Better Than Bob Dylan

Thursday November 29, 2012

Better Than Bob Dylan.

In all seriousness, I wondered how people were taking me, and I have found mostly positive support, and one hurting criticism that my posts were not straight forward enough reviews. I never said they were, this is just my take on where I am, and what I am doing. So, if humorous anecdotes fly past you like a bug off the windshield of a Semi, stop reading, and correcting me.

Back to life using the lessons I have learned while listening to music.

Thursday, and many of us still do not have colds. Which is a good thing, considering how close we are, living out of suitcases and a car. Again today is not the day where the phrase "what is that smell?" is not used. Burnt toast, and baked fish, I believe we voted as being the odor of the morning. Today is also go someplace else day, and the appropriate packing is done, and there is enough room for me in the back seat, I am not on the roof after all. Off we go, saying goodbye to all our friends and surroundings, seems so much like home, and maybe it is, to some. The traffic is so backed up that walking across two state lines on the rooftops of the vehicles looks to be a better way to get to Newark. Good thing I am not on the roof, although I might have made some new friends that way. We glamour up in a public restroom, because we are just those kind of people, actually we didn't want to be uncomfortable all day in our night clothes. Some may argue that dressing up is impractical, and that a comfy tshirt and jeans is the way to go, but we are not that kind of people either. So, all spiffed up we get, and off we go, to sit in traffic from the Bronx to New Jersey. 18 miles in two hours. So much for looking fresh on arrival. I was suffering an attack of being a non youthful mature female of a certain age and enjoyed the fresh cool air once we arrived, but my friends assured me that it was cold to the point of frigid, and with that certain odor that only Newark has, and once again, the game of the week is played, "what is that smell?" It thankfully wasn't me.

The New Jersey PAC is a lovely structure in more decent surroundings than I imagined, many chain restaurants and hotel/motels in the area, and rail service, making it an alternative to NYC. Lovely inside, well staffed lobby, with an oddly placed ladies room that needed to be accessed down a short hall, past a maintanance closet, and through another set of doors, but clean, once you find it. The Concert was scheduled for 7:30 PM, but the doors did not open until a few minutes after 7, keeping all the well heeled patrons milling about, dining at the in venue restaurant, and drinking at the bar, and shopping the kiosks scattered around. When they finally let us in, we admire the insides. Stunning, round balconies soaring up into the levels of "Hell no I am not sitting there" height, and the floor slanting downwards towards the stage. The stage was low, at slightly above where my waist would be if I had a waist, and if I were a bit taller. I had a front row seat, yes I did, directly 4 feet dead on the bass players microphone. There were 4 seats to my right, then an aisle, then the side sections, a very small intimate pit section, very similar in feeling to the first four rows of the Albert Hall. The Band was placed a few feet back, so this was a real Nose hair view of the evening. But I didn't mind. My internal furnace was finally cooling down, and I felt better.

The Show was fun. It is live folks, a misplucked string is not going to ruin my night, and a Band not having fun, and focusing on perfection is not fun either, and who wants to be perfect anyway? Where do you go from there? I am in search of the perfect concert, but in all truthfulness, I hope I never find it, so I can keep searching forever. And no, I am not used to perfection, and no one can speak for me.

Gemini Dream

Long time no see? No mystery verse for you and me.

The Voice

practically like on the records, but a little tired sounding.

Slide Zone

Someone is getting on his toes and reaching those high notes, and I like it

You and Me

Different every night, some nights there is a longer solo at the end, and each night there are new raunchy crunchy guitar bits, I would say "F"ng Awesome" but someone beat me to it.And I'm using the lyrics as instructions.

Tuesday Afternoon

Great reception by the audience and the band is playing it in a fun happy way, which is great considering the thousands of times it has been performed.

Gypsy

well, don't sit near me during this song if you want quiet reflection

Nervous

Wow really quite the concert performance! Also with a bit of difference every night at the end with addlibbing of very on key singing by the bass player, I was honored to be there to hear this last night.

SIWL

So what if a few notes crack? The air was very dry, but the smiling, and nose crinking and eyebrow wiggling sentiment is still there.

Peak Hour

a premature entry on one line but that can be expected of men of a certain age. And again, this is not a criticism, just a fun observation.

IKYOTS

Like some of us have springs! Which pleases the singer, and yes, he has told me this, it isnt an observation, or summation of my deciphering what each eye twitch means.

TSIYE

Its not the opera folks, it isnt illegal to have a good time

YWD

ok, so I now forgive you, and the singer looked pleased, he was dancing from foot to foot the entire song.

ILS

Too much fog machine, we in the first row disappeared for a few minutes.

There was no other side of life tonight, perhaps we have finally investigated it thoroughly? alas, I think not. The big clue was the roadie bringing out the microphone for the next song, for the Drummer's bit in the spotlight.

H&H

Not as much extra twiddly guitar bits as the night before, but the bass player did some off mic "Do do do's" if one needed to know this.

AYSC

The song was beautiful, and no one noticed any misplucked string, or the shy smile after, absolutely no one. And if someone did, the shy smile was worth the misplucking, in my opinion.

IJAS

When someone on the stage motions you to get up, should you? I think so, and one might cite health and age issues, but I noticed that people with legitimate reasons to sit were moved by the music. Now, no one is under any obligation to sit, or dance, but don't ever again try to tell me that the Band doesn't like it.

NIWS

Wow wee kazow wee How, at the end of any given show, even one with a few cracks, which is normal for us mortals, can he pull this off with such passion, and yes, it is getting very powerful, better each night.

Question

No sing along since Westbury, but don't let that stop us. The stage was so low, that I was able to hear this accoustically, not amplified, and yes, that is their real voices.

RMSS

Odd mis drumming at the beginning, and it almost completely ruined my night. NOT.

So, in summation, It was a splendid night, despite traffic, public restrooms, hot flashes, and no hotel room. We eventually did get a room, by the way, some where along our route, too long a day.

There were four gentlemen sitting to the right of me, and a word of advice, do not get baked stuffed haddock before a show, unless you think the odor of butter and garlic is an aphrodesiac. I didnt need to ask what that smell was, it was obvious. But they were very nice, actually Jethro Tull fans, and he was impressed, and actually believed me about my concert attendance, and even more so by my night at Canterbury Cathedral last December. He was suitably impressed with the flautist, couldn't keep his eyes off her. And the lady behind me loved the show, she told me she came expecting to be disappointed, but was impressed by the ned, and told me they were Better than Bob Dylan. I told her I'd let them know.