WARFIELD THEATER - SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Overall, 3 November finds Dylan more energized, beginning from the first notes of a determined and defiant Serve Somebody. If the first two nights seemed tentative, here Dylan seems to overflow, at times jumping the gun on songs and forcing his band to catch up (I Believe In You, Solid Rock and What Can I Do For You), other times adding an additional chorus (Saved) or a new ending (What Can I Do For You).

The overall effect is a bit chaotic -- the band hesitating at the beginning and end of nearly every song, building up once songs are underway, but not ever quite maintaining momentum from song to song. Dylan's vocals are particularly strong on Precious Angel, Saved, and In The Garden. It is also clear that Dylan is still feeling his way through the arrangements of some of the as-yet unreleased songs from the forthcoming Saved album. His phrasing on Covenant Woman here seems to be soliciting a groove which won't emerge for another week or so.

The audience response to the as-yet unreleased songs such as Solid Rock, Saving Grace, and What Can I Do for You is extremely positive. One exception is In The Garden where a heckler (or transported fan - the words are inaudible) is shouted down at the beginning and there is widespread booing at the end. This is the only audible booing during the entire concert. It may be due to Dylan leaving the stage, disappointment with the setlist now that the main show is over, or may be a specific response to this particular song. The heckling at the outset appear to inspire both Dylan and the band to deliver one of the most powerful renditions of this song found this tour.

The audience is back on board once Blessed Is The Name begins and cheers wildly at the end, joining in enthusiastically on Pressing On as well.

 ANNOTATIONS:

• 1,2,4,guitar,5,keyboards,6
• (2) "drugs at your command"
• (6) "may be sleeping in a king-sized room; may be sleeping in a king-sized bed"

I BELIEVE IN YOU

• mistimed beginning, Dylan skips the first few words to try to fit the intro?
• also mistimed ending - band overall tentative

WHEN YOU GONNA WAKE UP? 

• taper coughs just before first notes
• very good performance

• thin start to performance

 Dylan: "Thank you, I'm going to ask Mona Lisa to come out here and sing a song called "God Uses Ordinary People"

#EDIT - cuts out performance of "God Uses Ordinary People" after first few piano notes

• drum and bass miss cue to begin song
• curious chorus climax/audience applause immediately preceding guitar solo
• rhythm stumbles leading out of guitar solo
• audience delirious

 SAVING GRACE

• performance begins during raucous applause to Solid Rock

AUDIENCE: "Talk to us!"

Dylan: "Just stop - don't read any more newspaper (reviews?)" (raucous applause)

• Dylan begins singing during intro refrain and band stumbles badly
• "Whatever pleases you, won't you tell it to my heart, I don't deserve what happens."
• "What can I do for you?" refrain at very end with piano arpeggio instead of harp ending.

• Dylan begins song without accompaniment through first stanza
• "Stone cold dead - I stepped forth from the womb" 
• Dylan sings through first piano solo

• Audience commotion at beginning - heckler is shouted down throughout the first stanza - picks up again as song ends
• Very strong performance
• Audience boos at the end

• Dylan again adds a stanza where the backing band is repeating the chorus towards end

• Audience member near taper mistakenly suggests this is Amazing Grace
• Dylan repeats chorus a third time at outset
• "But how can you explain an experience when it once comes within, when what's lost has been found and what's to come has already been."

 SOURCES:

One confirmed source recording circulating:

The first (031179JMMD) is a very good stereo audience recording which circulates as a fan-project entitled "Jesus Loves You, Bobby!" This recording lacks the seven opening songs by the band and Mona Lisa Young performing "God Uses Ordinary People."

ANNOTATION KEY:

BLACK TEXT = Confirmed Performance/Comments/Observations

RED TEXT = Flaw or Missing/Unconfirmed Portion of Recording

BLUE TEXT = Dylan's Comments or Statements Transcribed

GREEN TEXT = Notable Performance in my opinion