Despite various moments of happiness, Bob Dylan in Afas Live is a bit disappointing ★★★☆☆

Much can be said about the concerts Bob Dylan (81) gave in the Netherlands over the past thirty years, but they were never boring. He sang unintelligibly, often seemed to be playing a different song than his band, and took a run with tempo and melody of the songs that had made him arguably the greatest songwriter of his generation. Who Like A Rolling Stone, Blowin’ in the Wind or Tangled Up in Blue wanted to hear as Dylan had once made them pop classics himself, better stay home.

Those songs are not on the program that he brings to Amsterdam these days. The focus has been since he started it almost a year ago in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on his last album, Rough and Rowdy Ways; the tour is named after it. Nine of the ten songs from the album, which is generally regarded as one of his better, are on the set list that remains unchanged, even now that the tour is in Europe. Only the almost 17 minutes long Murder Most Foul remains unplayed.

Dylan is apparently just as fond of this album as his critics, and it is therefore a joy in advance that Dylan focuses on a new album during his performances for the first time in about forty years. The fact that it is all a bit disappointing has to do with two flaws. First of all, the songs with which the new work is interrupted. The fact that Dylan chooses to mainly use songs from the years 1969 – 1971 is part of his ever enigmatic repertoire selection. But a rather unassuming To Be Alone With You as a connection between the two perhaps most beautiful songs of Rough and Rowdy Ways (Crossing the Rubicon and Key West (Philosopher Pirate) ) is a sin, just like the somewhat affected I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight that precedes these three songs.

Anticlimax

Which brings us to the biggest flaw: Dylan’s piano playing. He hasn’t played the guitar for years. But the way he keeps hammering the same chords on his piano in all songs is just as nice, but it comes at the cost of the subtlety that characterizes his new work.

And in all songs it is Dylan the pianist who is the musical center. Then you can bring along another excellent five-piece band and let the brilliant Donnie Herron play on violin and pedalsteel guitar, the sound of the hall not being tuned very hard (which is a pity) is mainly dominated throughout the evening by chunky blues rhythms. And yes, that makes it a bit boring, especially the second half of the concert. That even becomes a bit of an anticlimax with the two slightly lesser new songs (Mother of Muses and Goodbye Jimmy Reed) as a prelude to Every Grain Of Sand, that lacks the deep gospel feel of the original from 1981 – but does get a nice vocal slash from Dylan.

To be ‘graaaaaaaaain’ has the sneer of a Liam Gallagher, as there are more of those moments when you can especially enjoy Dylan as a singer. Because he sings more intelligibly than ever, especially in his new work. I Contain Multititudes is an early highlight with bowed double bass. It is also witty how he uses the word lung normally I’ve been on the job too long from black rider almost sarcastically long.

There are various moments of happiness during the concert that, despite the high expectations, is ultimately a bit boring.