Shot Of Love

D570 SHOT OF LOVE

1981 was a good year for European Bob-fans. Apart from a new album (always some kind of event - in this case SOL, released in August) we had a early summer tour to enjoy - and back then, unlike now, Bob-tours used to come by about as often as Halley's comet. '81's 23 dates made it his longest European campaign up to that point (he'd previously played 19 shows in 1978). He was fit, 40 and in excellent voice - how could you resist? Of course, it's all a long time ago now - almost a quarter-century - but in D570 we're given the chance to revisit old times, revive fading memories, to see how close to retrospection's rose-tinted hue unvarnished reality comes. Away back, then, to a bygone July, to Loreley (17th), Mannheim (18th) and Avignon (25th - closing date of the tour).

The 40 minute starting Loreley video previously featured on D154. Thankfully, the inferior soundtrack there has been replaced by something considerably better - indeed, sound throughout this DVD is impressively fine. In view of its age, video quality is consistently pleasing too. Considering the extreme choppiness of parts of the film, the sync-job couldn't have been easy - it, too, though, is exemplary throughout. But a running time of 40 minutes and a track-list featuring 13 songs tells its own tale - of the 13, only four (I Believe In You, North Country Girl, Summertime, Dead Man) are complete, though most of LARS remains and Times, though cut, is still hypnotically good. A few songs - Animals, MF - are just segued scraps and would have been better edited away altogether. Still, anyone who's ever had to sit through D154 will marvel at the improvement here. Show is outdoors, in daylight.

From Mannheim come 45 minutes and six complete songs - the first three, last two plus another strong and particularly well-shot Times - with more or less substantial pieces of six more. At Loreley, the lumberjacks verse of Thin Man saw D engage in a brief burst of one-armed finger-pointing as he yowled his message home and, at the same juncture here, he trips into an extraordinary bout of frenzied animation, flailing both arms around like a demented traffic-cop - then, come Avignon, nothing at all. A case, perhaps, of depends on how I'm feeling? As for harmonica, any fan will know that D often plays as though he's first been given one just two hours before and still hasn't quite worked out when to suck and when to blow. Indeed, if you look dispassionately at D's individual "talents" - singer, guitarist, harpist - they seem to evaporate before your eyes. Like the Tardis, he's definitely, mysteriously, far greater than the sum of his parts. I think a key element of what captivates us about him is that, by succeeding apparently without any of the attributes necessary for success in his chosen field, he awakens us to the glorious possibilities of life. If he can do it, we can too. Thus he wins our hearts and, once conquered, like swans on the river, we're wedded for keeps, till the wheels fall off and burn. Anyway, despite so much manic, razor's-edge, wing-and-a-prayer harp-playing, he can also, when he puts his mind to it, touch deep places in your soul - think of the SOL version of Sand or the Carnegie '63 take of Percy's Song. (Incidentally, is this why audiences always react so positively whenever he shapes to play?) Live versions of Forever Young often feature particularly impassioned harmonica and another potential magic moment occurs whenever What Can I Do For You? appears on the set-list. And tonight in both these songs (though more especially the latter) good Doctor D blows us doses of Texas medicine fit to soothe the keenest ache, each troubled mind.

And so to 57 minutes of Avignon and only three complete songs - Times (beautifully sung as the wind blows in his hair), Let's Begin and Solid Rock - with five others no more than slightly clipped. As already noted, what's most frustrating in watching this material is not what's here but what isn't - all the missing starts, ends and mid-sections such that the majority of songs are disfigured - some just lightly but others savagely and very regrettably. For instance, you're offered enough here of JLAW to be assured it’s a gorgeous, stately, winning thing - but then cut, chop, cut and it's gone. Heart of Mine with D at his little keyboard (then a novelty indeed) runs half a song and then abruptly ends. I've said before that compilers of discs like this ought to be far bolder in their editing. Does that mean that I'd sooner not see any of JLAW than be teased then disappointed by what little we do get? Yes, it does. Then again, there are only seven or eight seconds here of Jesus He's The One, but it would certainly have been wrong to cut them. If you should come to view this disc, try guessing before this snippet what "instrument" you think D might be playing as he sings this song. And if you're right, give yourself a well-earned coconut.

Grateful thanks where it's due.

STARS Four

Tried to watch list a couple of weeks ago when I first received it but for some reason I was unable to "get into it".
Tried again yesterday and really enjoyed it.
Having seen the #D553 sometime in the summer dvd last week or earlier this week and found one third of that really hard work I was very surprised to see another dvd from the same time period where on the whole every track was watch able.
Yes some/most tracks are cut and the video is slightly grainy, if there is such a word, but all are a pleasure to watch.
This was the period were Bob combined his religious music, which I enjoy and his more popular tracks and both are well represented, though some are repeated during the dvd
Favourite part, all of it, although especially enjoyed the
MANNHEIM, Germany, 18th July 1981 section of the dvd.
So a pleasant 2 hours and 20 minutes and like most good things it did not seem that long whilst watching it, time just flew by.
Will re-offer this as a freebie on main board, so please feel free to try and get your own copy and then give your thoughts too.