Live Report : Bob Dylan at the Point Theatre, November 2003

Having been lucky enough to have witnessed Mr. Zimmerman’s legendary gig in Vicar St. a few years back, it seemed almost inevitable that a trip to this East Wall arena would prove anti-climactic. And so it proved to be.

That said, the cancelling of the following night’s show in Cork due to a throat infection may explain why his voice was reduced to something resembling a parody of its former self.

Surprisingly, Dylan – looking snazzy in a black suit with a white line down the trouser leg – opted to play the electric piano for the evening, never picking up a guitar the whole night, although he did treat us to a few of those trademark bluesy harmonica solos.

Because of the early start, many people missed the runaway train versions of ‘Maggie’s Farm’ and ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’. The complete re-construction of the latter was, depending on your point of view, a genius move displaying Dylan’s noble refusal to stand still and dish out packaged nostalgia, or a dreadful butchering of an immortal work of art. Either way, something was lost, not least because the band were still only warming up.

It was on ‘Desolation Row’ that guitarist Larry Campbell and co. really hit their stride, and the sheer quality and versatility of their playing went some way to making up for the shaky vocals. From the subtle, plaintive picking on ‘Girl From The North Country’ (a real highlight) and the gentle, gospel-tinged ‘Every Grain Of Sand’ to the barnstorming blues workout of ‘Tweedle Dum And Tweedle Dee’ and the amped-up ‘Highway Revisited’ ,the band were outstanding. That said, no-one here tonight came for the grandstanding guitar solos.

Dylan, who stood stage-left staring sideways at his musicians for most of the gig, did gingerly venture out from behind his piano the odd time, as if to conduct the band and give them his seal of approval.

During the encore, the audience helped out with ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ and then Dylan ended the show with a superb all-guns-blazing version of ‘All Along The Watchtower’, which aped the version Neil Young & Crazy Horse performed for him in Madison Square Garden at his 50th birthday tribute gig a decade or so ago. Here was one master tipping his hat to the homage paid by another.

So what to make of it tall? Given Dylan’s age and his legendary, iconic status, people will always just be thankful that he made it over here at all. But there were many here among us who thought his voice was but a croak.