1990 Days Of ‘49

 

7      the never-ending tour: Third Year.. 1

7.1        Introduction. 1

7.2        The Musicians. 2

7.3        The show.. 2

7.4        The Fastbreak Tour. 2

7.4.1     The dates. 2

7.4.2     The songs. 3

7.4.3     Statistics. 7

7.4.4     Comments. 7

 

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Days of ‘49

 

7       the never-ending tour: Third Year

7.1       Introduction

The never-ending tour continued 1990 with no less than five new legs:

1.     The Fastbreak Tour during January and February

  1. Spring Tour during May and June
  2. Summer Festival Tour in Europe during June and July
  3. Late Summer Tour during August and September
  4. Fall Tour during October and November.

The so called Fastbreak Tour was a strange series of dates on three continents. First three warm-up gigs in US (a technique Dylan has used before on two occasions, 1978 and 1981), his first ever shows in South America, one in San Paolo and one in Rio de Janeiro, then four in Paris and finally six in London. The Dylan staff T-shirts in London had "1990 World Tour" on them, so it seemed that this leg was indeed only the beginning of 1990's touring.

After a break of three months, in which Dylan recorded two albums and one video, the tour started up again in late May, this time with a string of dates in Canada and the north of US. The musicians were the same once again, despite rumors that G.E. Smith had left. There are three remarkable things about this leg:

  1. The acoustic set is revitalized by keeping the band on stage and having Garnier playing acoustic bass and Parker playing "acoustic drums". This is having a great effect on the more up-tempo acoustic songs like It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)'.
  2. Dylan starts talking to the audience between songs!!! First time this happens is at the second show in Toronto as a response to extremely bad and extremely unjust reviews to the first show. Having rediscovered the delight of communicating with the audience also between songs this practice continued more or less during the remainder of the 1990 shows.
  3. Dylan's singing. If playing the guitar seemed to be as important as his singing during the Fastbreak Tour, this time singing seemed to be his primary concern! Songs are sung like never before with improvised melodies and sometimes long "opera" endings. This is far from the raspy voice he's using on Under The Red Sky and Traveling Wilburys and, unfortunately (and strangely), very little of it is heard after this leg.

With little more than a week's rest the tour continues in Europe with only  nine dates, mostly at the summer rock festivals. First date is in Reykjavik, Iceland, and he has now played in all Northern European countries! The shows are the same in structure and song selection, but somewhere some of the energy and the joy seem to have been lost and the shows are with a few exceptions rather uninspired.

The fourth part of the Never-Ending Tour started up with a show in Edmonton, just a month after the last European show in Montreux in Switzerland. This turned out to be one of the strangest set of showed Bob Dylan ever played. G.E. Smith had apparently given in his notice sometime during the summer and to select a replacement, a number of guitarists played with G.E. Smith and the band at a number of shows, auditioning live at stage as it were. At the last shows even his guitar technician César Diaz played a couple of shows!

After another month-long break, during which the new album Under The Red Sky was released, the fifth and last leg started in Greenvale, New York. The replacement issue was obviously still unresolved, since the live auditioning continued with Steve Bruton and John Staehely. César Diaz now seemed to be permanently in the band. G.E. Smith played his last show October 19 at the Beacon Theatre in New York City and Dylan continued touring with two guitarists, John Staehely and César Diaz, neither playing lead guitar!

The structure of the shows stayed the same till the end of the fall tour.

 

[TOP]

7.2       The Musicians

 

Fastbreak

tour

Summer

tour

European

tour

Late summer

tour

US Fall tour

G.E. Smith (guitar, backup vocal)

X

X

X

X

X

Tony Garnier (bass)

X

X

X

X

X

Christopher Parker (drums)

X

X

X

X

X

Steve Bruton (guitar)

X

X

John Staehely (guitar)

X

X

Miles Joseph (guitar)

X

Steve Ripley (guitar)

X

César Diaz (guitar)

X

X

 

7.3       The show

The shows were structured in the same way as in 1988-1989:

 

                      6-7 electric songs

                      3-5 acoustic songs

                      4-6 electric songs

 

                      1 acoustic encore

                      1 electric encore.

 

The only exceptions to this are the three warm up shows in January before the shows in Brazil. Some shows during the last two legs started with short instrumental, often only a few bars.

 

[TOP]

 

7.4       The Fastbreak Tour

7.4.1     The dates

 

JANUARY

 

12

New Haven, Connecticut

Toad's Place

 

14

Penn State, Pennsylvania

Recreation Hall, State College

 

15

Princeton, New Jersey

McCarter Theater, Princeton University

 

18

Sao Paolo, Brazil

Estadio Cicero Pompeu de Toledo

 

25

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sambodromo

 

29

Paris, France

Le Grand Rex

 

30

Paris, France

Le Grand Rex

 

31

Paris, France

Le Grand Rex

 

 

FEBRUARY

 

 

1

Paris, France

Le Grand Rex

 

3

London, England

Hammersmith Odeon

 

4

London, England

Hammersmith Odeon

 

5

London, England

Hammersmith Odeon

 

6

London, England

Hammersmith Odeon

 

7

London, England

Hammersmith Odeon

 

8

London, England

Hammersmith Odeon

 

 

All shows are stereo audience recordings.

 

[TOP]

7.4.2     The songs

AC  acoustic with G.E. Smith

AE   starts acoustic, ends electric

SONG CHART

 

January

February

12

14

15

18

25

29

30

31

1

3

4

5

6

7

8

S

Walk A Mile In My Shoes

1

1

One More Cup Of Coffee

2

3

2

3

Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35

3

15

21

21

22

21

7

20

8

Trouble No More

4

1

I've Been All Around This World

5

14

20

23

6

Political World

6

2

10

3

17

14

14

5

3

4

4

6

6

6

7

19

Where Teardrops Fall

7

5

6

17

6

Tears Of Rage

8

5

2

I Dreamed I Saw St Augustine

9

1

It Takes A Lot To Laugh

10

9

8

12

15

16

15

16

8

Everybody's Movin'

11

1

Watching The River Flow

12

1

1

3

What Was It You Wanted

13

4

10

7

4

6

6

8

8

9

Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie

14

1

Lenny Bruce

15

19

14

3

I Believe In You

16

12

5

3

Man Of Peace

17

15

2

Across The Borderline

18

11

2

Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat

19

8

7

7

5

5

All Along The Watchtower

20

13

18

5

3

3

4

11

7

8

8

3

3

9

14

Tight Connection To My Heart

21

8

17

17

16

16

3

7

15

9

Political World

22

-

What Good Am I?

23

11

15

14

4

Wiggle Wiggle

24

15

2

Stuck Inside Of Mobile

25

4

4

3

6

1

1

4

5

7

10

Pay The Price

26

1

Help Me Make It Through The Night

27

1

Man In The Long Black Coat

28

17

15

16

16

17

2

7

Congratulations

29

1

Dancing In The Dark

30

1

Lonesome Whistle Blues

31

1

2

Confidential

32

1

In The Garden

33

18

18

15

17

16

6

Everything Is Broken

34

16

7

8

15

17

13

13

13

13

14

14

14

13

So Long, Good Luck And Goodbye

35

1

Where Teardrops Fall

36

-

Political World

37

-

Pretty Peggy-O

38

12

2

3

I'll Remember You

39

14

16

3

Key To The Highway

40

1

Joey

41

1

Lay Lady Lay

42

16

2

2

12

13

6

I Don't Believe You

43

2

2

When Did You Leave Heaven?

44

1

Maggie's Farm

45

19

10

3

18

20

18

19

8

I've Been All Around This World

46

-

In The Pines

47

1

Highway 61 Revisited

48

9

5

5

7

20

20

20

24

9

Precious Memories

49

1

Like A Rolling Stone

50

20

21

19

19

19

20

16

17

18

19

17

18

18

21

15

You Angel You

6

8

2

Ballad Of A Thin Man

7

7

2

4

4

Gotta Serve Somebody

10

11

2

Knockin' On Heaven's Door

21

20

2

It Ain't Me, Babe

AC

2

11

10

18

19

22

6

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

AC

3

8

9

10

4

Gates Of Eden

AC

4

8

10

12

10

5

Lakes Of Pontchartrain

AC

5

1

Forever Young

AE

6

20

20

21

19

12

6

Positively 4th Street

8

3

2

Simple Twist Of Fate

13

17

17

3

Most Of The Time

14

2

2

Seeing The Real You At Last

16

7

7

13

15

18

6

Most Likely You Go Your Way

1

1

1

3

Forever Young

2

1

I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

4

4

2

I Want You

6

2

6

3

Just Like A Woman

9

13

2

15

4

Mr. Tambourine Man

AC

12

11

10

17

19

20

11

13

8

Blowin' In The Wind

AC

13

14

9

3

Don't Think Twice

AC

14

12

9

3

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

AC

15

9

11

3

I Shall Be Released

18

18

19

5

17

5

Subterranean Homesick Blues

1

1

1

3

You're A Big Girl Now

6

6

16

5

15

5

Ballad Of Hollis Brown

9

2

3

3

One Too Many Mornings

AC

12

11

12

3

Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll

AC

13

11

11

11

4

Love Minus Zero/No Limit

AC

9

9

2

Man Gave Names To All The Animals

16

1

The Times They Are A-Changin'

AC

9

8

2

It's Alright, Ma

AC

10

10

2

Boots Of Spanish Leather

AC

12

10

10

3

Masters Of War

18

4

2

To Be Alone With You

1

1

2

John Brown

4

5

2

Shelter From The Storm

6

1

Girl From The North Country

AC

10

11

2

Visions Of Johanna

AC

8

1

Mama, You Been On My Mind

AC

9

9

2

Barbara Allen

AC

18

1

Queen Jane Approximately

14

1

My Back Pages

3

1

Man Of Constant Sorrow

AC

12

1

Song To Woody

AC

12

1

Knockin' On Heaven's Door

AE

13

1

Dark As A Dungeon

AC

19

1

Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You

13

1

Absolutely Sweet Marie

1

1

Pledging My Time

5

1

To Ramona

AC

11

1

She Belongs To Me

AC

12

1

Disease Of Conceit

14

1

Every Grain Of Sand

19

1

Total # of songs

50

21

21

20

21

21

22

18

20

20

21

19

20

20

24

338

 

[TOP]

ALPHABETICAL SONG CHART

 

January

February

12

14

15

18

25

29

30

31

1

3

4

5

6

7

8

S

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

AC

15

9

11

3

Absolutely Sweet Marie

1

1

Across The Borderline

18

11

2

All Along The Watchtower

20

13

18

5

3

3

4

11

7

8

8

3

3

9

14

Ballad Of A Thin Man

7

7

2

4

4

Ballad Of Hollis Brown

9

2

3

3

Barbara Allen

AC

18

1

Blowin' In The Wind

AC

13

14

9

3

Boots Of Spanish Leather

AC

12

10

10

3

Confidential

32

1

Congratulations

29

1

Dancing In The Dark

30

1

Dark As A Dungeon

AC

19

1

Disease Of Conceit

14

1

Don't Think Twice

AC

14

12

9

3

Every Grain Of Sand

19

1

Everybody's Movin'

11

1

Everything Is Broken

34

16

7

8

15

17

13

13

13

13

14

14

14

13

Forever Young

AE

6

20

20

21

19

12

6

Forever Young

2

1

Gates Of Eden

AC

4

8

10

12

10

5

Girl From The North Country

AC

10

11

2

Gotta Serve Somebody

10

11

2

Help Me Make It Through The Night

27

1

Highway 61 Revisited

48

9

5

5

7

20

20

20

24

9

I Believe In You

16

12

5

3

I Don't Believe You

43

2

2

I Dreamed I Saw St Augustine

9

1

I Shall Be Released

18

18

19

5

17

5

I Want You

6

2

6

3

I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

4

4

2

I'll Remember You

39

14

16

3

In The Garden

33

18

18

15

17

16

6

In The Pines

47

1

It Ain't Me, Babe

AC

2

11

10

18

19

22

6

It Takes A Lot To Laugh

10

9

8

12

15

16

15

16

8

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

AC

3

8

9

10

4

It's Alright, Ma

AC

10

10

2

I've Been All Around This World

5

14

20

23

6

I've Been All Around This World

46

-

Joey

41

1

John Brown

4

5

2

Just Like A Woman

9

13

2

15

4

Key To The Highway

40

1

Knockin' On Heaven's Door

21

20

2

Knockin' On Heaven's Door

AE

13

1

Lakes Of Pontchartrain

AC

5

1

Lay Lady Lay

42

16

2

2

12

13

6

Lenny Bruce

15

19

14

3

Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat

19

8

7

7

5

5

Like A Rolling Stone

50

20

21

19

19

19

20

16

17

18

19

17

18

18

21

15

Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll

AC

13

11

11

11

4

Lonesome Whistle Blues

31

1

2

Love Minus Zero/No Limit

AC

9

9

2

Maggie's Farm

45

19

10

3

18

20

18

19

8

Mama, You Been On My Mind

AC

9

9

2

Man Gave Names To All The Animals

16

1

Man In The Long Black Coat

28

17

15

16

16

17

2

7

Man Of Constant Sorrow

AC

12

1

Man Of Peace

17

15

2

Masters Of War

18

4

2

Most Likely You Go Your Way

1

1

1

3

Most Of The Time

14

2

2

Mr. Tambourine Man

AC

12

11

10

17

19

20

11

13

8

My Back Pages

3

1

Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie

14

1

One More Cup Of Coffee

2

3

2

3

One Too Many Mornings

AC

12

11

12

3

Pay The Price

26

1

Pledging My Time

5

1

Political World

6

2

10

3

17

14

14

5

3

4

4

6

6

6

7

19

Political World

22

-

Political World

37

-

Positively 4th Street

8

3

2

Precious Memories

49

1

Pretty Peggy-O

38

12

2

3

Queen Jane Approximately

14

1

Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35

3

15

21

21

22

21

7

20

8

Seeing The Real You At Last

16

7

7

13

15

18

6

She Belongs To Me

AC

12

1

Shelter From The Storm

6

1

Simple Twist Of Fate

13

17

17

3

So Long, Good Luck And Goodbye

35

1

Song To Woody

AC

12

1

Stuck Inside Of Mobile

25

4

4

3

6

1

1

4

5

7

10

Subterranean Homesick Blues

1

1

1

3

Tears Of Rage

8

5

2

Tight Connection To My Heart

21

8

17

17

16

16

3

7

15

9

The Times They Are A-Changin'

AC

9

8

2

To Be Alone With You

1

1

2

To Ramona

AC

11

1

Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You

13

1

Trouble No More

4

1

Walk A Mile In My Shoes

1

1

Watching The River Flow

12

1

1

3

What Good Am I?

23

11

15

14

4

What Was It You Wanted

13

4

10

7

4

6

6

8

8

9

When Did You Leave Heaven?

44

1

Where Teardrops Fall

7

5

6

17

6

Where Teardrops Fall

36

-

Wiggle Wiggle

24

15

2

Visions Of Johanna

AC

8

1

You Angel You

6

8

2

You're A Big Girl Now

6

6

16

5

15

5

Total # of songs

50

21

21

20

21

21

22

18

20

20

21

19

20

20

24

338

 

[TOP]

7.4.3     Statistics

 

Number of shows:

15

Number of circulating shows:

15

Number of circulating & complete shows:

15

Number of unique shows [1]:

15

Number of different shows [2]:

15

Number of different songs [3]:

101

Number of unique songs [4]:

101

Number of performed songs:

338

Mean number of performed songs:

22

Variation [5]:

4.6

 

# of

# of

songs

%

perf.

%

Electric

75

75.0

271

80.2

Acoustic

25

25.0

67

19.8

pure

23

23.0

60

17.8

ac ® el

2

2.0

7

17.8

Albums

80

80.0

310

91.7

Singles

1

1.0

2

0.6

Outtakes

1

1.0

2

0.6

Covers

18

18.0

24

7.1

 

7.4.4     Comments

 

Recommended shows

Paris 31 January, London 6 and 8 February.

 

Songs

Dancing In The Dark - the Boss hit from 1984 causing Brooces from the audience at Toad's

Help Me Make It Through The Night - one off cover version at Toad's

I've Been All Around This World - a blue grass song, trad??

In The Pines - a terrific electric version of the Leadbelly song

Key To The Highway - one off cover version at Toad's

Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie - one off cover version at Toad's

Pay The Price - one off cover version at Toad's

Tight Connection To My Heart - live debut!

Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You - first since 1976!

Trouble No More - one off cover version at Toad's

Wiggle Wiggle - a new Dylan song? Yes!

You Angel You - live debut!

During this tour Dylan started playing three more songs from Oh Mercy:

Political World, What Was It You Wanted and Where Teardrops Fall.

 

[TOP]

 


[1] a show is unique if no other show has the same songs in the same order.

[2] a show is different from another show if the set of songs are different, regardless of order.

[3] electric and acoustic versions are counted as different songs.

[4] a song is counted as unique regardless of how it is performed.

[5] variation is computed as the quote between number of different songs and mean number of performed songs.