Avignon, France (25-Jul-81)

This is a fantastic wild ride of the last show of Dylan’s
1981 European
tour. The camera sways and the image may distort but to consider the big bulky VHS cameras one can easily forgive. The sound is from a fantastic circulating soundboard recording. Interesting that clips from this ?? Bootleg video was used for the American news show 20/20 in 1985 ( See D035 and D581) This concert has a dark side as well. At the end of Slow Train Coming a concert goer fell into the power grid plunging the stage with darkness another concert goer fell off a retaining wall in the confusion, both died. Dylan is on fire. Lenny Bruce Makes me want to cry. With Dylan’s intensity Just Like A Woman takes on a new soulful sound. Watered Down Love hits hard. I’m not a big fan of evangelical gospel songs but to see him up with the back up singers singing Jesus Is The One, I’ll want to tap my foot along. Heart Of Mine comes from his heart and can be seen on D004 along with his video collection. Then comes a lackluster Forever Young.
On to disk 2. The band flounders on In The Garden slowly dragging it into a dirge. It’s hard to believe it’s the same band. The sound changes as the back up singers sing the intro of a forgettable Blowing In The Wind, the first song of his encore. The what happens?? He sings s siring It Ain’t Me Babe, singing again from his soul. Just him, his acoustic guitar and back up singers sparsely singing along. Again electric with the band playing a great Ragga Knocking On Heavens Door, very light hearted and fun. THEN Bonus track Bob at a July 1st London show playing a medley of Here Comes The Sun/Girl From The North Country. Hard to hear and watch, but worth it’s weight in gold for historic value. Then from the same London show a little Bob speak into a brilliant Dead Man Dead Man, matching the intensity of the album track, but is sadly cut after a chorus and a verse. Oddly the first 10 songs are also absent. When you separate the good from the bad D568.su is brilliant. A must have for fans of his 81 tours. To quote the prolific and sadly missed Jim50 This isn't quite a 5 star, but 4's not right either, so 5 it is.