I knew who he was and some songs. Blowin’ from a teacher at school. Tambourine man from the byrds. He was a wilbury! Congratulations and tweeter were favorites and had my mind blown dazed and confused headphones style with hard rain from Bangladesh. I got exposed to desire and isis by an older kid at camp. Then he had his heart thing and I decided to see him when he next came around. And got bootleg 1-3.
Them time out of mind came out and I remember putting on lovesick for the first time in my dads car and saying out loud “WHAT IS THIS?!” and I was hooked. We used to listen to it while we studied and would stop and just say to each other “trying to get to heaven is the best thing ever!” No it’s not dark yet! Man highlands is worth it if you listen to the whole thing just to hear that menacing minor chord and him sing “ the party’s over and there’s less and less to say”. Went by myself to see him at maple leaf gardens (took the streetcar over after an exam. Got greens from a scalper and passed a joint by a nice guy) and from that point on I was a disciple. Blood. Slow train! Infidels! Oh mercy! The CD Singles with the live versions (that can’t wait is still better than telltale) the hard rain with the symphony in Japan. The bootleg CDs. Memorizing lyrics like they were Shakespeare or the bible.
I saw soy bomb because I was so excited to see him play.
I still remember anxiously awaiting love and theft and that I couldn’t get it that day….because of September 11.
I saw him a million times in and around Toronto.
Wonder boys and things have changed whist magnified the legend making new amazing music.
Just like Springsteen with the rising, or steely Dan two against nature, I got to have an artist’s 3rd act (or 5th depending on how you count Bob’s) while I was wide open for it and eager for new meaningful music from legacy acts i worshipped. And to see every show I could.
Time out of mind (and the best live versions from it) just gets better as I get older.
I’ve always said I wanted the Paul version of all things must pass from the concert for George playing at my funeral.
I think Not Dark Yet might need to be in the playlist just because that final climbing instrumental build up would really get some tears. And my best friends would say “good call, but trying to get to heaven would have been better”.