Atlanta, GA (25-Jul-88)

'88 was a good year for Dylan it seems........

GENERAL COMMENTS: Overall a very good performance. Dylan's vocal delivery is generally pretty good and the band is pretty tight.
HIGHLIGHTS: Most of it really. Tambourine Man and Blowin' in the Wind and LARS are especially good.
AUDIO QUALITY: Very good mostly.
VIDEO: pretty consistent and good with little shakiness. Shame a few songs are clipped.
SONG-BY-SONG BREAKDOWN
Subterranean Homesick Blues: (clipped) but overall a very good performance. It amazes me (even though he did write this song himself) how he manages to remember all the lyrics of this song.
JLAW: This is just ok. It is kind of rushed and flat - lacks feeling and conviction.
Stuck inside of Mobile: Average. Dylan performed this pretty consistently well in the '90s. Here it is not bad. Vocal is pretty good.
Twist of Fate: First great song of the night - subdued, lovely. I used to think the Blood on the Tracks version was unbeatable and it was the only way to accurately capture the special 'feel' of this song but this version is simply marvellous.
Masters of War: Pretty good. As a rock version, doesn't compare to say the DEC-10-1978 (on the Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte bootleg) but is ok.
Highway 61: Good as usual. Bass has a really nice groove - pushes the song along well.
Girl from the North Country: Very interesting version. Nice blend of two very interesting and unique acoustic guitar parts (Dylan's & Smith's).
Tambourine Man: (clipped). Perhaps the best performance of the concert so far and the audience knows it. Very impressive!
Barbara Allen: This very old traditional folk song apparently has hundred and hundreds of different versions according to Henrietta Yuchenko (who recently released a rare recording of Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly playing together) and Dylan does justice to the song here I believe. When I watch Dylan play this song, I momentarily forget that he is American - for he accurately captures that feel of a British troubadour or minstrel. Lovely backing acoustic guitar once again. Absolutely gorgeous lyrics - Shakespearean.
It ain't me babe: What a classic song. I feel that this is one of Dylan's most consistently well-played songs. I remember listening to Another Side of Bob Dylan and remember thinking thank God! for It ain't me Babe which shows a kind of proud, stubborn defiance of a lover who comes to grips with reality after the grim, haunting despair of Ballad in Plain D (which is so haunting it is the only Dylan song I can not listen to).
Pill-Box Hat: Wonderful, absolutely rockin'. Dylan and his group really take names here.
I shall be released: Pretty good. Not much different from other 80s versions of this song. I still prefer this song when it is performed with some steel guitar / dobro.
Silvio: Undoubtedly the best song from Down in the Groove - a great song that Mr. D and the band do live. Always sounds better live than on record. It's also a great light-hearted song to include in a setlist of otherwise powerful, poetic numbers.
LARS: Check out the audience response on this one. Dylan really rips into this one vocally which contrasts sharply with his very cool, composed exterior. This song is a timeless classic. What more can be said?
Blowin' in the Wind: Beautiful version of another timeless classic. Possibly the best performance of the concert.
Forever Young: (clipped) Average.
Maggie's Farm: Great version with a nice grooving bass once again. Very slick vocal delivery from Mr. D too.
VERDICT: a solid FOUR STARS! Highly recommended!
A very big thank-you to Baggy for this one!