Though the last performance of the century may be cause for celebration, for Bob Dylan, it is business as usual. Newark 1999 is a time when his setlist would be unpredictable, his performances a strong continuation of the reformed studio sound he offered on Time Out of Mind. From 1996 to 2002, the touring days of Dylan were golden. These are the glory days, and this set is a clear example of why. The Susan Tedeschi-featuring set has Dylan rattle off hits and covers in his usual fashion, but the interpretations and the swinging, groovier style he affords those best-of efforts are phenomenal fun. This two-hour set features Tedeschi on a handful of songs, and her presence on those performances is a difference-maker. Highway 61 Revisited, Not Fade Away, and Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 are staples of Dylan’s set in the mid-to-late-1990s, but they have an extra strength here.
You can hear what Tedeschi adds to those moments when listening back to the earlier moments of the set. I Am the Man Thomas is an acoustic-led swing of an opener, light and warm in its placement. It, along with My Back Pages and It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) are a chance to lead an audience in with solid playing and recognisable tracks. Not the hits, which are reserved for the latter half of the set, but songs of interest to those in attendance. Anyone with a ticket to this show would have likely appreciated the likes of This World Can’t Stand Long and One Too Many Mornings, the latter never sounding better on stage than it did for Hard Rain. But to hear it still included as a song which follows on from Tangled Up in Blue is a treat.
Dylan, at this point, is a man who can lean into the forward-thinking lyrics. Those moments of contemplation on My Back Pages are staggering. As are the likes of It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry, the first of four Tedeschi features. It’s the sweetness of the instrumentals which make Newark 1999 worth a listen. An excellent quality recording with the all-time greats on stage with Dylan. Charlie Sexton, Larry Campbell, Tony Garnier, and David Kemper offer a slightly different style to those pre-Time Out of Mind tours. Gone is the intensity of a rock and roll band, and in comes the softer, bluesier touch. Part of that is thanks to the acoustic reliance, but a part of it is Dylan playing to the strengths of a rotating line-up. It works nicely, and offers some solid outings of Love Sick, Like a Rolling Stone, and Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right in a hits-heavy encore.
But what precedes it are some real rarities from Dylan. Joey is a surprise inclusion, and considering Time Out of Mind was still fresh enough to feature frequently, just the one song from it is a surprise. But this is a great set to round out the century. One last showcase of his abilities in the twentieth century. It’s a solid show, well-paced and offers that fine blur of experimental new instrumentals and understandable vocal offerings. Instrumental elongations are the real treat of this set. Tangled Up in Blue is extended wonderfully, with an acoustic guitar leading the way through a recognisable adaptation of the Blood on the Tracks classic. Dylan is keen to keep somewhat close to the source material here, a rarity nowadays, but he is not without his charm, hammering away at a grand piano. Newark 1999 has him ripping through some delicate adaptations of his very best works, but he still finds the time to feature a few surprises.
