Wantagh, NY (30-Jul-99)

This upgraded sound upgrade is an improvement over D082.su. First, it's sourced from an off-master Hi8 tape and thus has significantly better video quality. Second, the two Paul Simon encore songs have been included preceding Simon's introduction of Dylan and the subsequent duet.

Neither D082 or D082.su has ever been reviewed, so a word or two are in order. First, the filmer did a good job of panning and zooming given the restrictions imposed by his left balcony perch. There aren't too many close-ups, but the camera gets close enough to frame interactions between the players. A downside is that the filmer had to turn the camera to the big screen for five of the songs on Disk 2, but the screen resolution is good enough, if pretty much drained of color. The pro-shot capture is, of course, totally steady, focused, and unobstructed with the focus almost entirely on Dylan from the waist up.

The Dylan/Simon duets are always a miracle of competing styles, but the two aging Jewish gentlemen do seem to be having a great time, especially during Dion's "The Wanderer." Paul seems to be the man in charge until "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" when Dylan summons the mensch in him. It's always fun to hear Paul and Bob incorporate the lyrics of "I Hear You Knockin'" toward the end of the song, a tribute to their shared love of classic 50's rock 'n roll.

Dylan turns in a strong acoustic set, especially on "Desolation Row" and "Tangled Up In Blue." The harmonica solos on "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Tangled Up In Blue" are tasty, indeed, as is the solo on "It Ain't Me, Babe" that comes at the end of the show.

The only electric song to be shown in full from the stage is "All Along The Watchtower," and Dylan performs it with the apocalyptic fire we have come to expect. Unfortunately, on "Watchtower" we don't get to see enough of Larry's lead work, and Charlie is consigned to the acoustic labors later to be perfected by Stu Kimball. Had we seen more of the stage shot, we may have seen the two electric guitar slingers furiously working their fretboards on "Maggie's Farm" and "Highway 61 Revisited," but we can only listen and imagine what might have been.

While not quite up to the high standard that was to come with the Fall 1999 shows, this is a solid performance, a fine DVD, and worthy of ...

...5 STARS (IMNotSoHO)