits albulm.  He brought the house down with All Along The 
Watchtower, taking inspiration from the Hendrix version.  The harmonica was blasting
on every song and the guitar never sounded sweeter!

Then came the acoustic set which was definetly my favorite part of the show.  He
did this jazzed up version of Tangled Up In Blue that I would kill to have a 
recording of.  He followed that up with one of my all time favorites, To Ramona.  He
was on fire, and I was just loving it.

He put down the acoustic guitar, and broke back out the old electric, as he ripped into
"Stuck Inside Of Mobile, With Those Memphis Blues Again."  I couldn't believe all
the great songs I was gettin' to hear.  He finished up with "Highway 61 Revisted"
and then left the stage, shaking the hands of those who had jumped on stage.  The place
errupted, and so he came back and did a little "Alabama Gateway."  Again he left the 
stage, and again the crowd demanded more.  He returned and performed the most amazing
rendition of "Girl From The North Country" I have ever heard.  It was the most amazing
sigh I have ever seen.  I think it was at that moment that I realized that I was 
watching Bob Dylan.  This was real, and he was singing less then twenty feet away from
me.  This half man, half myth that had changed the world, was singing for me, singing
my favorite song, and doing the most beautiful rendition I have ever heard.  It was
amazing. Once again he left the stage, and the crowd pleaded for one last song.  He 
returned to the stage, the lights went on, he said something about the next song going
out to everyone in the place, and he ripped into "Rainy Day Woman #12&35.  The place
went nuts, as everyone lit up their joints (except me, I'm a good boy), and the went
crazy for this classic Dylan tune.  The applause for this song lasted for an eternity.

He gave one of his greatest performances that night, and I can't wait to hopefully
see him again.  If anyone knows anything about a bootleg of that night, please contact
me.  It was one hell of a show!
Go Home

© 1996 gspies@udel.edu

This page hosted by GeoCities Get your own Free Home Page


1