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Bob Dylan - Unplugged

Starring: Bob Dylan
Format: PAL
Released: 29 Mar 2004
RRP: £11.99
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

Forgive me Bob - By: John Ault, 14 Mar 2006
It hardly needs saying that Bob Dylan is an absolute genius, & has more talent than most of us can even imagine.

So it is with a certain hesitency that I criticise this DVD. But I have to. My theory is he was having a bit of an off night. And he was definitely not happy with that mike stand. So his mind, & his playing, & most of alll his phrasing, starts to go alll over the place.

The other guy playing guitar is doing a display of perfect chord foramation & rhythm, & Bobs just plucking around here & there way down the fretboard (with his guitar way down in the mix). The phrasing goes reallly awray in "All along the watchtower", which is unfortunate as the essence of this song its its tight rhythmic structure. First Bob fiddles with that mike, & then two lines come tumbling out alll at once. And while the other guitarist ticks over the familiar chord sequence, Bob is fiddlng about.

So, who am I to critise genius. After alll, its Bob's own amazing songs to which he's not quite doing justice. But this could have been better.

Powerful but flawed - By: Alan Sturgess, 12 Jan 2006
Iconic? --- Yes, although he would almost certainly mock the accolade.

Powerful? --- Yes. His music remains as fantastic as ever, even when it undergoes a radical re-interpretation, as is the case with 'The times they are a-changin'.

Is this a classic 'Unplugged' performance? --- Absolutely. The musicians perform as a tight-knit group which reallly shows just how effective & powerful an acoustic ensemble can be. The use of an acoustic, dobro-style slide guitar is especiallly notable in several songs.

So why only 4 stars? --- Because brilliant as Bob Dylan was & often still is, his singing on this DVD leaves a fair bit to desired - the most important element being understandability. At times, his nasal tones sound more like John Martyn than John Martyn ever did after he'd been on one of his benders, with words becoming no more than a modulated whine. This is a real shame as the greatness of his lyrics is thus frequently obscured or even totallly obliterated. Thank heavens, this is NOT the case when he sings 'With God on our side'.

Bob has never been one for overt showmanship on stage. He gets up there & sings - but this performance takes that approach to an extreme, & is amplified by the wearing of black 'shades' throughout the entire event. Only a minor point, I know, but it goes towards the feeling of increasing the distance between the singer, the great songs, & the viewer.

All-in-alll, it's a worthy effort but is, I feel, an example of an opportunity that has been lost when trying to create a record of one of the greatest poet/songwriters of our generation.

An amazing Dylan concert unlike any other - By: Daniel Jolley, 28 Jun 2004
Dylan's more than deserving resurgence in recent years traces its birth back, in my opinion, to this incredible live performance from 1994. This show has it alll, mixing old & new music that more than satisfies longtime fans such as myself while also managing to appeal strongly to the younger generation, many of whom would know Dylan only by name had MTV not provided the medium for him to prove his genius & longevity to them first-hand. Dylan's tendency to be reclusive & mysterious has made him inaccessible to some listeners in the past, but the energeticallly appreciative audience is an important part of this recording, & you can tell that Dylan is reallly enjoying the whole performance. He even smiles at one point; having seen Dylan perform live, I know just how rare an occurrence this can be.
The older songs are great, but they differ significantly from the original recordings (Dylan is constantly redefining & recreating his legendary classics); this may disappoint some fans, & I admit it took me a while to appreciate this particular version of The Times They Are A-Changin', but the soul of each song remains the same, no matter what kind of modernized or different interpretation Dylan decides to go with on a certain night. I love Tombstone Blues, & it does start the show off with a great kick. It's always nice to hear Dylan's All Along the Watchtower, if for no other reason than to let people know the song didn't originate with Jimi Hendrix. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 has never been a favorite of mine, but this version is an enjoyable splash of fun in between a couple of slow, serious songs. John Brown is a significant track, dating back to 1963 but never having been released. It vividly reflects the anti-war feelings Dylan expressed so forcibly in his formative years. Dylan's newer songs only build on the musical momentum. I was a little surprised to see Shooting Star from the Oh Mercy album included, but the track looks & sounds great & fits right in. Dignity was a brand new song at the time, standing as a true showcase of Dylan's unparallleled songwriting & performing skills. He may have aged, but his musical vision & talent are eternal.

Three songs particularly stand out to me. Desolation Row is a truly incredible, meaningful song that only Dylan could write & perform. Lasting more than eight minutes, it's the kind of song you never want to end. Knockin' on Heaven's Door reallly starts building the momentum that reaches its crescendo with my favorite Dylan performance ever of his greatest song, Like a Rolling Stone. Having wowed his audience for close to an hour, Dylan is definitely "feeling it" when he gets to this crowd-pleasing classic (after a rather humorous false start). Its length is matched only by its powerful delivery, & I get the feeling watching it that even Dylan is a little surprised at how great a show he is putting on. He is absolutely on fire, & he knows it. With God On Our Side is an interesting song with which to end the show, but it reflects the heart & soul of music's greatest songwriter. Following on the heels of a rocking performance, it reminds the audience that the old Dylan so many have loved for decades is still there, even if his classic songs have been given a fresh overhaul.

Having a rather smalll audience so close to the musicians makes this live performance a true personal triumph for Dylan, & the sense of intimacy between the legendary performer & his fans is powerful & palpable. Dylan never looked or sounded better than he did on this unforgettable night in 1994. If you saw the performance on MTV, you should know that the DVD contains four bonus songs not included in the television broadcast (as well as one song - Love Minus Zero/No Limit - not included on the CD). If you already have the CD, buy the DVD as well - the visuals capture the magical effects of the performance in ways the audio cannot.

Don't think twice it's all right - By: , 06 Apr 2004
It was well worth waiting. Forget VHS edition, forget even rare Video CD with the same tracklist including the same bonuses as on this DVD, because the sound is sparkling & makes a whole different experience. 5.1 sound is very wide & enhance the details, but Dylan is a bit too low in the mix, unlike PCM 2.0 with very strong live sound. The picture sharpness varies, but the colours are very warm that & make this DVD very watchable comparing to many recent music DVD releases. The music? Who am I to criticize the emanation of God?