Alright. Here’s the promised review of concert #6: Bob Dylan and The Dead at Darien Lake, NY.

Let me start by saying never, ever, ever go to a concert at Darien Lake. Ever. It’s an amphitheater outside of Buffalo that’s parked right next to a Six Flags. There’s basically just one way into this place and that’s by taking an exit off I-90 that’s smack-dab in the middle of a construction zone. Oh, and not just the highway is under construction, but also the toll plaza. As thousands of people tried to exit the highway to get to the venue, there were a mere 3 (yes, count ‘em at home. 3.) toll booths open. From there on out it was 2-lane road for the next 8 or so miles to the park. It took us 2 hours from Erie to get within 15 miles of the theater and another 2 hours before we finally got to there, parked and got out of the car. 15 miles in 2 hours! It was definitely the most excruciating day I can remember. You know how sometimes when people are in pain, they bite themselves or inflict some other kind of pain to distract themselves from the other pain? That’s exactly what I wanted to do as I sat in that bumper-to-bumper traffic. I was searching franticly for a blunt object to hit myself over the head with to take my mind off the miserable situation. I finally ended up just banging my head off the steering wheel repeatedly.

But once we got out of the car, it was a pleasant experience. The parking lot was filled to the brim with your requisite dreadlocked, barefoot deadheads. And of course not one of them actually had a ticket…or money. So they all sat around selling patchwork skirts and macramé purses and begging for tickets.

Because of the severe traffic conditions we got there much later than anticipated, but managed to only miss the first song of Bob Dylan’s set. Not too bad. We made it just in time for one of the best love songs ever, “Love Minus Zero/No Limit”. I was quite surprised when Bob played the entire show behind the keyboard, but I didn’t mind. He seemed to really enjoy it. He was having such a good time, he soloed on harmonica on almost every song, which is not a normal occurrence. Anyway, the setlist, although short, was a great mix of new and old. Mr. Dylan seems to have become quite taken with the blues. Most of the songs were played with a wonderful rough, raunchy, roadhouse blues feeling, particularly "Highway 61 Revisited”. Concert highlight? The new (“Cold Irons Bound”) contrasting with the old (“Positively 4th Street”). Second place? Bob’s costume from his “summer collection”: an outfit of all white including white boots and what appeared to be white leather pants. Bob will do what Bob will do and who cares what anybody thinks. That’s one of the reasons I love this guy. Like myself, he’s an individual through and through. Worst part? Surprisingly, “Mr. Tambourine Man.” The vocals were way off. I’ve come to expect and even enjoy a little erratic, off-key singing from Bob, but there was nothing endearing about “Mr. Tambourine Man” that night. Too bad.

It was also strange not seeing Charlie Sexton on lead guitar. That might be one reason for Bob’s retreat to behind the keyboard. It always seemed like he really enjoyed trading licks with Charlie. Oh well, it was fun to see Bob Weir come out and take up lead on a few of the songs. I was impressed that he had the respect for Dylan to eschew his usual t-shirt and shorts to put on a suit like the rest of the band to come out and Dylan. Out of the seven times I’ve seen Mr. Dylan, I would put this at around 4th or 5th. A good show, I just wished for more.