What Are Your Thoughts On This?

[ashdigger]

Not a Dylan fan, sorry zealots.

But here’s a concert experience.

I saw Pearl Jam and it was one of the greatest concert experiences I’ve ever had.

Two years later they were coming to town, so I instantly bought tickets. This time between songs Eddie ranted and raved and bloviated. It was annoying and quite honestly it ruined the concert.

A couple of weeks after that I ran into a friend and the concert came up. She had also attended. She said she was so excited that Eddie did his thing and it made the concert more memorable.

Moral of the story, I’m not Bob Dylan either.

 

[jaytex1969]

Coincidentally, one of the last things I did in Austin before moving was to see Dylan in April.

The group seated in front of us had a trendy young woman amongst them who spent the first 30 minutes editing some type of social media material on her very bright phone. It was a terrible distraction to me.

I finally asked her to do that another time and she put up her phone. Ten minutes later, se actually left and didn't return.

BTW, it was a great show!

 

[Merton]

If it isn’t banned, people don’t live in the moment and experience it through their cameras just to share it.

I think that your comment is right on point. Dylan is a significant cultural figure and always has been different from other performers. For example, he really has never tried to replicate the exact recording during his live performances.
Of course, the Grateful Dead stand out as the first band to embrace recording and taping at their shows and it turned out to be an inspired business decision both in terms of increasing their concert ticketing and in the number of shows which had recordings available to draw upon for commercial release.
One of my favorite concert memories is seeing Dylan and the Band on the same stage in 1974. During that tour he actually did play most of the music straight. I later saw him and could not make out a single song. For those of you who are younger, Highway 61 is among the greatest albums by any artist ever. From the opening downbeat of Rolling Stone to the final notes of Desolation Row. Really great. Blood On The Tracks is another great one. Others too.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

My understanding is Van Morrison does the same and I love him solo and with Them.

I saw Dylan open for Paul Simon where they played together for about 3 songs after Dylan's set. Amazing. Especially Simon's 3 encores.

I'm also a big Pearl Jam fan and saw them on the Yield tour at the show in Auburn Hills (where the Detroit Piston s used to play) where they cut a roadie's hair. We didn't know he was a roadie, just "Steve, from Toronto", who seemed to be a stage diver. Funn. 2 weeks later an acquaintance had the show on a 2 disc cd. I can relive the moment any time now.

I respect the artist's wishes but enjoy reliving the moment. Although I'd never record more than a few moments by phone and people are ... sigh. So I get it. A few bad apples, or are we the select few ...

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I like Bob Dylan's music.. but he sure can't sing.. and as with any other kind of entertainer the more they tell us about how the really feel, the more the magic disappears.

I've never forgive Bruce Springsteen and I'll never have the opportunity to enjoy "Rocking in the Free World" again.. only if those jackasses had kept the stupid in their mouths.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Since people apparently have no respect for those around them who perhaps spent their little discretionary income to go to a concert I wish more venues would employ methods to stop people from using their phones during shows. I can't count back to the year this all started when you are at some standing room only place and those standing in front of you spend the entire evening taking photos or videos. It's very distracting and frustrating. I understand if you want to snap a pic or two but it rarely is like that with many of the attendees and isn't limited to people under 40. When I went to see Kraftwerk last month the guy sitting almost directly in front of me looked in his 60s and took a few minutes of video, of every song. I have to sort of talk myself out of being annoyed and distracted so I could get back in the moment and enjoy the performance. The feeling that some apparently have that the present didn't happen if they don't have a phone full of media documenting it that they will likely never really look at is sad and highly annoying.

edit: I should also say that the show was in 3D and I saw that guy in front of me taking photos and such through the glasses the venue gave us to see if it made a difference. Ha ha.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Also, I didn't read the article but the "good luck stopping us" has such a ring of entitlement it makes me cringe.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Hi, I'm back again. I just skimmed the article and was horrified to read the opinions in the article. I took a video of my reaction to reading the story which I will post later.

 

[Bengel]

who spent the first 30 minutes editing some type of social media

You Sir, were very patient! This is, I think, a main point, we are there for the artist not to hear others sing or work/play on social media.
Glad you got to see him, the new material is great and needs no distractions.

 

[brian64]

These "devices" everyone calls phones are the bane of our existence.

I can only imagine what it looks like to someone like Dylan gazing out at a modern audience with so many people holding up those appendages. I would just assume he's disgusted by it, and if I was him I would be too. But I must join the ranks of others in this thread and declare that I too am in fact not Bob Dylan.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Bob Dylan is an asshole. He writes a good song, but it’s 200% better when someone else plays his stuff. He probably just doesn’t want people to see how much he sucks on stage.

 

[AJL67]

If daddy government can force you to wear tissue paper on your face why not. Maybe he’s a fan of the Diner’s Bill of Rights.

 

[Bengel]

For you mike

 

[ssjones]

That's not new, this an old list of artists who banned phones (not sure the ones alive still do?)

Musicians And Bands Who Don't Allow Phones At Their Shows

Concert-goers are often tempted to record or photograph their favorite shows in order to remember them forever. Certain bands, however, completely forbid phones at their concerts. Those musicians publicly scold flash-happy fans.In some ways, their phone bans are perfectly understandable. A lot of...

www.ranker.com

So rocker used electronic cases you seal your phone in entering the venue, unseal on the way out that was their solution (I can't recall who did that).

It is annoying to me, although I'm guilty of a few occurences.

we had front row seats at the last Roger Waters tour. I took a few photos. So, now I have some really bad photos of Roger Waters from 20' away......google yielded better pictures. So now, my phone stays in my pocket.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Actually, when I went through a metal detector at the last concert I attended the security guard told me to put my phone in the tray and when I said "what do I need a phone for?" he smiled and gave me a fist bump.

 

[mso489]

Dylan has built his career on being abrasive. When he went to the Newport Folk Festival and plugged in his electric guitars, his fan base that was his support and revenue stream, went into apoplexy. So it's not something out of character to have him spur his concert goers out of their comfort zone. And even if you pretty well live on a phone, you have some irritation when so many others stare slack-jawed at their phones during social events and in the spenders of nature. So is Dylan being a spoiled brat and pain in the ass with his Nobel Prize in literature -- yes, but he's never hidden that this is how he rolls. He's been richly rewarded; why would he change?

I do like his long spoken piece with musical accompaniment, "Murder Most Foul." Obviously this is Dylan doing rap/hip-hop, but slowing down the cadence so the lyrics are clear. Always up to something, which is why we keep cussing ... and watching him.

I still put Prine and Cohen above him on my play list, for the purity and simplicity of vision, but Bob's pretty good. Jesse Winchester may edge him down a notch too.

 

[Bengel]

I do like his long spoken piece with musical accompaniment, "Murder Most Foul." Obviously this is Dylan doing rap/hip-hop, but slowing down the cadence so the lyrics are clear.

Good thoughts, and though he has not done this song live yet the other new music needs uninterrupted attention.

 

[kcghost]

Don't care for Dylan but that's just me. As far as the cell phone ban goes I would be okay with it.

 

[brian64]

For you mike

With few exceptions, whenever I hear a Dylan cover I much prefer his original...and that is the case in this instance.

 

[brian64]

and though he has not done this song live

I have a hard time thinking of Murder Most Foul as a song. I'm not sure exactly what to call it, but MSO's description of "his long spoken piece with musical accompaniment" sounds right to me.