Bob Dylan began 10-show Beacon Theatre run (videos, setlist)
Beacon Theatre shows right around Thanksgiving have been something of an annual tradition for Bob Dylan, and this year he's doing a ten-show run at the venue. That run kicked off on Saturday night (11/23) for a show which found Bob and his band in fine form, delivering plenty of beloved classics. Caitlin Hawke writes on Bob Links:
Dylan spent most of the time he wasn’t at the keyboard deep in the pocket of the musicians, always on an axis with Charlie and Donnie, making eye contact here and there while Tony and Bob Britt bracketed him from behind. When he was at the keyboard, he was banging and tinkling away, often standing for the honky tonk bits. But he kept backing himself into the bosom of the band, sometimes harp in hand. He played guitar twice and wended his way into this back pocket then, too.
The ballads stood out. The still, stripped down ‘Lenny Bruce’ caught the crowd’s attention, with Donnie’s violin ferrying the song along. (I have always wondered what happened in that 10 block taxi ride. I imagine it to have been a bit manic with the comic jumping in and out of the cab, in and out of traffic.) On the topic of ballads, I couldn’t help but think that presenting this arrangement of ‘Girl from the North Country’ — and so beautifully sung — had something to do with the Nashville disc drop. Not quite in his Nashville voice, but singing all the same, quite beautifully. The “Not Dark Yet” arrangement was also a highlight.
As usual, Dylan's Beacon shows have a strict no photo or video policy, but few attendees shared pictures and videos anyway; check those out, along with Saturday night's setlist, below.
There are still nine more chances to see Dylan in NYC in November and December, on 11/24, 11/26, 11/27, 11/29, 11/30, 12/2, 12/3, 12/5, and 12/6, and some tickets are still available.
Setlist: Bob Dylan at Beacon Theatre, 11/23/2019 (via)
Things Have Changed (Bob on guitar)
It Ain't Me, Babe
Highway 61 Revisited
Simple Twist of Fate
Can't Wait
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Honest With Me
Tryin' to Get to Heaven
Make You Feel My Love
Pay in Blood
Lenny Bruce
Early Roman Kings
Girl From the North Country
Not Dark Yet
Thunder on the Mountain
Soon After Midnight
Gotta Serve Somebody
Encore:
Ballad of a Thin Man (Bob on guitar)
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry