Bob Dylan can take great pride in the Rolling Thunder Revue. Whether he remembers it or not is a different trouble. He claims he cannot recall the finer details of a turmoil-filled tour which would see him shuffle off the stage and away from the studio to lick his wounds and overcome an artistic shortcoming set to blight his career for the next decade. But right there on the stage of this performance, Rolling Thunder Revue: May 12, is where the cracks begin to show. This is not just an everyday show from Dylan but a piece which hears him feel the fatigue of playing out his best hits. He coasts through Mr. Tambourine Man, one of his finest writings, with all the interest of a cat pawing at some string. His energy is reduced and, in its place, comes a contractually obligated appearance, yet it still sounds tremendous, volatile and intense.
What this recording serves as then is a reminder of Dylan as an artist who, even when going through the motions of a show which does not excite him, still sounds exceptional. Another appearance from Joan Baez is a welcome introduction to the likes of Blowin’ in the Wind and Railroad Boy, the latter a quick and necessary break from Dylan’s originals. His performances before her appearance – a biting cover of Isis and a wonderfully relaxed Vincent Van Gogh hear Dylan at his most emotionally honest and in touch with the words of Robert Friemark. It is a softer touch to the Rolling Thunder Revue which relies more on its acoustic proclivities than anything else. Those acoustics boom through wonderfully and the instrumental clarity found throughout this piece is enough to haul Dylan and company across the finish line. They neared a bitter end and held it together as well as they could.
Going, Going, Gone is the standout moment of this performance. Dylan comes to terms with the burnout and the sleepless nights which kick on this desire to move on and away from the hits which were surely worn thin by a never-ending tour experience. Rolling Thunder Revue, particularly this May 12 date, highlights a heartbreaking reality for the Dylan touring cycle. Come for the hits, leave concerned for the man playing them. His Planet Waves deep cut is a wonderful fixture here, an essential piece for understanding the fractured tones of the band at this moment in time. Follow it up with Idiot Wind and the tensions come to a boil. An utterly furious and rampaging performance of the Blood on the Tracks classic gives listeners the last Dylan-exclusive song of the Rolling Thunder Revue performance.
He pairs with Roger McGuinn on Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door but by then the damage of Idiot Wind is lingering, a stunned silence and a wonderful intensity to one of the finest Dylan songs out there. Corruption reigns on those latter songs, the Idiot Wind effect in full swing. An infuriated Dylan cries out in a performance uncovered just a few years ago. Master tapes like this are always a treat to listen to because there is a sense of community spirit. Experts drafted in, preservers of history hard at work making these listenable. Those dedicated souls have brought another interesting gig back from the brink of death and we are all the better for hearing it. A monumental discovery and an exceptional quality recording of a surreal performance.
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