John! Bob! Willie; Outlaw Music Festival with John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson 9/8 @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater Review

Last Year, I bit the bullet and finally went to see Willie Nelson on his Outlaw Music Festival stop in St. Louis, well Maryland Heights. And I was going mainly because I really wanted to see Robert Plant and Allison Krauss. When this years date's were announced it was another artist on the bill, that had my interest, John Mellencamp. One of the few classic rock singer/songwriters I haven't seen. Add in Willie and the imcomprable Bob Dylan and it sounded like an evern better deal than last year. (The weird thing was the tickets in pretty much the same row as last year were slightly cheaper, even with the added heavies.)

Like last year this show wound up being on a Sunday night and like last year I went with my dad. Thankfully it was September and not in June like last year. It was warm late in the afternoon, but very tolerable and cooled down in the low 50's by the time we were leaving. We did a bit of running around and eating before hand, not in a major hurry to catch the opening act, Southern Avenue, but we arrived right as they were starting their set at 5:15. As mentioned our seats were in the same row as last year, Row N, but with a dead center view.

Southern Avenue is a six piece band from Memphis and they have a soul, blues and gospel sound. Their set kind of strayed later, but the second through the fourth songs were really strong and their musical sound was very evocative of 1960s music, which I dug. And of course the vocals were powerful. They played either nine or ten songs for around 40 minutes.

After a 20ish minute set change or so, John Mellencamp and his band took to the stage. As he was strolling out to the microphone, he was smoking a cigarette and flicked it to the side of the stage which a roadie had to corral up. Mellencamp started off strong, with what I'd call it his lesser greatest hits. But he brought the fire and attitude as did his band. I was telling my dad, we'd have to see how much he'd be cantankerous as he's on the "beer and circus tour," I've heard him call it before (Which I assume to mean, playing the same rock and roll in areanas/amphitheaters and more aspect on the show instead of music). But even if it he didn't want to be there, he didn't seem to show it as he was energized and seemed to be having a ball as much as the fans were.

There did seem to be a lot of deceptions or rearrangements with his music and the intros. Or maybe the fans don't recognize melody. I'd seen videos of him doing Jack & Diane from some of his theater shows over the past year, where he makes fun of the audience who start singing the "Life Goes On," chorus before it starts. And he gently chides the audience that the format of the song is verse-verse-chorus, even if the second verse isn't very good. He's remarked that's the only way the song sounds good, him playing solo acoustic and one of the song's he's tired of playing over the years. Of course he does pause it some to confuse the audience. He did the same thing here but it didn't seem the audience really bit too much. But one guy hilariously started singing out loud the chorus part, which made Mellencamp pause, and say, "That motherfucker sounds better than me. Why don't you come up here and do this fucking song?" Later on in the song and asked, "Who's that loud mouth mother fucker who was singing..it's you...No, no by himself. Sing it real loud like you were!" He didn't quite have the volume, and Mellencamp remarked "Give him a hand. I have to tell you Jack, you were kind of sucky. But you tried, so you get credit for trying." Video of it here.

Mellencamp's got a little more rasp and husk in his voice, but the fire and attitude are still there. He played a 12 song set at a hair over an hour. He hit most of his well-known songs and his backing six piece band was stellar. He did kind of bring his stage set up of a couple wooden mannequins standing at the back of the stage. Kind of reminds of how Neil Young will set up his stage with props and decorations that make no sense to most.

Right after his set started, a group he bought split tickets, asked us to move into theirs to the left of us, so they could all sit together. We obliged, as it didn't effect the view either way. The whole block of seats in front of us, had a few strays seat slide down, but looking the day before I don't think ever got sold. There was definitely more empty seats than last year. Being in unoffical start of Fall versus June, probably played a factor in that.

After 25 minutes or so, the stage changeover was complete and the stage went dark, and the one-of-a-kind Bob Dylan and his band took the stage. I'd glanced at his set lists from earlier this summer and had a general idea of what he was going to play. Thankfully he's moved on from his stale set list of playing the same set list for the last five years or so. It's still not what he was doing 15 years ago, mixing up and swapping out songs. And people have been living under a rock the last 40 years or are just ignorant thinking that's he's going to waltz out his greatest hits or play the things they think he should be playing. Suffice to say it's hiliarous to see people complain about it still. He's not the guy with an acoustic guitar in 1963 anymore. Hell, if anything he's a crooner.
This was my fourth time seeing Dylan and first since seeing him at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis in the Fall of 2010. He had a four piece backing band, including well-known session drummer Jim Keltner and they sounded pretty tight, as expected and trying to keep pace with Dylan's phrases and rhythms. Dylan himself sounded fairly clear at times, though whipping into his quick growl at times. He opened with familiar rhythms of Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 a major song of his I'd never seen him do, followed by another 'Greatest Hit' likewise never witnessed by myself,It Ain't Me Babe

Dylan knocked out 16 songs in his 75 minute portion of the show with his weird mix of covers thrown in, and Willie's harmonica man, Mickey Raphael, joining him on the last two numbers, Simple Twist of Fate and Ballad of a Thin Man. It was a decent performance, but kind of why I haven't had the itch to see Dylan in last 14 years. Definitely more suited to theaters and similar venues than this.

And after his first song, the security guards were hawks enforcing his no photographing/videoing rule. I've always wondered what they'd do if the whole audience pulled them all out? I'm all for people paying attention to the music and the experience. But some people truly want something for the memories of the experience rather than the selfie/posting self-absorbed people out there.

The final set change took 20ish minutes, setting up for Willie's sparse stage set up. Backed this year without his son Micah, Waylon Payne, the son of one of his long timer guitar player's filled Micah's role of playing next Willie. He also only had a four piece band, without a piano player compared to last years set up. And like last year, Willie played for around an hour, with Payne, taking a few vocals on classic country songs to give Willie a rest.

And he pretty much played the exact same set-list in the same spots as last year. Maybe that's his standard and helps pull him on auto-pilot, knowing familiar songs and routines. But as my dad noted later, you could see there was a decline in just over a year. His playing wasn't quite as sharp and he seemed to rely more on Payne to help keep him along. Hopefully it's just a case of dealing with weather changes and fighting a bug or something, as he's vocal's seemed more off as well. But he's 91 years old and it's still a hell of a performance for someone travelling the highways like he is. And everyone enjoyed it, which is the main thing

And the truly amazing part was after the concert ended. I already mentioned more empty seats compared to last year and quite a few people left after Dylan's set. But once we started the rush out into the parking lot, as I was going through it, I noticed that it looked half empty. My dad took a few mintues to catch up back to the car or we'd have been gone sooner but once we started leaving it only took ten minutes to get out and back on I-70! That's lightspeed compared to my most recent trips to Riverport.

John Mellencamp Set List

John Cockers
Paper In Fire
Ghost Towns Along the Highway
Small Town
Check It Out
Longest Days
Jack & Diane
Rain on the Scarecrow
Lonely Ol' Night
Crumblin Down
Pink Houses
Hurts So Good

Bob Dylan Set List

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
It Ain't Me Babe
Love Sick
Little Queenie
Mr. Blue
Early Roman Kings
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
Under the Red Sky
Things Have Changed
Stella Blue
Six Days on the Road
Can't Wait
Ill Be Your Baby Tonight
Soon After Midnight
Simple Twist of Fate
Ballad of a Thin Man

Willie Nelson Set List

Whiskey River
Stay a Little Longer
Still is Still Moving To Me
Bloody Mary Morning
I Never Cared for You
Workin' Man Blues
Mama's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To be Cowboys
Angel Flying to Close to the Ground
On the Road Again
You Were Always on My Mind
Good Hearted Woman
Help Me Make It Through the Night
Move It On Over
Georgia (On Mind Mind)
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train
Me and Bobby McGee
Last Leaf
Still Not Dead
Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die
Write Your Own Songs
Will the Circle Be Unbroken/I'll Fly Away
It's Hard to be Humble

Top 10 Favorite Dylan Songs

I did my version of the 10 Greatest Dylan songs a few entries ago, so I figured I'd do my 10 Favorite Dylan Songs.

1. Positively 4th Street- The haunting organ driving the melody and vitriolic Dylan lyrics makes me like this song. Plus it's the ultimate put down song, who hasn't known someone (or to be fair been this person themselves) they'd like to tell words like these to? " Do you take me for such a fool, to think I’d make contact, with the one who tries to hide what he don’t know to begin with?..." Priceless

2. When I Paint My Masterpiece- Well, no surprise this one's on here judging from the title of the blog... There's a whimsical quality and air to this tune presumably about the quirks of artistry and being on the road. Though I've always gotta change the lyrics to "...in the land of Pepsi Cola."

3. Like A Rolling Stone- Like it's sibling song at #1 on my list, it's part of "the same one-sided" argument," complete with the country sounding organ that adds so much to the texture of the song . One of the greatest rock songs ever and every time it comes on the radio, it gets cranked up.

4. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere- A complete 180 from the thin wild mercury sound of 1966 Dylan, this Americana tune was the part of the legendary Basement Tapes made with the Band. Simple lyrics to fit the rhyme, nothing radical, just a footprint for what direction the Band would go into and where Dylan would be the next few years.

5. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You- Another simple love song, I read somebody call "a throwaway love song." I agree, but it's a very good one and not to mention he's backed by killer Nashville pros on the studio version.

6. Knockin' On Heaven's Door- Another greatest hit, and still in his country sounding period(Notice a bunch of them on this list?). Even greater when you see the context of it in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, with Slim Pickens heading to watch the sunset...

7. To Ramona- Some of Dylan's best poetry and and a love song to a girl that he fears will "turn into a meaningless ring," at the end. And this is probably higher too, because I love the Flying Burritos version of it as well...

8. Tweeter and the Monkey Man- You gotta love this song from his Wilbury days. There are obvious Springsteen song references and just the style of the story seems like a wink to the Boss. Not to mention the gender changing throughout of the main characters. Bob at some of his funniest...

9. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues- Another Highway 61 Revisited era song(which if you can't tell is my other favorite Dylan period). I like the hazed out imagery and "Sweet Melinda, they call her the goddess of gloom," who couldn't love that? Well, by the end Dylan did and had to get back to New York City...

10. Forever Young- It's a jaunty feel good song that gives a timeless wish for Bob's children, that everyone should strive for. Never lose the desire to learn, be happy and do what you want with your life.

Top 10 Greatest Dylan Songs

Rolling Stone recently did their Top 70 Bob Dylan songs in honor of Bob's 70th birthday. They did a fair job, but Blowin' in the Wind at number 20. Yeah, right... Here's my take, on the combination of most popular, most influencing, and well best overall.

1. Like A Rolling Stone- Well, they got the first one right. And I'd hope so, based on the name of the magazine and arguably the greatest rock song ever, it's for sure in the Top 5. This combination of blues, rock and structure, changed the nature of what a pop song was. The opening snare drum was Dylan bursting further into the rock and roll conscience of America, changing everything, again.

2. Blowin' in the Wind- You could argue this is his greatest song by the fact that it will be relevant as long as there are still people on the planet...

3. Mr. Tambourine Man- This is Dylan the poet. "Though I know that evenin's empire has returned into sand, Vanished from my hand." The majesty and the magic in the rhymes, make this song, it's beautiful without music. And who or what is he singing about? Who knows, another part of it's beauty and poetry.

4. All Along the Watchtower- Dylan's most played live song. This song and lyrics sound like it's setting is straight out of the Book of Revelation and the end of days. And you can take it several ways. The verses and the song is told in reverse with the first verse being the end of the tale, or that we're left hanging at the end of the song with "two riders approaching..."

5. Subterranean Homesick Blues- It's probably most famous for being a proto-music video from the film Don't Look Back, with Dylan holding the lyrics to the song on various cue cards, which has aped a bunch of times. Again it's another example of Dylan combing the blues and rock(with a heavy Chuck Berry influence as well from Too Much Monkey Business) , at a super-charged pace of lyrics being spat out, as well as being his first electric song.

6. Positively 4th Street- My personal favorite, the ultimate put down song. Often called "Dylan at his most vitriolic," who hasn't felt this way about somebody (and honestly probably been that way themselves towards people)? That backing organ song helps pace the songs mood and anger. "You say you lost your faith, But that’s not where it’s at. You had no faith to lose And you know it." Masterful...

7. Tangled Up in Blue- Another example of masterful storytelling, mixing in Dylan's own personal feelings of a relationship going down. Like Watchtower, this song doesn't follow a linear pattern or really the same narrator, but ones who faced similar problems. I doubt there there were too many topless joints, when the dealing of slaves was going on. But then again, we just might be assuming it's referring to African Americans and maybe it is a linear story from point A to Z...

8. Desolation Row- Another example of is he just trying to fit the rhyme scheme and come up with surreal juxtapositions, or have the names of all these wacky characters been changed? "The Phantom of the Opera, a perfect image of a priest, they’re spoonfeeding Casanova, To get him to feel more assured, Then they’ll kill him with self-confidence, After poisoning him with words..." Probably a bit of both, but I doubt Bob will ever talk...

9. Mississippi- The best of example of Bob's later works. Here is Bob writing about life and experiences in his mid-50's and pushing 60. Lyrically it's up there with his earlier output. The "older voice" he wrote in as a 22 year old, though wouldn't have the life experiences though...

10 . Rainy Day Women #12 and 35- Yeah, yeah, the party anthem(but blues based in sound) where "Everybody Must Get Stoned!" and Dylan was pretty hopped up on amphetamines at the time. But is just a simple song about getting stoned on drugs? Or is it about getting literally getting stoned to death? Is there some reference to the bible and/or some significance with the numbers 12 and 35? With Bob things are seldom black and white or direct..

10/21 Bob Dylan Concert Review

Last night was my third time seeing Mr. Dylan in concert, this time at Chaifetz Arena on the St. Louis University campus. My dad is still working the fields and I couldn't find anyone else to go, so I wound up going with my mom(surprisingly she didn't mind the show, except the standing) . Chaifetz seems pretty cozy for a b-ball arena, though I guess it made for a better concert view, if you were stuck afar...
We got there really early and had to wait over an hour for scheduled start time, which ended up being about 8-10 mins after 8. I got floor seats in the eighth row the first two seats on the far side of Bob. They were pretty good seats and we thought better than the first row where you couldn't see anything sitting. The most entertaining pre-show activity was the drunken guy, singing Subterranean Homesick Blues at the top of his lungs from the other side of the arena.
I knew not to expect nothing out of the ordinary or radical, the best I was hoping for was an extra song in the encore or one of my faves in the rotating #2 surprise slot. I wound up getting neither...
Set List

Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat
Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Just Like a Woman
The Levee's Gonna Break
I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
Honest With Me
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
Cold Irons Bound
Love Sick
Highway 61 Revisited
Nettie Moore
Thunder on the Mountain
Ballad of the Thin Man
-------
Jolene
Like a Rolling Stone

Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat and Senor were good, and I enjoyed seeing I'll Be Your Baby Tonight again, though it was very bluesy sounding rather than country-fied, when I saw it with Larry Campbell playing steel. The intro jamming to Just Like A Woman was a strong point of the night. The way Bob and the band layed out the sound and melody was beautiful. Bob even relented halfway though to allow the audience sing along. We did end up standing the whole night, at least all of us on the floor did, which was a little surprising. Bob seemed to be a in good mood, grinning and bopping around all night...
The first seven numbers and really everything except Hard Rain and Nettie Moore, were hard rocking in sound. I guess this is the influence of Charlie Sexton. This was my first time seeing him. The lanky Texan just seems to be ready unleash his guitar maelstrom at any moment. And most fans seem to love this version of Bob's band and sound. I'd have just preferred a little more subtly and intricate numbers throughout the night like the two I mentioned were. Donnie Herron's steel guitar was lost in the mix. Personally, I think Bob has one too many band members up there, at least with this hard rocking sound Charlie brings in addition to his organ sound...
One thing I liked was the sort of alternating backdrops on the curtain behind the band. They had some kind of overhead wide shot camera, which every few numbers was seen on the curtain. But I liked it more when the altered the lighting, and you could see their, mostly Bob and Charlie's silhouettes on the curtain as they were playing.
Cold Iron Bounds was another stronger number, Highway 61 was sort of blah, until they cranked it up speed wise during the jam and then it took off. This was followed by Nettie Moore, which was one of the clearer sounding songs to me.
Probably the best song of the night? The rocking Ballad of a Thin Man, go figure. I've seen it both other times I've seen Bob and knew it was coming. But the light settings and background on stage, seemed to fit with the mood of the lyrics perfectly and the hard rocking guitars, plus it was Bob's best harp playing of the night.
After the smoke break, I mean encore break, they come back out, George with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, and delivered Jolene, which was okay. There was a big rush over by us to the side of the stage. After that it was "Thank You Friends..." and band intros and then the obligatory Like A Rolling Stone, which made me and everyone else happy. The band did the line up and left, it stayed dark for a few minutes. I was thinking we might get one more, or if this was just to distract us while the guys were already heading down the interstate. But lots of people were already leaving and the crowd was pretty low-key to begin with, so there was not much to entice them to come back...
It was good show, a little over an hour and a half. A few minor complaints, only one song on guitar and he didn't play Tangled Up in Blue, which he's played at most every other show. But it was a Bob show unique in its own way and I got 8 songs I hadn't seen yet and a venue I'd never been to.

Here's the Post's Review of the show and the Riverfront Times Review

Pearl Jam is Okay and God Bless Bob Dylan

I went on Pearl Jam's fan site and was wanting to buy a cd of the St. Louis concert I went to this May. I tried buying it from their store, but it said I had to register. No Problem, I did. But then when I tried it again, it came up "Access Denied." After some looking I figured I have to pay $20 to join "Ten Club" so I can buy their stuff. You do get some stuff with the membership, a newsletter or something, and first access to tickets(which is kind of pointless since they probably won't tour in the next year or be anywhere near me...)
But I'm confused, who they're really screwing over. It's pretty stupid to me. Someone like me who just drops by and wants to buy something from them, I have to pay $20 just for that right? So, they're milking their true fans for everything? And by not selling directly I'm going to go to eBay and buy it from someone who buys multiple copies and jacks up the price?
I guess my choices are to pay $37 (plus shipping I'd imagine) to buy from Pearl Jam or buy on eBay from someone who bought multiple copies for about ten dollars less. As a conservative I think I'll take the cheaper route.
If I'm wrong about this and fouled something up, I'll gladly buy a ten club membership.
But God bless Bob Dylan. Many of his fans complain about his doing anything for money and having high price deluxe editions. But you know what he charges for his fan club ticket pre-sales? Nothing.


ADDENDUM: Well, I did some checking on message boards and was told that site frequently has "hiccups." So, I tried again and was at least able to get an order through to get processed. So, Pearl Jam is alright, apparently it's just technology that is bad.