A performance in Stuttgart years before this one still splits opinion. It’s a Bob Dylan gig now notorious with fans. Some believe it is the worst he has ever sounded, others are too in love with the man’s work to notice the drop in quality. What should be the focus is not the Stuttgart 1991 disasterclass but the performances Dylan delivered in the German city in the years to follow. He made good on that blip of a bad performance with strong adaptations of his material to the stage, particularly in his 2019 return. Stuttgart 2019 is a night and day difference. Contrast it with the performance he gave twenty-eight years ago and the strength of voice, the confidence in his career, and a general love for performance have all returned. Every performer is bound to have a bad performance. Through volume alone, Dylan has more than the average artist. But he performs more, too. Just look to Stuttgart 2019 for how easy an improvement is following a dud show in the same city.
Such a wonderful voice. There’ll be those who believe the rough, gruff, cough of Dylan at this stage is nothing worth listening to. Fair play to them, but it is the decades of work, the contemporary touch, which brings out the best in these songs now. An appreciation for the studio work is crucial, and a little sentimentality helps, too. Opening song Ballad of a Thin Man makes this clear. It’s in hearing how things have changed, a song which is absent from this set, but its message is present throughout. A strong quality recording helps greatly, and with Stuttgart 2019 you can get a borderline studio quality listen. It Ain’t Me, Babe, is a stellar early example of what Dylan and the band can offer on stage. Nothing to promote but the songs of the past, and that makes all the difference. It’s the drawl he has now, the heavy-set piano paired with the inevitably reflective tone that works best of all.
Rare moments like Stuttgart 2019 exist to prove Dylan does enjoy live performance. It’s all a spectacle, and listening to upbeat renditions of Highway 61 Revisited and Gotta Serve Somebody is a real thrill. They highlight that, more than anything, not every song has to be a serious musing. There are moments which offer that, of course, like with When I Paint My Masterpiece, the sparse performance is always a deeply complex experience. But there are playful moments found throughout this performance, as though Dylan has thoroughly reconnected with the songs at hand. A clear vocal performance is crucial for this. You will rarely hear Dylan and the band in better form than they are in here. Even a song like Simple Twist of Fate has a spring to it, a joy which is brought on by some lighter piano work and a sentimental tone.
Crucial is the balance between sentimental and stern. Dylan finds that here. Every song is a tightrope walk of feeling the decades of emotions swell to the top and playing the indifferent, mysterious icon. Stuttgart 2019 is nothing short of staggering. A mesmerising selection of songs which, with this tone to them, are a real treat. Can’t Wait, Like a Rolling Stone, and Girl from the North Country are obvious highs but take a note for those moments of brilliance on Scarlet Town and Love Sick, too. It’s the fine blur of old school classics and modern-day charmers which makes the 2019 tour, when on the right night, hit well. There is a patchiness to the sets between Shadows in the Night and Rough and Rowdy Ways but when Dylan hits on a strong setlist and instrumental style, as he does here, it’s hard not to love it all.
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