Piano Performance

DISC D155
SOUND Good enough for once through but not enough for twice. If this disc wants to be a serious contender, then a sound upgrade is required.
IMAGE At least three source tapes are used here, all decent stuff, and though colour is in short supply and there are the inevitable odd head and shake problems, the changing perspectives, plentiful full-band shots and competent edit make this film a thorough-going pleasure to watch. Though the source info given above is not necessarily incorrect, it’s clear that Mutineer and Floater come from footage - lush, bright eye-candy (see fourth screenshot) - not otherwise used. Rather more of it would not have gone amiss!
RUNNING TIME 118 minutes. Honest and Martyr have clipped starts, Mutineer is missing a sizeable chunk from its front end, as is Honest from its back. Other songs complete.
PERFORMANCE Though this band seldom disappoints, unfortunately the s/t here does them no favours - but right enough.
HIGHLIGHTS (1) Another fine 4th Street (2) Floater ... but little else.
COMMENT I recently watched D sing a lovely Barbara Allen (#D362.su1) to a Parisian audience that received it in attentive, near-complete silence. As the tune finally folded, singer and song were paid the full measure of respect properly due to them by way of a rousing, whole-hearted response from the crowd that was a joy to behold. Contrast this to tonight’s End Of Innocence - not a song he’ll often sing - the words of which you have to strain to catch above the incessant undercurrents of inane yap that swirl all round the taper. (2) Note, too, how D declines absolutely (here as elsewhere) to have anything to do with the closing Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Whoooh! refrain of Brown Sugar. Rather, he stands back beneficently while the rest of them (Tony too!) have at it, seeming to say “Let the boys have their fun...”
THANKS MV
STARS Three and a half

I agree with the last reviewer, that while this is a very good disc, it doesn't quite hit the ambitious mark that it sets. There are only three songs I can think of that are incomplete-- "Honest With Me" is cut badly, "Mutineer" also clipped badly, and "Accidentally Like a Martyr" is clipped very slightly. Some of the performances, I find myself wondering why the compiler used this performance (i.e. a very mediocre "High Water", in contrast to others from this time), some I wonder why this song (Does the world really need another video of "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight?").

All of this said, this collection is very close to brilliant. The idea is a splendid one-- foraging a great concert out of parts of three very good ones-- and the sometimes DO hit the mark. The footage is quality stuff, good colors, not very grainy at all. Occasionally there is a head or two in the way, but only occasionally. And as noted, three songs are missing part of the songs.
Some of the performances are surprisingly good-- most notably Bob's brilliant guitar jam on "Positively 4th Street". Some are just as great as you'd remember/expect-- "End of the Innocence", "Summer Days", "In the Summertime" etc etc. I loved the '02 Piano tour and this disc reminds me why.

The final point as to why I can't quite give this five stars is the terrible track mastering. The previous reviewer was wrong-- this disc is SUPPOSED to have the performance broken down by track, it's just been terribly done. Each "track" begins roughly at the end of the prior song. For instance, choosing "In the Summertime" on the menu promptly deposits you in the final 10-15 seconds of "Seeing the Real You at Last". Can some brilliant computer guru re-author this one, so that I can probably give it the full five stars that the quality video really does deserve?

A good and enjoyable compilation overall, but one that could have been a lot better, if it wouldn´t suffer a careless production. Quite a few songs miss either start, end or both; the tracks can´t be chosen properly since there are only index points after five minutes or so; the "almost setlist like" track order doesn´t make sense since both the usual encores "LARS" and "Watchtower" are missing and the last four tracks instead come out of nowhere; it was an unforgivable mistake of the producers NOT to include the second-only performance of "Po´ Boy" from Philadelphia.
On the other hand it´s highly exciting to watch Dylan´s facial expressions and body movements on "In the Summertime" and the majestic "The End of the Innocence" for instance, so that the production failures pale somewhat ...
By the way: the footage of the Philly show is different (and better) from that of the proper Philadelphia 02 DVD.

Visually, Piano Perf. is the best amateur footage I've seen.The DVD documents a selction of performances from 3 US shows in Nov. 15, 16 & 17, 2002. Dylan sings covers( WZ, NY, VM and The Stones), has mastered his 'bluesman groowwwl'and plays keyboard off centre-stage. The DVD's attributes are its visual clarity, generally riveting vocal performances, thoughtful ordering of chapters and variety(there's a number of guitar performances). The first highlight is a beautiful close close-up of "Mutineer".Bob's voice is exceptionally suited to this robust shanty. "Every Grain of Sand" pulsates with a wonderful uplifting hum to Bob's disciplined vocal. Finally watch for Bob's moves during "Highwater!!"