Something Was Happening Indeed

Unfortunately it was Row U. All the way right. Realizing that I was going to be looking at Bob's back once he hit the keyboards, as the Copland theme resounded, I slipped down to Row E middle. E for Excellent, as was Bob's performance. First 6 songs on guitar, including some Neil-like leads on Watching the River Flow. Bob's voice was rich, deep and evocative. I was not initially impressed with the song selection - too predictable, except for "I Believe in You" and of course moving Watchtower up in the set list in order to close with Mr. Jones, which was stunning in its strength and Bob's enunciation. Now, two days later, I realize that I saw a gem of a show.

A personal highlight was being very comfortable in a sixth row seat that no one showed up for. Of course, once the show began, the fascist ushers carefully examined everyone's ticket as they arrived fashionably late. Even the morons who showed up at 9:15, just in time for the encore. Bob began at 7:45 with a show announced for 7:30 with no warmup. The pavilion was half empty, except for the 10,000 people who paid $14 for lawn seats a quarter mile from the stage. Of course there were no cameras set up for the big screens. A friend who did the lawn thing afterwards told me that the sound was great despite Bob looking like an invertebrate microscopic insect from the distance. The bowl filled up as Bob played fast and furious, spitting out "sometimes even the President of the United States has to stand naked" to absolutely no response from a crowd dousing themselves with $10 Fat Tire Pale Ales.

Anywho, back to a nice personal highlight. Across the row from where I sat were two 30ish women elegantly dressed and totally oblivious to the music. They were drinking the 15 $ margaritas, unless they were the $18 margaritas dosed with Grand Marnier. They were consorting with the head usher. Well, anyway, late in the show, many younger folks attempted to get closer to Bob, but invariably they were all turned away by the evil BouncerUsher. Even my friends Steve and Pam were with malice aforethought removed from some empty seats they absconded into joyously, momentarily. Well, here is the moment. Oh not yet. Late in the show, probably around Spirit on the Water, a young couple so luckily unseen by MuscularUsher got into the two empty seats ahead of the two elegantly clad Margarita bashed women - who then immediately called their bouncer over and very loudly announced that they knew those two seats were going to be empty that night and wanted it that way. I was aghast at their selfishness. So? Well, when Bobby told us to walk into the room with a pencil in our hand (my pen ran out of ink in the middle of "I Believe In You" so Ron Drumm is getting a postcard with two different kinds of ink documenting this show) I stood up for something that was happening although most of the audience was totally numb (Steve and Pam told me that they were constantly chided by people younger than us for standing up and dancing during the more uptempo Bobby) So Bob says

"You hand in your ticket
And you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you
When he hears you speak
And says, "How does it feel
To be such a freak?"
And you say, "Impossible"
As he hands you a bone"

So Bob gave me my moment... These two women were not "one-eyed midgets shouting the word "NOW", but I did walk over harshly at them and I did scream, "You're a cow give me some milk or else go home" They ignored me. They didn't even call the usher over. I wish they had. Then I would've had a head start on the 12,000 people who created a momentous gridlock in the Journal Pavilion parking lot. Of course it was still early; barely 10;00. We went to the Frontier on Rt. 66 where I had a large bowl of green chile stew and a sweet roll with a large OJ and we reminisced about an udderly divine Bob Dylan concert, much better than the fiasco at the Santa Ana Casino in 2001 when I was asked to leave the Casino for being me.

July 22, 2007