Taipei, Taiwan Taipei Arena April 3, 2011

 

 

 

Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei Arena

April 3, 2011

1. Gotta Serve Somebody (Bob on keyboard)
2. It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob on guitar)
3. Things Have Changed (Bob on guitar)
4. Sugar Baby (Bob center stage on harp)
5. Cold Irons Bound (Bob center stage on harp)
6. Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob on guitar)
7. Honest With Me (Bob on keyboard)
8. Desolation Row (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on electric mandolin)
9. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum (Bob on keyboard, then center stage on harp)
10. Forgetful Heart (Bob center stage on harp, Donnie on violin)
11. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)
12. Tryin' To Get To Heaven (Bob on keyboard)
13. Jolene (Bob on keyboard)
14. Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob center stage on harp)

(encore)
15. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)
16. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on keyboard, then center stage on harp)

 

 

Voice in (relatively) great shape. Far less croaky than a year ago in Japan with some attempts at higher and sustained notes. Really very nice. Friends who aren't major fans all said they were pleasantly surprised and had been expecting worse.

- No up-singing or staccato delivery except for Desolation Row which had some at the beginning but smoothed out later.

- I managed to get to the front rail and it appeared that Bob was without his bling (the diamond rings) but as usual was regularly adjusting his pants and touching his hair on both sides. The hat came off a couple of times, between songs.

- Bob seemed almost reluctant to be at the organ

- No special effects - just the usual background lighting but none of the projections or visuals from the last tour.

- No "Why thank you friends" and band intro. COULD THIS BE A FIRST?! Maybe he was jetlagged and forgot. Early on a woman shouted out "Bob, sign my hat" and Bob turned to the mic and quietly said "Yeah...". That was it for Taiwan!

- Charlie didn't kneel down once. Has he been told? In any case, his guitar was excellent and with much less organ going on, he seemed freer somehow.

- Some discussion before "Blowin'" - perhaps it wasn't the planned closer.

- All the cheap seats high at the back taken. All the VIP seats at the front also full. But much of the mid-priced section empty. Probably no more than 2/3 of the 15K seats taken. Would have been better in a smaller venue.

- Highlights:

Gotta Serve Somebody (great opener and part of the pleasure was realizing how (relatively) tuneful his voice was)

Cold Irons Bound
Honest With Me
Forgetful Heart - Very tender

And I can't believe I'm saying this but the two songs I would usually prefer weren't there were very good - Tweedle and Jolene. Jolene in particular had people at the front jumping around almost as much as LARS.

- Lowlights:

The group of drunk Americans embarrassing themselves at the front, nearly getting thrown out (how we wished you were). The talking was probably loud enough for the band to hear and be distracted. Also, the guy who shouted "Bob, I need the toilet" just as one of the quiet songs started. Seriously, stay home or just go to US ballpark shows - in Asia audiences show more respect to the performer and audience.

But rather than end on that note, I should say that this was a really enjoyable show with the band on good form. As one guy shouted out "Bob, the whole world loves you"!