This was my first Dylan concert, and still the best (but I’m always hoping for a new one to top it). The album Shot of Love was out at the time, and Dylan was starting to emerge from his so-called “Born Again” phase and mixing up his setlist to include songs from all eras.
I was in college at Shippensburg, PA, and friends of mine were on the concert committee at Penn State, so we were able to score second-row tickets for the event. Certainly the first time you see your hero it can be either thrilling or a let-down, but Dylan did not disappoint.
I was well aware going into the show that every tour had a unique sound, and that his older material would be rearranged to fit the feel of the newer album, and I had no problem with that. Shortly after 8 p.m., Dylan took the stage in his traditional sunglasses, was dressed in black, and opened with “Gotta Serve Somebody” from the 1978 Slow Train Coming album. From the very start he was mesmerizing, and being so close made it even more so. He alternated back and forth between old classics and his current material, with a musical continuity between them. The only downside was nothing from Desire or Blood on the Tracks was played, but that was a minor complaint.
His band, featuring stellar musicians such as Al Kooper on keyboards and Jim Keltner on drums, along with his female back-up singers was electric, his vocals were clear and sharp, and the setlist was superb. You couldn’t ask for a better first show.
Below is the setlist and a review published in the Penn State Newspaper, along with a general article on the 1981 tour from Rolling Stone.
Setlist:
Gotta Serve Somebody
I Believe in You
Like a Rolling Stone
I Want You
Man Gave Names to All the Animals
Maggie’s Farm
Girl From the North Country
Ballad of a Thin Man
In the Summertime
All Along the Watchtower
Forever Young
Gamblin’ Man
The Times They Are A-Changin’
A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
It’s All in the Game
Slow Train
Solid Rock
Just Like a Woman
Heart of Mine
When You Gonna Wake Up?
In the Garden
Encore:
Blowin’ in the Wind
It Ain’t Me, Babe
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
Reviews:
A general review of the tour from Rolling Stone
HEY…I was the driver for that show from Ship to PState!
First time I saw Dylan also. I too had the 2nd row seats($10!)–until 10 minutes before show time when some guy offered me $20 to move to the 6th row because “6 rows was to far for me from Bob.” Made a $10 profit to sit in the 6th row of a Bob Dylan show! I bought the beers that night….
You were the most important member of the team…the driver!