Saw Wilco open for the Stones in 2005, and My Morning Jacket at Bonnaroo in 2011. I've been a Dead Head since the early 70s, so I've been Bob Weir quite a few times.

Dylan is one of those artists whose songs I have always liked, and I appreciate his genius.

Many friends of mine who have seen him live describe the show in any of these possible ways:

A. It will be amazing, incredible, and you'll be up and dancing the entire show.

B. A rabid gerbil croaking into a paper bag would be much more entertaining.

C. An American legend, you really need to take the time to see him live.

D. I would rather watch a marathon of "Gilligan's Island" TV shows than hear the man attempt even ONE song on stage.

The best advice I see on the net is: "Go......and don't expect ANYTHING.....and you might be surprised."

For my fellow IORRers who have seen a Dylan show: what do you think I'll see? Legend.....or gerbil?

Cheers.....

I saw him a few weeks ago for the first time. Here's my mini review...

I fully expected a substandard performance with a subpar setlist.

My expectations were met completely... and I couldn't be happier.

Seeing Dylan walk onto that dark stage to start the show was amazing. In fact, I almost got emotional. Bob fing Dylan. The American Icon. Standing in front of me. That was all I needed for this show to be a success.

Dylan was actually in fine form... ie, you could actually understand what he was singing! Dylan was strutting around with the music and getting into it. Sure it ain't Jagger, but it was enough.

Highlights were High Water, Spirit on the Water, Tangled Up in Blue, and Visions of Johanna.

It wasn't a super great setlist, but hey, who cares? You're in the presents of a god. A god who actually seemed like he was enjoying himself. Fun fact, he didn't acknowledge the crowd once. Not a wave, not a word. Classic Dylan.

Anyone going to that show expecting him to play his greatest hits was a fool. You got to hear Bob Dylan on a good night for 2 hours of your life. That should be enough. Some of the kids there (4500 tickets were free to students who went to the college) left that show bitchin' up a storm. I just shook my head. You should realize just how lucky you are to share the planet with people like Dylan. Could you imagine seeing Beethoven, Mozart, or Shakespeare live?

I am thinking of going. I have seen Dylan many times, but a long time ago, and I am a big fan and thought he was amazing. I do listen to the recent live stuff, and he often doesn't sound too good, but also these are from phone films and such, so hard to judge. I would go into it expecting to love seeing him, but maybe not enthralled with his voice. Great band.
Wilco is great! I haven't seen them live yet, which is another reason I want to go. And I like a lot of what I hear from My Morning Jacket. I only have two of their discs, but like them. Tripy music.
Not familiar with the Richard Thompson Electric Trio.

Richard Thompson is one of the greatest guitar players on the planet. I am not exaggerating. I am saddened that I'll be seeing Weir instead of Thompson (though at least I've seen him before).

#69 is *way* too low imo but here ya go:

Richard Thompson has been one of rock's most dazzling stylists since his days with Fairport Convention, a British folk-rock band that veered into English traditional music. Shooting out life-affirming riffs amid lyrics that made you want to jump off a bridge, he combined a rock flatpick attack with speedy fingerpicking. His electric-guitar solos, rooted less in blues than in Celtic music, can be breathtaking, but his acoustic picking is just as killer; no one knows how many tears have been shed by players trying to nail "1952 Vincent Black Lightning."

Key Tracks: "Shoot Out the Lights," "1952 Vincent Black Lightning"

This is more like it -- #19 on this list:

Richard Thompson is the greatest guitarist in British folk rock— and that's only one of the genres he has mastered. He was eighteen when he co-founded the English folk band Fairport Convention in 1967. By the time he left, in '71, Thompson had created a seamless world music for acoustic and electric guitar drawn from Celtic minstrelsy, psychedelia, Cajun dance tunes and Arabic scales. He is also one of Britain's finest singer-songwriters. His records with his former wife Linda, made between 1974 and 1982, are marvels of hair-raising musicianship and emotional candor. Try to see him live, with an electric band: The solos run long and wild.

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Read more: [www.rollingstone.com]
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook

I'm sorry you have to see Bob Weir. You can show up late, right?