Munich, 4.PM.I Had an incredible day in Munich today.

What a city.. spent most of the sunny afternoon in

the 'english gardens'- a huge lush park

in the middle of the city...I was walking around with two

dylan fans that I had met in Ischgl- It was really cool.

I am only down here for a long weekend, but I am so relaxed that I actually forgot what day it is...

Anyway, I am really looking forward to tonight’s show; As exciting as last night's atypical show was,I am actually hoping to hear some TooM stuff.

I'm at the venue now... much bigger place than I expected. Doors are still closed, and

it looks like security is going to be tight.. No taping for me, looks like. Oh well.

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The show

4 U Munchen Hotel, 1:30 AM I just got back to the hotel after the show- WOW.I have slept a total of 9 hours in the last 72, but I am bouncing off the walls. WHAT a show.

I guess I'll go through the show while its relatively fresh in my sleep-addled brain.

I got in real early and checked out the place. I don't know the capacity of the arena, but it was a big indoor place..

I tried to ask the light guy if I could look at a cue sheet-- He was polite, but seemed way busy, so I let him be.

Grabbed a beer and chatted with some German fans.. Really nice folks.. This weekend is the first time (besides boston 12/9/98) that I have been to shows solo, and I really like it... I also end up meeting so many other Dylan fans..

Anyway so the show started with:

Friend Of the Devil. Decent rendition.. I like the musical arrangement that they play, but it bugs me that he does so much of the song twice, you know?

Mr. Tambourine Man was better. The sound in the Olypiahalle was really good, and it showed on this tune. I kinda missed it, but it

sounded like there was a changed lyric.. Did he rhyme something with Needle??

Masters of War was a low point for me.. partly the tune, but partly that this was when dylan's singing seemed the most tired during the show..

Next was Mama you've been on my mind.. Just great..I wanted to hear this before this weekend, and I got it.

What a cool summation of longing this tune is.

When the band started Tangled up In blue, I noticed that it was really easy to go up front.

So I grabbed my stuff and went forward. All of a sudden, and without being aggressive, I am in the

third row on the left (larry) side. TUIB was not nearly as cool as it used to be, but I still like seeing it live... gets the crowd into it.

I expected one more acoustic, but was more than happy to hear them bust into Maggie’s farm. This is one of those tunes that doesn't seem to suit bobs voice as well as it used to, but it was a solid version.

Tryin' to get to heaven is such a nice tune, and I love seeing it live... just to hear:

I can hear their hearts a-beatin', like pendulums swingin' on chains.

so cool..

The next tune was the highlight of the weekend, and a moment that I will not soon forget.

Somewhere pretty early in the tune (stuck inside of Mobile) , as bob was in between verses, he looked over in my direction. Not sure if he was looking at me, and not quite sure what to do, I sort of raised an eyebrow and half-smiled back at him, kinda like he does.

Bob sorta smiled and looked away.. I looked around me to make sure that there wasn't a pretty girl standing right behind me, and there wasn't.. But the cool part came next.

when bob looked back in my direction in between the next lines, I kinda jokingly mouthed what the coming line was. He really got a kick out of this, and smiled a bit.. And then he just kept looking over at me in between the lines. Not sure what to do, I just kept saying the lines kinda deadpan or nonchalant.. I don't know what the hell I was doin, but he seemed to be getting a kick out it, and I was too. This went on for a while, like two verses or so.. by the end, I was certain that it was indeed me, and I really made eye contact… I mean it sounds a little weird, but it was a real highlight, and I was psyched that I could sorta let him know that one person really digs hearing him live, and that I hope he continues enjoying it..

Anyway, that whole thing put me in a good mood, and even though the rest of the show was not super incredible, I was in a good mood and just enjoying myself..

Next he played I don't believe you (she acts like we never have met)... I had just been listening to the version of this tune on Darkness at the Break of noon, which is in my estimation one of the coolest versions possible of this tune... But anyway, I don't remember specifics-- just that singing was good here.

Highway 61 was also cool.. hilarious guitar hero poses (it should also be noted that at some point during the show, bob almost fell down after duck-walking backward into the drum riser..oops)

And as the band waved to the crowd after this tune, I noticed why Larry Campbell is such a great guitarist. As the crowd went pretty wild, the guy had one of the biggest "aw, shucks" grins on his face that I have ever seen.. He almost seemed embarrassed to be clapped for.. And this is after he just traded incredible riffs with bob on guitar.. So the point is,he is damn good, but he doesn't have the ego to try to upstage bob or the rest of the band.. I really like his playing..

Anyway, Love Sick was the first encore, and it was great.. spooky weird lights, really great guitar playing (the guitar seemed even cooler than the grammys performance of this tune)

Rainy day women... Not very good, but to find a positive in it: at least they didn't turn the damn house lights on during this one.

Blowin in the wind was SO much better than at Ischgl, even though I liked the version there. The singing was strong clear and nice.. I skip this tune on discs, but I dug the version I heard this weekend.

Not fade away was cool.. The third at least quasi Jerry Garcia reference of the evening (if you include the reference in Tryin to get to heaven!)

Singing wasn't to sharp, but what a fun tune.

I kinda lost track of things at this point, knowing that this was the end of the line for seeing live dylan for a while.. so I don't remember much of Like a rolling stone..

I met up with the German fan that I had met in Ischgl and we chatted about the show.. We were all psyched about the show-- I mean bob was a little tired, and there were some low points, but it was a great show too..

After about 20 minutes of hanging out on the floor a guard told us to get out of there... I walked by the same lights guy that I had seen before, and thanked him for a good show..Seriously, I think the lights were really well done.. After seeing him before the show, I was noticing how smooth the transitions were, how much nice soft blue light there was, and how well the bright white stuff works on tunes like H61... he seemed to really appreciate that someone had noticed, and I left the arena..

--- well now its 12:00 monday afternoon and I'm on a train back to Denmark. I'm sunburned to hell, and I just used all my money for May (It's May 3.), but I couldn't be more psyched for this weekend.

later,

-Dennis