Dylan in Springfield, MO

The following review appears in the May issue of Downtown Now magazine (Springfield, MO.)






A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss – The Never Ending Tour Hits Springfield (Again)
By Bill Glahn
On Saturday April 22 Bob Dylan came to Springfield for a performance at the Shrine Mosque. The last time this city witnessed a performance by an artist of his stature was in 1994. The artist, then as now, was Bob Dylan.
Dylan started off his show at the Shrine with "Things Have Changed" – a song that made its first appearance on 2000’s The Essential Bob Dylan. "People are crazy and times are strange, I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range, I used to care, but things have changed."
Do I believe him? Not necessarily. Proclaimed the "voice of his generation" during the civil rights movement, that moniker has stuck to Dylan like glue in the minds of many people. Meant to be a compliment, the phrase fits more like a shackle – one that belittles his contributions.
Dylan followed up with "The Times, They Are A-Changin’" – a rather trite song, but one with a telltale line. "For he that gets hurt, will be he who has stalled." Therein lies a Dylan dilemma. How does one of the ages most renowned and revered performers reject the idol worship bestowed upon him and still keep the motor running? How does he move on from the ’64 acoustic troubadour model? The ’66 electric folkie model? The ’75 gypsy troupe model? How does he escape whatever image fans have as their favorite Dylan persona and redirect their attention to his art? His performance at the Shrine was all about shucking images and placing the focus on his work.
The list of artists who have covered Dylan tunes ranges from The O’Jays to Buck Owens to Pearl Jam to Rage Against the Machine. Dylan’s is a voice that penetrates many cultures over many ages. It is not a polished voice. It’s rooted in human struggle. It’s a voice that reflects both the depths of despair and the realization that things can and do change. It’s an old bluesman’s voice. It’s a crusty voice. A smart voice. A joking voice. But most of all, it’s a beautiful voice.
What Springfield witnessed was a Bob Dylan who is not a showman in the traditional sense. There was no banter with the crowd. He rarely moved from his keyboard and only did so when the stage lights were dimmed between songs. He seemed aloof – maybe a bit bored. For the most part he stood stoically, stared at an empty space on the stage floor, and occasionally issued soft hand gestures to the band.
Witnessed closer to the stage, that aloofness was betrayed by his (purposefully?) restrained body language. When the band started grooving, so did Dylan’s hips. You could see that he was into the performance, no matter what indicators he might be sending out to the contrary. Being a showman doesn’t have to mean being a spectacle. Dylan seemed to make a conscious effort to make sure he wasn’t the latter.
The real indicator, however, that he wasn’t just going through the motions could be heard in that wonderful voice – one that exhibited a bit of hoarseness on some songs. Still, he sang powerfully, and with ease and grace. He introduced new phrasing to old chestnuts (or war horses as the case may be), something that served well to retain the audience’s attention. To many in the audience, old favorites like "Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again" and "Ballad of a Thin Man" were almost unrecognizable in their reworking. Dylan was forcing the audience to pay attention with no tool other than the one he was born with. He ended his main set with "Cat’s In the Well," a song about what happens when you don’t pay attention.
Since 1988, Bob Dylan has performed more than 100 shows per year, with the combined efforts earning the unofficial title of The Never Ending Tour. He’s become a tireless troubadour - an artist who refuses to stall. While he still makes good records (sometimes, exceptional records), those records are mere calling cards for his live performances. When an artist of Bob Dylan’s stature tours as relentlessly as he does, it is clear that he views the stage as his canvas. Dylan has created many stage personas over the years. The 2006 version is one that doesn’t pander to the spotlight. It’s almost a "non-persona" persona. But it’s a persona all the same. It’s one that says, "Don’t pay attention to me. Pay attention to my work." Or maybe even, "Pay attention to the world around you. Things have changed." It’s also one that places the spotlight on that beautiful voice. It’s a persona I like a lot.