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>From pitt!dsl.pitt.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!rochester!uhura.cc.rochester.edu!sunybcs!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!lll-winken!ames!amelia!howells Tue Apr 24 09:12:11 EDT 1990
Article 1429 of rec.music.dylan:
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>From: [e-mail] (Napoleon in Rags)
Newsgroups: rec.music.dylan
Subject: Toads 1/12/90
Summary: the legendary Toads!
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Date: 19 Apr 90 15:54:44 GMT
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The legendary Toads tapes... Just where the hell is Toads anyway? I
forget... Also, I'm open to corrections, clarifications, complaints, and
comments from anyone who was at this particular gig. I have read the
previous postings, but unfortunately I managed to lose the articles.

TOADS 1/12/90
=============

Walk A Mile In My Shoes
One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35
Trouble No More
I've Been All Around This World
Political World
Where Teardrops Fall
Tears Of Rage
I Dreamed I Saw St Augustine
It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
Everybody's Movin'
Watching The River Flow
What Was It You Wanted
Oh Baby It Ain't No Lie
Lenny Bruce
I Believe In You
Man Of Peace
Across The Borderline
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat
All Along The Watchtower
Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love)
Political World
What Good Am I?
Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
Pay The Price
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Man In The Long Black Coat
Congratulations
Dancing In The Dark
Lonesome Whistle Blues
Confidential
In The Garden
Everything Is Broken
So Long, Good Luck And Goodbye
Where Teardrops Fall
Political World
Pretty Peggy-O
I'll Remember You
Key To The Highway
Joey
Lay Lady Lay
I Don't Believe You
When Did You Leave Heaven?
Maggie's Farm
I've Been All Around This World
In The Pines
Highway 61 Revisited
Precious Memories
Like A Rolling Stone


In an interview in 1965 or 1966 (Olof, help!), Dylan was asked about his
ambitions and he replied, facetiously, that he wanted to be a trapeze
artist. It seems that Dylan has finally accomplished that goal, for here he
is very much the trapeze artist performing without a net. At other times on
these tapes he resembles the tightrope walker constantly on the verge of
losing control and plumetting face first into the dirt but somehow making
it to the other side intact. In many ways Dylan's current touring career is
a lot like that of Chuck Berry's. Berry, for the last 30 years, has been on
the road playing incredibly sloppy shows with any pickup band that happens
to be around at the time, and the loose offhand manner in which he plays
his famous tunes can be both frustrating and exciting at the same time.
There is a major difference between Berry and Dylan: Berry hasn't written a
new song in years and doesn't tour to promote any particular album, whereas
Dylan is still creating sometimes brilliant songs and still records vital
albums which must be promoted. Therefore, the most unusual aspect of
Dylan's current tour is that he, being the legend that he is, can take such
incredible risks while at the same time promoting an album of no little
importance. The usual practice would be for the singer to put together a
polished and well rehearsed band and take the act on the road with all the
publicity machinery rolling to hype the event.

But this is Bob Dylan, not Billy Joel.

Ostensibly as a rehearsal for the upcoming South American tour, his first
ever, Dylan and company (G.E. Smith on guitar, but I'm not sure of the bass
and drums anymore) scheduled an impromptu appearance at Toads, which I
understand is a 500 seat club, and proceeded to play all night as any local
bar band might do. Excitement literally fills the air as, to the
astonishment of the audience, Dylan plays set after set - each time
announcing his return after a break. One or two sets is about all anyone
could ever hope to expect, but when it's announced there will be a third
and then a fourth! Unbelievable! Since this is an audience tape, and a good
one, crowd noise is fairly prominent but not intrusive during the songs
themselves. Normally I get annoyed at talkative tapers, but the few brief
comments overheard by those near the recorder actually add to the
atmosphere. At a concert, excessive noise and commentary is inexcusable,
but at a nightclub with most of the patrons smashed out of their minds,
it's to be expected. Therefore, audience noise on this tape doesn't bother
me in the least.

The songs themselves: a most unusual collection of classics, new and recent
songs, and offbeat covers. The tone is set right away with a cover of the
old Joe South hit "Walk a Mile in My Shoes". Later, there are surprises
such as "Dancing in the Dark", "Key To the Highway", "Confidential",
"Lonesome Whistle Blues" and others. They just seemed to be trying out
anything that came to mind, sometimes with good results and sometimes not.
Some songs, such as "I've Been All Around This World", show great potential
but are sabotoged by Dylan himself. Some songs are attempted more than
once, often with the second or third passes showing dramatic improvement.
"Political World", for instance, is performed three times. The first
version is probably the most exciting, but the final one is a little more
together. "Tears of Rage" is absolutely fantastic. "Pretty Peggy-O", which
would be improved a bit by the time of the PSU concert a couple of days
later, shows great promise. "Man in the Long Black Coat" has an
unbelievably mean and harsh tone - much spookier than the album version. Of
special note is Smith's high pitched sustains at appropriate moments to
provide extra dramatic intensity.

Some songs, or at least the arrangements of them, should be retired: "One
More Cup of Coffee" just sounds terrible and reminds me of my very first
garage band when I was 13. If Dylan actually sings real words on "Rainy Day
Women" I would sure like to know it, but I don't see the point in playing
this song anymore. There are far better rock and roll numbers with real
lyrics he could perform. This arrangement of "Memphis Blues Again" is
starting to bore me and it just seems to be getting worse. I strongly feel
it's time Dylan and Smith parted company. Does anybody else feel that this
minimalist experiment has gone on too long and is starting to get stale?
Maybe if an additional guitarist were brought on board the sound would
improve, but for now Dylan's rhythm guitar playing is sketchy at best. The
greater fault has to lie with his sidemen, however, because he tried this
same sort of thing with the Rolling Thunder Revue and they never had any
trouble keeping up with his erratic chord changes. G.E. Smith, although a
very accomplished guitarist, lacks imagination and doesn't have a unique
style. The bass and drums, although very powerful, are just rudimentary.
And while I'm ranting, is it really necessary for Dylan to sing "All Along
the Watchtower" and "Like a Rolling Stone" all on one note?

Still, this is a very exciting and worthwhile tape. When Dylan walks the
highwire you never know what will happen. I think it's admirable that he
takes chances when he could be playing it safe with a large backup band,
but I believe it's time for something new.

The tapes sound pretty good for audience recordings. The atmosphere of
excitement comes through pretty well.

Favorite moments: After the intro for "Like a Rolling Stone" has played for
a while, Dylan tells the band "too fast" and proceeds to slow it down with
much better results; the first "Political World" with the extended jam at
the end; the crowd going absolutely crazy during Springsteen's "Dancing in
the Dark" and yelling "Bruuuce!" when the song is finished so that it
sounds like they're booing Dylan!

Sound: 8 (pretty good audience tape)

Performance: 7 (some real trash here, but also some brilliance)

--
John Howells
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