Bob Dylan Americanarama

For the second time in less than a year, I got to see Bob Dylan, this time in Mountain View, right down the street! My thanks to DeeDee and Mike Tresemer for getting great tickets, a parking pass, and back stage passes to boot. This tour, Dylan was accompanied by three other bands: Opener Ryan Bingham, who did a nice 30 minute set, My Morning Jacket, who brought out Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, and Wilco, joined by John Doe and Weir. Dylan followed for an hour and 45 minutes. A spirit of collaboration ruled as all three opening acts joined forces more than once. The results were a little sloppy but entertaining and sometimes very powerful stuff. The only fly in the ointment on an otherwise outstanding musical evening was the incessant paranoia of the security at the Shoreline Amphitheater about cameras. This is brought on by Dylan's people, not Shoreline, but it was uncomfortable. The lighting for Dylan's set was designed specifically so that the audience couldn't see him. The spirit of collaboration didn't extend as far as Dylan who, despite having had the other headliners join him for a version of "The Weight" the previous few shows, decided to keep the stage for himself this night. The second photograph shows the MMJ and Wilco bands uniting forces with Bob Weir taking lead vocals. All photos taken with the Sony RX 100.