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Bob Dylan keeps it simple on stage – Metro US

Bob Dylan keeps it simple on stage

It was only heard a few times reverberating through the Metro Centre last night, but even a passing music lover could have identified who was behind that harmonica.

It might have been because of the distinctive sound of the chords, but more likely from the vibrant applause that came after Bob Dylan began to blow into the instrument.

A major music figure for the last five decades, the recent Pulitzer Prize recipient gave his audience of more than 7,000 a performance that sounded more blues club than arena venue.

He stepped on stage without uttering a word, taking his place in front of his keyboards and playing the opening notes of Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35.

Dylan — born Robert Allen Zimmerman — stood near his keyboards the entire night. As he played, the soon to be 67-year-old (his birthday is Saturday) shuffled his feet and grooved along with the music.

Warm applause after each song was not enough to break the aloofness he showed throughout the evening though.

He stood sideways to the audience for most of his two hour performance. It was not until he finished his first encore that Dylan finally addressed his fans.

“Thank you friends,” he said, before the band ventured into the opening notes of his final song, Like A Rolling Stone.

It was a performance nothing like that of another legend from the same generation who entertained Halifax earlier this month.

While Leonard Cohen shared stories during his five nights at the Rebecca Cohn, Dylan avoided the chit-chat.

Instead, the warble and muffle-voiced singer let his music to speak for him, as he and his five accompanists charted their way through his songbook.

-dean.lisk@metronews.ca