Uncasville, CT (05-Jun-04)

As a rule I don't usually look at other reviews before penning anything, but couple of nights ago caught of sight here of Jim's - 5 Stars. Eh ? back to the DVD player. OK yes, on the plus side, it's nicely filmed, good clear shots, and lots of panning arround. The .su hardly needs mentioning these days, as usual the .su'ers have done a fantastic job.
But no, my overriding impression of this disc is it's Greyness, only for a while do we get anything approaching true colours. Grainy not only in the close-ups, all I could think of while watching was of a pretty good Phone-Camera. Pity also that the filmer got the wrong side of the stage, an hour and a half of the back of Bobs right lug doesn't make for rivetting viewing.
All of which might be overloooked if the performance itself lifted it, but no, nothing special, not bad, good, but nothing outstanding. Far too many years ago I once went with my father, (an ex-army Piper), to a Piping competition in our local hall. His comment on Roger, the winner, "He's too precise a player to be really good" Now as a scientificaly inclined youngster I didn't understand it then, if the music says A,B,C, then you play it A,B,C, anything else is wrong. I think I get it now, this band is too good to play badly, maybe they're too good to go that extra inch. The highs and lows of the tours these days are down to Bob himself, and well.... Earlier in his career he managed to get more out of his bands, coming in at the wrong time, being halfway through the first verse before the band realised that this was 'the' take or even what they were playing, or like SNL - rehearsing a set of tunes then opening with something neither he or the band knew. That everpresent possibility of failure can sometimes produce greatness, maybe these days Bob doesn't feel he can do it ?. Now if Bob was to let Larry & co draw lots for instruments just as they were going on stage....."tonight Stu, you're on Drums..."
Sorry, a Dylan show isn't really much of a spectacle these days, and everthings too grey to give it anything other than Average.
Hawkwind's Stacia might just be past it now, but let's see if she's got a quine, now that would liven the stage up a bit (though the more delicate souls amongst you might need to look away..)