Trento, Italy (15-Jun-08)

For those of us who understand and appreciate the hard work that goes into the editing and sound upgrading of audience recordings, the author of this disk deserves high marks. He has cut out the more seriously compromised songs and kept those that are well-enough preserved to provide a more or less full-song experience. While the extreme close-ups of Dylan are noteworthy, and the cameraman is to be praised for his nerve and skill under adverse conditions, I disagree with the notion that such films give the viewer a realistic experience. When one attends a Dylan concert, one is not two-feet away from Dylan looking at him in the face, except at such concerts as "Stage-Diving in Dubque" (D045 and D045.su) where audience members were actually on the stage with the band. To my knowledge, none of those stage divers had a camera, and, if they did, any attempt at steady filming would have been quite impossible. For the "in-your-face" experience, one must depend upon a zoom lens, that is, upon an artifically-enhanced experience.

I'll give this one a '5' for the skill and good taste of the author, a '5' to the videographer for his nerve and skill, a '5' to the audio taper for an excellent soundtrack, and a '4-' for the viewing experience itself. That comes out to about a '4+' for a worth getting, but not quite "must-have" disk.

The "Wedding Band", we've all seen them, all suffered them. Playing 5-6 weddings every week for the past 10 years or so. There's Mum in front [keyboards/vocals] who spends the entire evening polishing & painting her nails. In the back, Dad & No.1 Son [drums & guitar respectively] who while away the hours with a game of crib... 8.30pm, time for "The Joke" and on with the... whatever, 10.05 break for tea, the instruments could just just about play themselves.
Three of the tracks here are old, old favourites, total performances must run into the 1,000's [and no, I'm not going back to count them] but I can't see Bob's keyboard having the guts to play on without [despite ?] him. He's fairly attacking it, and the songs. No lack of commitment here, no going through the motions. Can he still be excited about Highway 61 ? seems so, even Summer Days isn't just an 8min. filler. Seems even more intense than what we have on the pro-shot Madrid [D839.ep], does our Bob 'freeze' when he knows a camera is on him ?
Only the 4 songs here, or rather 4 almost songs, but it doesn't matter, they're as complete as need be, flow beatifully, just a sheer delight. You get just what the screen-shots show, Bob filling the screen, no pans, no band, nothing else, so maybe being only the 4 tracks is a positive rather than something to be regretted. 2 hours of this would be too much, we'd soon be be shouting out for Band shots, lighting rig shots, crowd views, anything.
And did George have the cards out ?, can't tell from this, but going by the looks that Bob's casting over in that direction, wouldn't say I'd rule it out.
Ever get the feeling that Bob's sideways placement for the last few years, has less to do with being 'part of the band' and rather more to do with his need to keep everyone under a very tight rein, ..getting paranoid in his old age...?
An unreserved 5 stars. Get it.