Fans of the veteran songwriter Bob Dylan were full of praise for his recent European tour, particularly for a “new arrangement” of a classic track.
Dylan has been touring his Lights of Autumn show across Europe and will perform shows in the United Kingdom later this year. While his setlist has thrown out a handful of surprises, including deep cuts from Time Out of Mind and Love and Theft, Dylan’s recent performance in Vienna, Austria, has been singled out for praise. Fans flocked to the r/BobDylan subreddit where they shared their thoughts on his Wiener Stadthalle show. One song in particular, Tryin’ to Get to Heaven, has been given a huge instrumental change that has sat well with attendees. The fan in question posted a review of the show to the forum and said the “upbeat and jazzy” rendition is a wonderful alternative to the moody Time Out of Mind original.
They wrote: “People often say that they can’t recognise the songs when Dylan sings them. Even some longtime fans say this, and I always scoff a bit when they do because just two years in, I recognise them almost instantly. Tonight was the first time that it took me a long time. When he played Tryin’ to Get to Heaven, I recognised the lyrics and was singing along to them in my head, but I couldn’t place the song because the arrangement was so different. I had to wait until the chorus to figure it out.
“I take back all my scoffs. Even though I love the recorded version of this (particularly Version 2 on Fragments), this was a fantastic alternate arrangement. Really upbeat and jazzy.”
The fan went on to say that songs like Tangled Up in Blue and High Water (For Charley Patton) were performed in a far moodier tone than the likes of Not Dark Yet and I Shall Be Released.
They confirmed: “Throughout the night, I realised that his songs about passing on- this one, Not Dark Yet, and I Shall Be Released- were upbeat while many of his love songs- Tangled Up in Blue, I Can’t Seem to Say Goodbye, and even High Water, which sounded like he transformed it into a love song- were maudlin, regretful, and pained.
“This was most noticeable for me on Not Dark Yet, which sounded almost angelic, like the trumpets at the pearly gates. It didn’t sound morose or foreboding like it does on the album. Instead, it was more like, I’m ready- get your horns.”
Dylan will continue his European tour on November 14 with a performance in Salzburg, Austria. A full setlist for his Wiener Stadthalle show can be found below.
- Watching the River Flow
- Love Sick
- It Ain’t Me, Babe
- Tryin’ to Get to Heaven
- High Water (For Charley Patton)
- I Can Tell (Bo Diddley cover)
- Black Rider
- Tangled Up in Blue
- When I Paint My Masterpiece
- Not Dark Yet
- I Can’t Seem to Say Goodbye (Jerry Lee Lewis cover)
- Early Roman Kings
- Soon After Midnight
- Million Miles
- Under the Red Sky
- Sugar Baby
- Goodbye Jimmy Reed
- I Shall Be Released
Dylan will perform five shows at the Royal Festival Hall in London, England, in December.
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