Walk-outs at Bob Dylan concerts have been frequent this year with fans leaving confused because of the large percentage of Frank Sinatra covers in each show.
Dylan’s last two albums ‘Shadows In The Night’ and ‘Fallen Angels’ are tributes to Sinatra. Bob tends to focus his setlist around his current releases so it is understandable what he is doing here.
The best pulse of Dylan on the Internet is the excellent expectingrain.com site. One fan, Tim Finnegan, posted, “Why are people leaving? Really?? I thought it was obvious. They’re most likely there (and probably paid good money) to see Bob Dylan, not a Frank Sinatra tribute concert. And a mediocre (and I’m being kind) one at that”.
Another wrote, “It’s a trainwreck … I guess that slow train coming wasn’t enough”.
However one of the more dedicated Dylanologists stated, “Bob couldn’t care less that they’re leaving. I’ve never seen him more confident. He doesn’t even flinch”.
Bob Dylan has been on what is called ‘the never ending tour’ since 1988. Dylan has circled the world multiple times in that time performing more than 2700 shows in the past 28 years.
In that time the setlist has simply evolved and generally centres around the current album. Dylan rarely does a greatest hits show so first time fans at a Dylan show are generally shocked at what they are served musically by Bob.
His four original 21st century masterpieces ‘Love and Theft’ (2001), ‘Modern Times’ (2006). ‘Together Through Life’ (2009) and ‘Tempest’ (2012) secured a template of quality Dylan around those tours but the two recent releases, the Sinatra tributes ‘Shadows In The Night’ (2015) and ‘Fallen Angels’ (2016), while musically interesting for the die-hard Dylan fan, are leaving the average Bob fan numb.
Fans can choose to ignore an artist’s new release but when seated at a concert you have to take what is offered.
Another expectingrain.com reader wrote, “I would wager that 99%+ of people have no idea that Bob Dylan is currently on a Frank Sinatra bender. Not surprised at all that people would go to see Bob and be completely dumbfounded”. Bob Dylan setlist 16 July 2016, Portland
Things Have Changed (from The Essential Bob Dylan, 1999) She Belongs To Me (from Bringing It All Back Home, 1965) Beyond Here Lies Nothin’ (from Together Through Life, 2009) The Night We Called it a Day (from Shadows In The Night, 2015) Pay In Blood (from Tempest, 2012) Melancholy Mood (from Fallen Angels, 2016) Duquesne Whistle (from Tempest, 2012) Tangled Up In Blue (from Blood On The Tracks, 1974) High Water (For Charley Patton) (from Love and Theft, 2001) Why Try To Change Me Now (from Shadows In The Night, 2015) Early Roman Kings (from Tempest, 2012) I Could Have Told You (unreleased, 1959 Sinatra song) Spirit On The Water (from Modern Times, 2006) Scarlet Town (from Tempest, 2012) All Or Nothing At All (from Fallen Angels, 2016) Long And Wasted Years (from Tempest, 2012) Autumn Leaves (from Shadows In The Night, 2015) Blowin’ In The Wind (from The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, 1962) Stay With Me (from Shadows In The Night, 2015)
Obviously Bob isn’t fazed by the comments. He has just extended the tour.
• 10/16 – Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre • 10/18 – Albuquerque, NM – Kiva Auditorium • 10/19 – El Paso, TX – Abraham Chavez Theatre • 10/20 – Lubbock, TX – City Bank Auditorium • 10/22 – Thackerville, OK – WinStar World Casino • 10/23 – Tulsa, OK – Brady Theater • 10/25 – Shreveport, LA – Municipal Auditorium • 10/26 – Baton Rouge, LA – River Center Theater • 10/27 – Jackson, MS – Thalia Mara Hall • 10/29 – Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Center • 10/30 – Paducah, KY – The Carson Center • 11/01 – Louisville, KY – The Kentucky Center for Performing Arts • 11/02 – Charleston, WV – Clay Center • 11/04 – Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center • 11/05 – Roanoke, VA – Berglund Center for the Arts • 11/06 – Charlotte, NC – Blumenthal Performing Arts Center • 11/09 – Knoxville, TN – Tennessee Theatre • 11/10 – Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium • 11/12 – Asheville, NC – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium • 11/13 – Chattanooga, TN – Tivoli Theatre • 11/15 – Birmingham, AL – Concert Hall at BJCC • 11/16 – Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre • 11/18 – Jacksonville, FL – Moran Theater • 11/19 – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall • 11/20 – Fort Myers, FL – Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall • 11/22 – Orlando, FL – Dr. Phillips Center • 11/23 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Broward Center for the Performing Arts
