Review: Bob Dylan delights fans, but misses opportunity at The Weidner

GREEN BAY - Bob Dylan brought his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour to Green Bay on Sunday night. Many of the fans were ready to be rowdy, but Dylan was closer to the rough.

Dylan used his phrasing and dynamics marvelously to express the intended spirit throughout his 17-song performance, but his articulation was lacking as the hour-and-45-minute show progressed, especially on tracks off "Rough and Rowdy Ways," his most-recent studio album of new material.

The album, which drew positive praise from critics when it was released in 2020, is still certainly less familiar to the audience than songs from the 1960s, when he became "the voice of his generation." However, given a chance to showcase the songs, the feeling was vibrant, but the lyrics were often hard to decipher.

Dylan, who turns 84 next month, did frequently drink out of a cup between songs, so perhaps his voice was tired with his 10th concert over a 13-day span.

Cofrin Family Hall inside The Weidner is known for its outstanding acoustics, and the sound lived up to the billing as guitarists Bob Britt and Doug Lancio, bassist Tony Garnier and drummer Anton Fig complemented Dylan's piano playing with nuance.

The sold-out crowd of 2,021 was ready to encourage Dylan on, giving him partial standing ovations after numerous songs. One fan in the front row was prompted to get up and dance during "Desolation Row" and "Goodbye Jimmy Reed" – two of the more upbeat songs performed.

After a series of midtempo songs, the crowd offered yeahs and woos when the pace picked up midway through "Crossing the Rubicon" – one of the nine songs Dylan performed off "Rough and Rowdy Ways."

The stage was dimly lit to set the mood with two larger 1930s-style theater spotlights and four smaller lights.

Dylan, dressed in a white shirt with a black jacket and pants, performed behind a baby grand piano for the entire concert, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing. The band, in all black, was situated in a half circle behind him, allowing them to see his piano playing.

On the second song of the concert, "It Ain't Me, Babe," Dylan briefly played lead guitar for the equivalent of an instrumental first verse. However, after performing sitting with his back to the audience, then he set the guitar down, turned around and began singing the opening lines, never picking the guitar up again.

He broke out the harmonica for the first of three times on "When I Paint My Masterpiece," which also prominently featured his piano stylings. The finale of "Every Grain of Sand" also featured Dylan passionately performing on the harp bringing cheering from the audience.

When the concert was over, the five performers all stood straight up, basked in the standing ovation, then walked off into the darkness.

Bob Dylan's Green Bay set list

1. "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" (from the album "John Wesley Harding," 1967)

2. "It Ain't Me, Babe" ("Another Side of Bob Dylan," 1964)

3. "I Contain Multitudes" ("Rough and Rowdy Ways," 2020)

4. "False Prophet" ("Rough and Rowdy Ways," 2020)

5. "When I Paint My Masterpiece" (first released by The Band, 1971)

6. "Black Rider" ("Rough and Rowdy Ways," 2020)

7. "My Own Version of You" ("Rough and Rowdy Ways," 2020)

8. "To Be Alone with You" ("Nashville Skyline," 1969)

9. "Crossing the Rubicon" ("Rough and Rowdy Ways," 2020)

10. "Desolation Row" ("Highway 61 Revisited," 1965)

11. "Key West (Philosopher Pirate)" ("Rough and Rowdy Ways," 2020)

12. "Watching the River Flow" ("Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II," 1971)

13. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" ("Bringing It All Back Home," 1965)

14. "I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You" ("Rough and Rowdy Ways," 2020)

15. "Mother of Muses" ("Rough and Rowdy Ways," 2020)

16. "Goodbye Jimmy Reed" ("Rough and Rowdy Ways," 2020)

17. "Every Grain of Sand" ("Shot of Love," 1981)

5 takeaways from Bob Dylan's Green Bay concert

• Dylan at the end of "Key West" told the crowd it was a song that he wrote after staying overnight at Ernest Hemingway's house, which is situated on the island of Key West, Florida. "I woke up in the morning and that's the song that came out," he said.

• This was just Dylan's third-ever concert in Green Bay. He last performed on Oct. 30, 2001, at Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena. However, for anyone who last saw him perform 23 years ago, Dylan didn't perform a single song Sunday that he sang in 2001. He did duplicate three songs from his first performance at the Arena on April 15, 1994 – "It Ain't Me, Babe," "Watching the River Flow" and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue."

• Dylan, when he introduced Anton Fig as the drummer, said, "You know you've seen him before, you just don't know where." Fig is new to the tour this year, but played along with Paul Shaffer in bands on David Letterman's shows for decades. Fig also has done numerous session work, including playing on Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and drumming for Kiss on their "Dynasty" and "Unmasked" albums.

• The couple next to me held hands during "I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You," showing that his newer songs can strike a chord when the words can be comprehended.

• Dylan's merchandise table sold two items that promoted his Green Bay stop. A $20 poster that touted the "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour performance, mentioning April 6 and The Weidner. The limited poster sold out. They also sold a $40 "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour shirt with a list of spring concert dates on the back. The large and 2XL sizes were already sold out an hour before showtime.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Review: Bob Dylan delights fans in Green Bay, but misses opportunity