Bob Dylan

What possesses people to spend $60 or $100 on a concert ticket and leave before the encore? A couple of years ago, I noticed this phenomenon at a James Taylor concert. Hello, you folks that are streaming out, he hasn’t sung “Sweet Baby James” yet. Why would you come to see James Taylor if you don’t want to wait and hear “Sweet Baby James”?

Same thing last night with Bob Dylan. People leaving by the scores, while the rest of us are screaming and clapping to coax an encore. And what were the encore songs — “Like a Rolling Stone” and “All Along the Watchtower.”

Now I’m sorry, I know not everyone gets into it like I can, but seeing Bob Dylan perform “Like A Rolling Stone” has got to be the equivalent of seeing “Hamlet” or “King Lear” with Shakespeare in the cast. Great as it sounds, hard as it rocks, the moment transcends even the music.

But not for some, more intent on beating the traffic.

One can’t actually say Dylan sounded great — he’s never “sounded” great — but he sounded like Bob Dylan and the songs were great and the music rocked and that seemed to please most of us. It’s a testament to his staying power that he could open with the 2000 Oscar-winner “Things Have Changed” and follow it with a classic from 1964 “The Times They Are A Changin’.” It was all music, no chatter other than introducing the band, no playfulness, no recognition that it was the 45th anniversary (to the day) of his New York debut. Ever a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Ever a legend.

Albuquerque Set List

1. Things Have Changed
2. The Times They Are A-Changin’
3. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum
4. To Ramona
5. Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again
6. Love Sick
7. I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
8. Ballad of A Thin Man
9. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
10. Cold Irons Bound
11. Lay Lady Lay
12. Cat’s in the Well

Encore
13. Like A Rolling Stone
14. All Along the Watchtower