The Last of the Best: A Review of Bob Dylan Live in Roanoke
The Last of the Best: A Review of Bob Dylan Live in Roanoke
by Jack Martin
November 2023
Legendary musician Bob Dylan made his first stop in Roanoke in four years on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. He played to a packed Berglund Performing Arts Center. The room was noticeably dimmer due to blue film inserts covering the house lights, while the band played a minimally lit stage. The crowd seemed to be filled mostly with older, Dylan enthusiasts. Much of the chatter I overheard from those surrounding my seat and those roaming the venue was about previous Dylan concert experiences, Dylan encounters, and collections of his merchandise or music. Even some of the event staff joined in on the excitement, making the room feel completely filled with anticipation from every attendee.
It is difficult to say anything new about a ubiquitous public figure. It is difficult to find someone who doesn’t know who Bob Dylan is or what he does. Everybody who attends a Bob Dylan show knows to some extent what they are going to experience. These things are important to note because it is clear that Bob Dylan is aware of this. Starting sharply at 8 PM in a cell phone-free room, Dylan cleared through fifteen songs before so much as speaking a word to the audience. When he finally did speak, it was a brief introduction of his band followed by two more songs and a swift stage exit. He played mostly newer material off of Rough and Rowdy Ways, save for a couple of deep cuts, a handful of old favorites such as “When I Paint My Masterpiece" and “Every Grain of Sand,” plus a cover of Johnny Mercer’s “That Old Black Magic.” The versions were generally long, intense, and subdued. This combination of factors would make a show fall flat for virtually any other artist, but not Dylan. His performance is somehow beautiful, fascinating, and fresh sixty years into his career.
Watching and listening to Bob Dylan in 2023 is a truly surreal experience. Legacy acts do tour from time to time, but virtually none of them play new music, and even fewer of them tour at the rate that Dylan still does. He presents himself simultaneously with the composure and professionalism of an artist who has been doing what he does for decades as well as the hunger of an up and comer. Dylan had a smile on his face the entire show, and despite his obvious age he was clearly loving every minute of the performance. The lyrics of his new material are extremely intimate and intense. The songs he played were long, reflective, and deeply autobiographical. Autobiographical songs have always been something Dylan has excelled at, but to hear lines such as “the last of the best, you can bury the rest” come from the mouth of a now 82-year-old legend is an extremely striking and poignant experience.
Compositionally, one should not go to a Bob Dylan show in 2023 expecting the organ-driven country-blues-rock of the 60s and 70s. His voice is weak and weathered. It carries a weight with it that can only come from decades of an exceptional life. The music reflects this truth by being considerably more subdued and jazzy than what one might expect from Dylan. In fact, Dylan did not pick up a guitar a single time, and only played his famous harmonica once. The rest of the performance was spent sitting–and standing–behind a baby grand piano, playing lines and progressions that feel just as beautifully messy as his guitar and harmonica playing once did.
The overall effect of the performance was one of complete and total mastery. Any other artist would fall into the trap of doing more than what your age allows, but Dylan embraces his legacy act status with open arms. The weathered nature of his songs and performance leave a deep impression on the audience that cannot be replicated. Sonic mastery is never what Bob Dylan aimed for, but this rejection of musical norms is exactly what makes his music still special and resonant sixty years into his career. He still provides an extremely worthy performance, and his appearance was a highlight of the year in Roanoke’s cultural sphere. <>