London (first night) review - Europe tour news (21)

Thanks to Gerald Bamford, song and dance man in Back Pages, the Norfolk-based Dylan tribute band:

“Like Saturday’s Sheffield show, London on Sunday was hugely enjoyable. Dylan’s now doing what other rockpop acts have always done, but what he occasionally didn’t do - touring the new album.

“While promoting Modern Times and “Love And Theft”, the classic repertoire is sampled in exactly the same style. So the new versions of old songs fit into a show with a consistent r‘n’b/rockabilly style typical of the latest two releases, played as well as you’d hope in an arena setting.

“Highlight at Wembley: an amazing Nettie Moore. It’s a lovely ballad, and Dylan sang a beautifully arranged version which allows the emotion of the song to shine through. Denny’s Freeman’s guitar was remarkable.

“Blind Willie McTell, played here on the tour for the first time, was enriched by Donnie Herron’s banjo.

“This band is for bopping, so you don’t get the dynamic variety you used to when Dylan switched from acoustic to electric and back, as in the shows at the turn of the Millennium. And you don’t get the intense, varied emotional palette of great shows like Portsmouth in September 2000.

“The Sheffield and London shows I attended were an enjoyable summary of where Dylan’s peerless performance art is right now. And that’s all right with me.”