Bob Dylan came to Lafayette, was seen, conquered and left

My expectations for the October 16 show in Lafayette, Louisiana were high for a number of reasons.

One reason is the roller coaster days of his shows seem to be over. Instead, according to reviews, he has found a way to infuse older songs as well as newer numbers, with an inspired energy, possibly inspired by the may Frank Sinatra interpretations he has recorded. Also, this was the first time I was going to enjoy Dylan at a concert hall, built for musical performances, instead of in big ice hockey barns, or outdoors.
The Heyman Performance Center seats about 1,500. Most of those tickets were gone within an hour after Ticketmaster released the tickets.
The view from the balcony was pretty good, and we could look down at a dimly lit stage with instruments waiting for their players.
At 8 p.m. the lights faded out, music, perhaps by Copeland, was played and we could see five shadows enter the stage.
First number out was Things Have Changed. Bob's vocal were low in the mix, but  this was adjusted after a few words. "I used to care, but things have changed", Bob sang, but I think that was a little white lie.
Dylan seemed to be on  task behind the piano. He was sitting mostly through the song. However, towards the end he got up, and made a couple of careful dance moves as the music intensified. A great performance and a great opening number.
In the next number, It Ain't Me Babe, Dylan showed his age, and I mean that in a positive way. He transformed from the restless youth he was when he wrote the number some 54 years ago, to an experienced man, explaining to his partner why he wasn't the man she was looking for. For me it was the first goose bump number of the evening, but far from the last. I couldn't help but becoming emotional. As Bob sang, teardrops fell.
After that number an inspired Highway 61 rocked the concert hall. Hwy 61 was where it all began for Bob, as he dreamed about going south from Minnesota, towards the Mississippi Delta and Louisiana. Dylan and the band just nailed the performance on this one.
Things slowed down once again as Bob told us about the Simple Twist of Fate. As Bob sang, and sometimes recited the lyrics, I couldn't help bu envision an old man sitting on a park bench somewhere, explaining to someone younger about life's twists and turns. A magnificent performance by Bob and the band. For the first time this evening, Bob picked up a harmonica, cheered on by the enthusiastic and respectful crowd. Another goose bump moment.
I had already shed a few tears, but for the fifth number it was time to Cry A While. Bob's band turned the song from his Love And Theft album to a heavy rocker. It probably was a standard performance, but Dylan's standard these days is much higher than other artists' average.
Then Bob took us on a trip on a a dirty gondola and also on a plane ride so bumpy that he almost died. The Band's original recording recording  from 1971 of When I Paint My Masterpiece is a classic, and hard to re-imagine,yet Bob Dylan did a good job of it when he told us about the  rubble filled streets of Rome, clergymen in Brussels and more. I came to think about someone sitting alone in a hotel room, writing a letter to a friend, describing his adventures on a tour in Europe. He makes a big promise in that letter, everything is going to be different when he paints that masterpiece. We know now that that masterpiece could be anything from poetry, paintings, or welded art.
Between each song, the lights dimmed and Dylan left the piano and sipped on something, possibly his own brand of bourbon, Heaven's Door. My wife asked me after the show, "Why do you think it was bourbon and not water in that cup?' I said, "I prefer to believe it was bourbon he sipped on."
Another blues rocker followed as Dylan asked us, Be Honest with Me.
For the next number, the tempo slowed down a bit again as Dylan explained how he was Trying To Get to Heaven. "I've been all around the world, boys. Now I'm trying to get to heaven before they close the door."
Dylan had stayed behind the piano so far, sometimes sitting sometimes standing, while making a few dance moves with his feet which was revealed by the shiny his white boots.
When the lights came back on Dylan was center stage, looking vulnerable as he grabbed the microphone stand with both hands. Longtime bass player Tony Garnier switched from his electric bass, to an acoustic one. Steel guitar player Donnie Herron picked up a banjo. Scarlet Town, recited by Dylan, was a one of many highlights this evening. "In Scarlet Town, you fight your father's foes, Up on the hill, a chilly wind blows You fight 'em on high and you fight 'em down in,You fight 'em with whiskey, morphine and gin." A top notch performance of Bob and the four-piece band. Extra drama was added by Tony Garnier as he used a bow on his bass.
A solid Pay In Blood followed with the poignant line : "I  pay in blood, but not my own.
Familiar chords followed for the next number and the crowd answered with the loudest cheer so far this evening. "Once upon a time you dressed so fine, threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?" Dylan and the band managed to reinvent the song a bit by slowing down parts of the verse before excellent drummer, George Recile set things straight, so to speak, by accelerating the tempo for the refrain. "How does it feel to be on your own, Like A Rolling Stone?" Majestic!
Before asking us not to think twice, Bob told stories about Early Roman Kings. "I ain't dead yet, my bell still rings!" exclaimed the 77-year old Nobel Prize Laureate.
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright was a masterful performance. Bob Dylan at the piano, while the band added almost not audible ambience to the song. "It ain't no use in  turning on the light babe, the light I never knowed, because he was on the dark side of the road" Dylan explained to us. For every verse the band added more instrumentation. Bob also added harmonica, while investigating every corner of the melody with this instrument. For the last verse, drummer George Recile laid out a soft shuffle beat, using whisks. The band including the harmonica playing keyboardist, played the song so beautifully. Goose bums again and more goose bumps followed.
The familiar opening chord of Love Sick played as Dylan took center stage again. The scene lights transformed the stage to an empty street lit up by street light as Dylan gave us the picture. "walking through streets that are dead, walking with you in my head." The band added more drama as the lonesome singer confided to us that he was sick of love. Last verse, say no more: "The silence can be like thunder, sometimes I want to take to the road of plunder. Could you ever be true? I think of you and I wonder. I'm sick of love, I wish I'd never met you. I'm sick of love, I'm tryin' to forget you. Just don't know what to do, I'd give anything to be with you."
Love Sick was one of the best Dylan performances I have never heard at the seven concerts I have attended (so far).
It's a hard number to follow, and Dylan and the band played it safe by performing a rather anonymous version of Thunder On The Mountain. However the last 20 seconds or so of the song literally exploded and gave room for George Recile to show his drum skills.
Soon After Midnight followed. Ever since I heard this song on Dylan's last (?) album of self-penned songs, Tempest, I have always considered this to be an homage to Dylan's buddy, Abbeville's own Bobby Charles. It is something with the melody and the phrasing of the lyrics. I will of course never get a confirmation regarding this but I prefer to think so.
The regular concert came and went with a rollicking version of Gotta Serve Somebody. A great version of from Dylan;s these days re-evaluated catalogue of Gospel songs. "Might be the Devil, might be the lord, but you gotta serve somebody."
The music ended, Dylan stepped out on stage, took a bow (not Tony's) and left. The band left with him. It was dark for a few minutes, while the crowd cheered for more.
The quintet returned, Donnie Harron grabbed a violin and played the familiar tones of Blowing In the Wind, the first of two encores. A beautiful version, which  brought out one of the louder cheers of the evening.
Second encore was Ballad of A Thin Man,
delivered with great dedication from all involved.  When Dylan sang bout Mr. Jones giving checks to tax-deductible charity organizations emphasized the phrasing on letters t,d,c, and to a comical effect, it was a lovely way to finish a wonderful concert. Dylan once again took center stage, stared out towards the audience, bowed a couple of times with the band (George Recile-drums, Tony Garnier-bass, Donnie Harron, steel guitar/guitar/banjo/violin, Charlie Sexton-guitar) lined up with him, and disappeared without a word, just as expected. I wonder if there is a touring artist who can match the four guys Bob Dylan tours with? I haven't mentioned Charlie Sexton, too much, but what a great guitar player he is!
As we made it outside and were walking towards our car, the two tour buses rolled by us and disappeared behind a curve. Dylan was already out of the concert hall heading towards Mobile Alabama, for Wednesday's show. A restless man with a restless soul had finished another day on the job.

Katrina made the unthinkable reality 13 years ago

On August 29, 2005, Hurrican Katrina made landfall just east of New Orleans. The following is a column from The Welsh Citizen, written  by me on a Tuesday afternoon 13 years ago:

 What many feared finally happened. Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst hurricanes ever

recorded in this country, made landfall early Monday morning, August 29.

Katrina didn’t seem too scary at first. She made landfall in southern Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, went out in the Gulf and rapidly built up power. The fearful weather front aimed at the Louisiana coast. Was New Orleans going to get a direct hit? What would happen? Would she take a more western path? What would then happen with us?

The killer hurricane hit the coast south of New Orleans but made a last minute turn towards the east. The eye just missed the city, but was devastating for The Big Easy’s neighbors in Mississippi and Alabama.

On Monday I was going to Crowley to prepare the newspaper for the press. I went straight to Crowley fairly early in the morning because I had no idea that to expect on I-10.

It was weird traveling eastward that morning. Hardly no traffic at all. I wasn’t passed by one single vehicle during the half an hour it took me to drive over to Crowley, and I did not pass anyone up either. I am not sure if I even saw 10-15 cars driving east or west that morning. It was right around 7:30 a.m. and the highway is usually busy at that time.

I went back to Welsh but took a break at the rest area just east of Jennings. It was crowded.

Everyone I talked to was from New Orleans. Most of the travelers had spent the night at the rest area. Some even put up tents. People were sleeping on the ground; others were sitting in their cars trying to get relatives over the cell phone.

One doesn’t see taxi cabs from New Orleans too often in this neck of the wood. Shah Malik was sitting in his cab

waiting, not for passengers, but for a word from home in New Orleans.

A school bus driver, Linda McCall from the New Orleans West Bank, had loaded up her family in the bus to seek shelter away from the storm.

Another family had loaded up two cars with 15 cats, eight dogs, three ferrets, three parrots, a guinea pig, plus Smiley the Frog. They were also from the Westbank and had not even considered getting a hotel room. All animals were doing well and the five people seemed to do well,

too. A family from Slidell had loaded up the trailer with their three dogs. They ended up near Jennings because earlier rest areas were even busier. They also knew that they were safe from the storm.

Every one of these individuals from all walks of life had something in common that morning. “I want to get back as

soon as possible to see what I have left.” They all made that comment even if it was worded differently.

The storm passed and New Orleans seemed to have fared as well as could be expected. I was not the only one that took a deep breath of relief Monday evening. On Tuesday morning news

reported that a levee broke and water was now coming into the central parts of New Orleans. There had been reports on Tuesday on flooded areas near Lake Pontchartrain. I just got back from the TV set at home. I had to drag myself away from the CNN broadcast. The coast guard was working hard rescuing people from their flooded homes. Only the roofs were sticking up from the water. Some structures were on fire. Looting on Canal Street was reported. The scenes on the TV screen are almost impossible to describe.

What was happening to this beautiful city? I had loose plans on Monday evening to try to take off from work get over to New Orleans. A guy from Malmö, Sweden was stranded in a hotel and I was asked by a Swedish newspaper if it was possible for me to get in touch with him and other Swedish tourists for a report. That proved to be impossible.

The question is now – what will New Orleans be like after this? How much demolition is there? What about the damage from the flooding?

I hope that New Orleans can be brought back to its former beauty. I am optimistic it is possible.

And let’s not forget the human sacrifices. Many lives were lost. We don’t know how

many yet. At least not on this Tuesday afternoon.

Editor’s note: The column

was written on Tuesday,

September 30 and published in The Welsh Citizen on September, 6, 2005.

Being around the dial has it's perks - A tribute to my favorite band, The Kinks

Radios of the world are tuning in tonight,
Are you on the dial, are you tuned in right?
One of our D.J.'s is missing.
Are you listening?
Are you listening to me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me clearly?
Around the dial.

I've been around the dial so many times,
But you're not there.
Somebody tells me that you've been taken off the air.
Well, you were my favorite D.J.,
Since I can't remember when.
You always played the best records,
You never followed any trend.
F.M., A.M. where are you?
You gotta be out there somewhere on the dial.
On the dial. (From Around the Dial by Ray Davies)

I was ten years old. My family was living on the west coast of Sweden, some 20 miles north of Gothenburg. I had slowly become aware of the emerging pop scene in Sweden and abroad. My four year older sister was a Beatles fan and had a few Beatles 45's. She had also been nice enough to take me to the movie theater where we had watched The Beatles first movie, A Hard Day's Night. My sister Aino usually brought home a Swedish pop music magazine, Bildjournalen, which I read from cover to cover as soon as she was finished with it.
The Swedish public radio didn't have much pop music on it was usually a few hours per week. Saturdays the radio broadcast a  traveling hit list show, where the audience could vote on the Top 10, plus five challengers. Tio I Topp, as it was called even came to the community, Stenungsund, where we were living at the time.
Anyway, from the music magazine I had learned about a radio station, Radio Luxemburg, which was broadcasting pop music 24/7.
However, it was distributed on middle wave, which only came in at night, if it came in at all.

We had a yellow transistor radio and this radio became my window out to the pop world a couple of hours every night.
I used to "sneak out" to the kitchen, grab the radio and bring it to my room while my parents and my sister were watching TV.
I soon learned to find Radio Luxembourg and enjoyed listening to the latest pop sounds, as much as the transmission quality allowed.
One night, I heard something I had never heard before on Swedish radio. The song started  with a bang. A guitar blasted out, 'bam baba bam bam! I had no clue what they were singing about. I was in fourth grade and had just starting to learn English a month, or so earlier.
The DJ came on and announced t bla-bla-The Kinks -bla-bla-bla etc. I didn't understand much, but remembered the name of the band, The Kinks. I
 heard that song several times until the my sister's music magazine  mentioned a new band, The Kinks and their hit record, You Really Got Me.
I was just take by the sound of the song. Finally I had something on my own to admire. I didn't just have to rely on my sister's Beatles 45's anymore.
Later that autumn,  it could have been around Christmas Time, 1964. our family was traveling to Gothenburg for some shopping. I had saved some of my weekly allowance for this occasion, because I wanted that record so much. At the record store the store clerk, an elderly gentleman, probably in his early 40's, asked me if i wanted to listen to the record before I bought it and of course, I thought he never would ask. It was just magic to listen to it like that.

I was a happy camper when we returned. I didn't have a record player yet, so my sister was graceful enough to let me play it on her record player, you know one of those  players where the speaker was in the lid, which you removed so one could get access to the turntable.
I was in heaven.

The Kinks continued to release hits, in fact they released a string of hits during the next few years. All Day And All Of The  Night, Tired of Waiting, See My Friends ( which perhaps was the first hit song with Eastern drone tones), A Well Respected Man, Dedicated follower of Fashion, and many more. The last one was a hit in Swedish as well, covered by Boris & The Beatmakers. I remember my dad really liked that song because of the catchy melody and the witty lyrics. By the way, the Swedish translation was fairly true to Ray Davies' English lyrics.
I continued to follow the Kinks over the years. However it wasn't until much later I realized how groundbreaking they were.  It seemed like they were working in the shadow of the big men, The Beatles, The Rollings Stones, The  Who, and maybe some other bands. I mentioned the Eastern sounding See My Friends above. Also they were the first rock band to release an album with a theme, Village Green Preservation Society. The follow up, Arthur (And The Decline Of The British Empire was also thematic. Eventually they sang about transgenders like Lola, or did they. We might never know. In the 1970's Ray Davies decided to release operatic albums like another two Village Green albums, plus Ducks on the Wall and Schoolboy In Disgrace.
I saw The Kinks perform once, in my then hometown of Lund, Sweden. It was during the Schoolboy In Disgrace tour.

However many years later, perhaps 25 years ago, I went to London. I had won a pop/rock trivia competition and the main prize was a flight to London. It just so happened that Ray Davies was performing his first Story Teller show. The show was based on his "unauthorized" biography, X-Ray. Roy read excerpts from his book accompanied by Kinks songs. As you can imagine it was a moving night to remember for this guy who, some 41 years earlier had listened to You Really Got Me on my family's transistor radio.
Many years after I moved here I was moved, again. I was watching the Olympic Game closing ceremony of 2012. All of a sudden, Ray Davies emerged singing , my perhaps favorite pop song ever, Waterloo Sunset. It was like all pieces came together.

All the above came to mind when I was playing one of The Kinks' 80's-albums Give The People What They Want. I used to be one of those kids who were searching around the dial for those pop songs. If I hadn't stumbled over The Kinks that one time, my list of favorite bands  might have looked different.
However the great The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and other bands are, The Kinks will always have a special place in my heart, no matter what.