Bob Dylan - My Rough and Rowdy Ways /2020) Anticipation and Discussion Thread

New album ‘Rough And Rowdy Ways’ coming June 19th.
Pre-order now: https://t.co/SN0XeyNKiN
Listen to “False Prophet” here: https://t.co/05k7HYtPiK pic.twitter.com/raitEZpabe

— Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) May 8, 2020

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71I8A2kjrjL._SS500_.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kAFEGoQ.png

Three winners so far!

Stoked. Haven’t heard a Dylan album that I dislike, although I’ve never heard Dylan & the Dead.

Love how Bob keeps laughing as he sings "False Prophet"

(one thing I don't love so much is the album cover - it's very "swing trend c. 1998")

title an allusion to this Waylon Jennings tune?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y81Hm4k3Ag

Jimmy Rodgers song I believe

is the guy on the left being sick in the sink?

right. not left.

Not as big a fan of False Prophet as the other two, but I could see warming up to it. Love the sound.

70 minute album!

is the guy on the left being sick in the sink?

― thomasintrouble, Friday, May 8, 2020 6:10 AM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

is that a sink? the way it's glowing makes me think it's a jukebox.

def. a jukebox

Love that "Murder Most Foul" gets its own whole disc on the CD version.

So the whole story about Murder having been recorded years ago was a red herring? Somehow quite excited by this one despite the fact nothing since 'Love & Theft' has really grabbed my interest.

Can Bob please reach out to some new graphic designers please? Maybe someone that didn't just download the "My First Fonts!" software?

xp It still could have been recorded "a while back" (whatever that means).

if the cover of a new bob dylan cover isn't terrible, it's not a new bob dylan record

Lol

I reckon Bob does them all himself on his Amiga

Maybe James Morrison helps him by forwarding him some bad book cover art slapped on public domain works and such. Oh wait.

This man has been putting out music for 58 years now

The last couple leaked tracks last 58 years.

lmaooo

Bob Dylan's new guitarist on his first day of recording. pic.twitter.com/t04gggRSIY

— Jeremy Woodcock (@jwPencilAndPad) May 7, 2020

just when i thought 2020 couldn't get any worse

Maybe James Morrison helps him by forwarding him some bad book cover art slapped on public domain works and such. Oh wait.

― My Chess Hustler (James Redd and the Blecchs)

bad covers of public domain works v. much dylan's wheelhouse

Ha, of course.

Still think he should have called it 'Send Nudes'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RApqHyhQAZg&feature=emb_title

Not sure why that didn't work, but supposed to be a link to a video of "If Lovin' is Believing" by Billy "The Kid" Emerson from 1954. I've seen it passed around elsewhere for it's, uh, similarities to Bob's new song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6cbb0WAoTw

[This man has been putting out music for 58 years now

― Heez, Friday, May 8, 2020 8:50 AM (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

The last couple leaked tracks last 58 years.

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn)

belated lols

You don't have to be coy about any "uh, similarities" to 20th century Americana. The last two decades of Dylan's career are pretty much a cut up of those influences, he's not in any way ashamed of it or trying to hide it.

That reads much more aggressively than I meant it, sorry.

Dylan has been stealing other people's songs for sixty years now.

I mean, there's like 3 blues riffs the genre is built around slight variations on formulas and other songs

I didn't mean any ill-will. He has stolen many of his songs, so I'm not surprised to hear this is a rip off of "If Lovin' is Believing" by Billy Emerson. Keep on going, Bob - I like it.

I just heard the news about Little Richard and I’m so grieved. He was my shining star and guiding light back when I was only a little boy. His was the original spirit that moved me to do everything I would do.

— Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) May 9, 2020

((My) “Rough” and “Rowdy”) Ways

Good info, links, commentary (incl. re prev. known instances of BD's "folk process"=the best Tom Moon piece I've ever seen.
https://www.npr.org/2020/05/12/853992774/trickster-treat-bob-dylans-new-song-sounds-awfully-old-and-familiar

You don't have to be coy about any "uh, similarities" to 20th century Americana. The last two decades of Dylan's career are pretty much a cut up of those influences, he's not in any way ashamed of it or trying to hide it.

Oh I know, it's nothing new, but I do get a kick out of hearing the sources when they get identified. I didn't share that in a "gotcha Bobby" way, but rather further listening...

I'd like to hear a collection like the one of Presley's sources, The King's Record Collection, and The Music Never Stopped: Roots of the Grateful Dead. Or has somebody already done this re BD?

https://images.bonanzastatic.com/afu/images/43a0/90b6/b43c_4185934406/IMG_5111.JPG

I know I've seen playlists like that... "the roots of Dylan," or whatever.

the “Artists Choice” comp he did for Starbucks or whatever is really cool

(not the same thing)

https://www.discogs.com/Various-Bob-Dylan-Music-That-Matters-To-Him/release/2927072

That does look good

Bob Dylan's new single, "Murder Most Foul," is 17 minutes long and references more than 70 songs. We made a playlist of them all.
https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2020/03/27/822468820/a-list-of-the-songs-named-in-bob-dylans-murder-most-foul

Lol at Dylan using Cliff's Notes to write his Nobel speech.

Tracklist reveal

Black Rider the T waits track? Hope so

Or just another co-op of a great title, cf Time Out of Mind?

good interview:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/arts/music/bob-dylan-rough-and-rowdy-ways.html

wow, yes that's a characteristically profound latter-day Dylan interview.

Don and Ghost of Glenn!

You honor many great recording artists in your songs. Your mention of Don Henley and Glenn Frey on “Murder Most Foul” came off as a bit of a surprise to me. What Eagles songs do you enjoy the most?

“New Kid in Town,” “Life in the Fast Lane,” “Pretty Maids All in a Row.” That could be one of the best songs ever.

Black Rider the T waits track? Hope so

― calstars, Thursday, June 11, 2020 11:08 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Or just another co-op of a great title, cf Time Out of Mind?

― calstars, Thursday, June 11, 2020 11:09 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Assume both of them are referencing the Burroughs book?

Out of all your compositions, “When I Paint My Masterpiece” has grown on me over the years. What made you bring it back to the forefront of recent concerts?

It’s grown on me as well. I think this song has something to do with the classical world, something that’s out of reach. Someplace you’d like to be beyond your experience. Something that is so supreme and first rate that you could never come back down from the mountain. That you’ve achieved the unthinkable. That’s what the song tries to say, and you’d have to put it in that context. In saying that though, even if you do paint your masterpiece, what will you do then? Well, obviously you have to paint another masterpiece. So it could become some kind of never ending cycle, a trap of some kind. The song doesn’t say that though.

love this

also love that he attended his own jukebox musical as an "anonymous spectator, not as someone who had anything to do with it" which is the most dylan-y thing i've ever heard

/Black Rider the T waits track? Hope so

― calstars, Thursday, June 11, 2020 11:08 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Or just another co-op of a great title, cf Time Out of Mind?

― calstars, Thursday, June 11, 2020 11:09 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink/

Assume both of them are referencing the Burroughs book?

This sort of confirms my read of "When I Paint My Masterpiece" as something like Bob's version of the Japanese concept where you constantly strive through repetition for a perfection you will never reach with the added irony/false modesty that Bob's had himself a fair number of near-masterpieces over the years. Keep on keepin' on as zen mastery.

it's a very Ozu-like conception of art.

The Black Rider was a collaboration — Waits, Burroughs, and Robert Wilson. Details here.

Yeah...wondering about time out though

has bob covered “what a wonderful world”? seems like something he’d do these days. not that I’d want him too.

yeah don't give him ideas. We know he reads the Eagle thread.

I like his comments on technology / the changing world, and young people.

Not sure if this was already discussed, but alleged credits have been posted on the H0ffman F0rums (bold emphasis mine):

Bob Dylan - vocals, guitar
Charlie Sexton - guitar
Bob Britt - guitar
Donnie Herron - steel guitar, violin, accordion
Tony Garnier - bass
Matt Chamberlain - drums

Additional musicians:
Blake Mills
Benmont Tench
Alan Pasqua
Fiona Apple
Tommy Rhodes

Enginereed and mixed by Chris Shaw
Assistant engineer - Joseph Lorge
Mastering - Greg Calbi

All songs written by Bob Dylan

no piano or keyboards?

That surprised me too.

You mean no piano or keyboards from Bob? Well, I guess if you have Benmont and Fiona or Alan Pasqua ...

A lot of those session cats (Chamberlain, Mills, Tench) travel in similar Largo circles.

Apple and Mills are having a hell of a year huh

well there's piano on "murder most foul", just whoever played it wasn't part of the core band presumably

Just realized Garnier's been with Dylan for 31 years...or, more than half of Dylan's career.

Bob Britt was killing it when I saw him in the fall as was Matt Chamberlain.

so hyped that chamberlain is on the record

I saw Charlie Sexton play with Dylan 20 years ago! Great guitarist.

That early 2000s band with Larry Campbell and Charlie Sexton on guitar was the best.

Love & Theft was the best

i'm so hyped for this record!!!!

yeah, me too. bob fuckin dylan!

is this not being released on vinyl?

and if not, because of that Apollo plant fire? I want this record!

it's on vinyl, double album

hrm I looked at Bull Moose and then Amazon and don't see it

https://bobdylanstore.com/products/rough-and-rowdy-ways-2lp-digital-album

shrewd move bobby

weird I have it pre-ordered from Amazon now it's not showing up as an option

wonder if they just sold through the stock they were getting?

yeah i saw the LP on amazon at some point. i buy new dylan albums on CD, though, I'm a weirdo.

I could see this new one posting pretty huge vinyl sales

lol this album

The usual latter-day admixture of brazen and brain-dead.

yeah i saw the LP on amazon at some point. i buy new dylan albums on CD, though, I'm a weirdo.

same

pre-ordered the CD via Amoeba last night!

i would buy the vinyl but i can't get over the godfuckingawfulness of the cover

i mean, the inner gatefold image is pretty crap too but it's 10000x better

yeah i saw the LP on amazon at some point. i buy new dylan albums on CD, though, I'm a weirdo.

― tylerw, Wednesday, June 17, 2020 12:07 PM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I too buy Dylan albums on CD, but less because I'm a weirdo and more because my Tempest LP was, "Hm, lots of sibilance on only this one track." "The pitch is wavering...yep, it's off-center." "Oh, cool, more sibilance, but only on one part of this other track." "Why is it crackly as fuck near the end of one track in the middle of the side?" etc. etc.

i mean, CDs are GOOD. also, the new Dylan on CD is like $20 cheaper.

Yeah, I'll probably spring for the CD. If it's cut from a PCM digital master and they're more or less using the same amount of compression, it makes more sense to me to buy a CD for the fraction of the price.

So excited! I ordered the LP but it doesn't ship until July--very strange. I want to have a listening party at my apartment this Friday night, but with the pandemic I guess it will be a listening party of one, which is probably appropriate for this album. I will channel Dylan's loner aesthetic.

ordered a vinyl copy too, but for my future brother in law.

where can i stream this? i know you critic guys have a hookup

Guys, I got a pretty big dilemma, normally with any new Bob Dylan release (which only come out before Xmas or Father's Day or my dad's birthday) I purchase a copy to give to my father, who rips it to his computer and then returns to me the now worthless to him physical cds.

(Sidenote: he has not respect for the physical media & packaging I swear he let the dog tear into a couple of those sleeved boxes)

Normally I would purchase this album no prob from him BUT, he's pretty on top of this new album, he texted me about the advance songs and I think he knows/understands streaming now and obv between being retired & COVID he has nothing but time on his hands, so do I get a copy for him for Father's Day or do I just get one for myself and tell him to "find on the 'net"?

buy him Neil's Homegrown. that's what I did for my pops.

I'm more excited for this (and dug the advance tracks more) than my own dad.

So we all know that the title of the album doesn't contain the word "My", right?

stadows tho

I'm looking forward to this more than Homegrown. I think I'm a bit Neil-weary. That last Crazy Horse album did it.

I like false prophet a lot, really enjoy the guitar playing

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/bob-dylan-rough-and-rowdy-ways/

good review

Yeah - love Sodomsky. Terrific closing sentences.

crazy serendipity getting this album and the new bridgers in the same week and they're both bananas good

good interview:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/arts/music/bob-dylan-rough-and-rowdy-ways.html

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Friday, June 12, 2020 5:30 PM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

Love how he refers to Indiana Jones as 'Indy'

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Qca6cGsGL._SX355_.jpg

lol

https://a10.gaanacdn.com/gn_img/albums/Oxd3xzPbgV/xd3xzDEDbg/size_xxl.webp

A slightly better version ^^

Where did the art originate?

had a great time listening to this this morning. 'multitudes' and 'murder' are probably still the best tracks, but 'key west' and 'rubicon' are on that level too

"i've made up my mind to give myself to you" is amazing

I'm enjoying this this morning, too. My daughter walked into the room and told me it sounded like the songs from "Phineas and Ferb" (who I'm sure had at least one fake Dylan song).

Key West (Philosopher Pirate) is my favourite at the moment (and the best use of parentheses ever).

"you won't amount to much,"
the people all said
because i didn't play guitar
behind my head

"key west" is otherworldly

yeah forget the lyrics and listen to that accordion

i mean the lyrics are good too

Some of them.

I find the album in toto inessential, but I'm treating it like Apollo, Gone to Earth, and Donuts: an album to play while shit gets done around the apartment or at night while reading or writing.

there was a larb essay a few years ago about the idea of "late work" applied specifically to david lynch and twin peaks: the return but also with some passing references to beethoven and i've been kind of extending it in my mind toward dylan's lyrics

i find the album to be about as good as love and theft

from two listens, tbf

I've found the closest analogue to be late works by painters, actually: Renoir, Matisse.

Never say Dylan doesn't attract highbrow defenses lol

but also this is one of my favorite bands he's ever had xp

it also reminds me a lot of love + theft (the most recent dylan album i really loved)

i’ve cleared my own throat about 10 times listening to this record

yet you still won't catch up with Dylan.

Making my way thru it now. After the two (already released) opening tracks, "My Own Version of You" got me a little concerned... but the song after that is great!

“Late style” is a lens through which I view so many of the things I love, I should actually read the book one of these days. It’s very possible said meant something completely different by the term than I think lol. But it seemed like such an immediately graspable and useful concept, easily in my top 3 essays I’ve never read

(I have not heard this album but I have been caning vier letzte lieber)

Edward Said wrote about late styles too.

The LARB essay: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/david-lynchs-late-style/

This is for sure a looser, more casual-feeling album than the formidable Tempest (my favorite of his '90s/'00s).

That’s the book I meant Alfred, sorry I should have capitalised Said

"Key West" – WOW(!)

Truman had his White House there!

"She's still cute, and we're still friends"

I guess the chord changes of "Key West" have sort of a "Most of the Time" feel (which is partly why it's so resonant)?

"i've made up my mind to give myself to you" is amazing

― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Friday, June 19, 2020 11:50 AM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

^^^
I'm making dinner and this just sort of kept going and going and I'm like, "are all the songs on this album awesome?" and then I realized it was the same song.

i find the album to be about as good as love and theft

― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Friday, 19 June 2020 16:34 (four hours ago) link

This is blasphemy to me as L&T is maybe a top 5 Dylan album for me, but we'll see.

Not ready to make any major proclamations, but maybe best since L&T? Dunno, I'm really enjoying it so far.

all the albums since love & theft are like love & theft (except the ones that are like stadows) and there is no major difference between them in terms of songwriting

Prefer Modern Times.

all the albums since love & theft are like love & theft (except the ones that are like stadows) and there is no major difference between them in terms of songwriting

Idk, I think there's a pretty noticeable difference at least in the way he writes his lyrics. The verse in l&t tends to have these very long, flexible lines, lots of words somehow fitting into a space that should be too small for them, like that one verse where he fits a whole knock-knock joke into two lines. In Modern Times and Tempest he starts leaning much more heavily on these short, sing-songy verse forms (I'm sure there's a word for them but I don't know it) - "I'm searching for phrases/to sing your praises," that sort of thing.

jeeeeeeeeeez "key west", you killed me

i can't even continue my day after that

Twelve years old, they put me in a suit
Forced me to marry a prostitute
There were gold fringes on her wedding dress
That's my story, but not where it ends
She's still cute, and we're still friends
Down on the bottom, way down in Key West
I play both sides against the middle
Trying to pick up that pirate radio signal

yes sir

i want to ask bob dylan why he's such a goddamned genius and have him chew me out at press conference

PLEASE bob, i will never ask for anything again

honestly, although i listened to a decent amount of bob dylan before his previous albums (by that i mean tempest 2012 and before. i can't stand sinatra), this is the first time that i've been heavily into him at the time of a new release, so of course i have that adrenaline rush of love for his music right now, or just his continued existence. it was post-tempest that i first heard Blood on the Tracks, which is still my go-to, and it was post-tempest that the blonde on blonde-highway 61 stuff finally clicked with me in full (before that, i really only appreciated his Freewheelin' era and style of material). and then of course i've been filling in all the gaps since then. ok, just sharing my bob dylan update, thought there would be a point in there but love the music, great job bob

Greil Marcus's thoughts on the album here:

https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/real-life-rock-top-10-june-2020-part-ii/

Listening through this album very slowly because of a migraine. "I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You" is so amazing I had to stop and call my brother to talk about it.

That Greil Marcus piece is pretty good, though it’s weird that he underrates “I’ve Made Up My Mind...”; a song that everyone here seems to agree is the bomb.

Yeah, that was weird. But he's otm about the line "Do you know who I am?" being the moment where "Murder Most Foul" takes off.

i haven't read that much of greil marcus' writing, but he always frustrates me and interests me in almost equal measure (which is why i keep reading). this criticism is so pedantic, and it's not even clearly right:

The song almost dissolves before it starts with “It was a dark day in Dallas / November ’63 / A day that will live on in infamy” — again, even disregarding the Vincent Price intonation, it’s not real speech. The day entered history, and more importantly common memory, as its own day: people say, people think, “November 22, 1963,” so “November ’63” signifies less than nothing — it’d be like saying “Pearl Bay” instead of Pearl Harbor.

i'd argue the opposite. the kennedy assassination is so iconic that it doesn't even need the day. when someone says "November '63", you STILL know that's the kennedy assassination. it's actually not at all like saying "Pearl Bay" instead of Pearl Harbor. the fact that you just say the month instead of the year just adds to the symbolism and power of it

hearing this is his best album since some girls, but i won't believe it until the lex weighs in

xp I had the same reaction to the “November ‘63” thing; it’s an extended nitpick that doesn’t necessarily feel accurate.

(the same reaction as Karl, to Marcus’s critique of those lines)

And of course, following that, he has a really lovely recounting of “key west”

Yeah, I haven’t read much Marcus either, but he clearly shines when he’s writing about that old music (and drawing out the connections to Dylan).

What I got from that Greil Marcus bit about the opening lines was him trying to dissect why they feel so consciously clunky, and not quite getting it right. But I do think he's right that there's something about those opening lines that feels deliberately off, like Dylan's parodying something, and that "Wait a minute boys, do you know who I am?" is the moment when the story comes into focus.

It was the fearful night of December 8th
He was returning home from the studio late
He had perceptively known that it wouldn't be nice
Because in 1980, he paid the price

a typical Marcus mix of insight and obtuseness

lol at reading "You can bring it to St. Peter, you can bring it Jerome" as referring to Bo Diddley's maracas player instead of St. Jerome

"mother of muses" is so gorgeous and frail

forge my identity from the inside out
you know what i'm talkin' about

living in a nightmare
on ELM street

sorry i just love that

I was just reading the wiki for all along the watchtower and saw this quote from ‘68:
“I haven't fulfilled the balladeers's job. A balladeer can sit down and sing three songs for an hour and a half ... it can all unfold to you.”

I'm looking forward to someone revealing which 19th century Malaysian poet Dylan lifted most of the lyrics of this album from.

this really is lovely

possibly the only acceptable use of 'it is what it is'

also makes me want him to work with the dirty three

i used to joke that don henley is in a studio somewhere endlessly playing 'down at the sunset grill' and radio stations would just tune in and tune out when they wanted to play it

but if bobby were somewhere singing just extending 'murder most foul' forever i'd listen

Every time I listen to this album I have to stop after "I've Made Up My Mind..." and go tell someone how beautiful it is. Eventually I'm going to run out of people to tell.

Tell Greil Marcus!

"false prophet" sounds like a fuckin AC/DC song

"murder most foul" is entrancing, beautiful, strange, and laugh out loud funny at several points

on the whole i really enjoyed the record. much better than i was expecting tbh and i'll definitely be revisiting throughout the summer

This isn't really grabbing me on first listen, though it did inspire me to go back and relisten to Together Through Life for the first time in a long time, and I think I've been underrating that one.

"false prophet" sounds like a fuckin AC/DC song

haaa yes

listened to Murder Most Foul with a friend last night on my first night out in a long time, it is a moment I will remember

did you each take one headphone

grew up with Dylan but have never related to an album of his as much as this one, maybe I'm finally just old but he seems more relatable than ever

so impressed he made this album as a 79-year old

thousands were watching and no one saw a thing

So I'm finding that I have a hard time thinking of "Murder Most Foul" as part of the album. I find myself thinking of "Key West" as the closing track, and then of "Murder Most Foul" as something separate, like a companion album.

It's weird because I love "Murder Most Foul," but I don't want to listen to it after "Key West;" I want to just let "Key West" hang in the air for a while. Anyone else feel this way?

YES. "Key West" is such a vibe, I always want to luxuriate in it a little longer.

Of course, I usually forge ahead and allow "Murder Most Foul" to blow my head off.

Yes! I think I read that in the CD version, Murder Most Foul is on its own disc, so Key West does end the album.

xxp the CD issue of this album puts MMF on a separate second disc. It would fit easily on one CD so I'd say Mr Dylan views it as a companion to the album too. edit: argh too slow

Just got the CD in the mail... yeah, the way “MMF” is featured separately (with Kennedy’s portrait) on the back cover – it’s definitely presented as a separate thing.

My head keeps going to a Muppets parody: Gonzo in a Dylan cowboy outfit and pencil mustache, surrounded by his chickens, performing “Murder Most Fowl.”

"He lost his memory and wandered around Manhattan
Play Dr. Teeth, play Nights in White Satin."

bravo

Lol

Floyd Pepper taught the band to play
On Koozebane Beaker ran away
Hey-hey-hey-hey
Sang the son of Leva Mae

"they say Animal was based on Keith Moon,
play 'Baba O'Riley', play Shannon Hoon"

dying

"Kermit runs away when Miss Piggy calls,
play 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya', play Biggie Smalls."

“It’s time to put on makeup
It’s time to dress up right
It’s time for the Rocketman
To change his name from Reg Dwight”

God this is so, so, so good.

Meaning both the album and the turn this thread took.

Play John Denver singing for Kermit the Frog
Play it for Janice and Rowlf the Dog

Play it for Bo Duke and Boss Hawg
Play it for my neighbor Bruce, deader than a lo

log

“I pawned my pistol, I pawned my watch and chain
I’d pawn Camilla but Camilla can’t find my cane”

Play John Denver singing for Kermit the Frog
Play it for Janice and Rowlf the Dog

Literal LOL. Thanks.

Link Hogthrob, Dr. Strangepork
A Silverado Miss Piggy
Ride a mailtrain out in space
Into that silent sea

listening to a few tracks off Tempest to compare

his voice is so much better on this, I'm convinced the quitting smoking theory has to be true it's the only thing that makes sense

his voice is so thin on Tempest

Just read that he quit smoking for Nashville Skyline, which presumably helped him with that Lefty Frizzell croon, but than started again at some point after, although he was somewhat mysterious about the latter, as is his wont.

Although even the first assertion was probably an, um, smokescreen as well. Also found that he apparently wrote this as well:

I have to quit smoking But I can't quit smoking I love to smoke Almost as much As I love to love

I hear you brother

Play Bobby Darin, sing "Mack the Knife"
Play "905." sing The Ox's "My Wife"

Sorry, no Muppet mention, not to mention any other problems.

Muppet parodies only imo:

"Statler and Waldorf heckle the stage,
play Smashing Pumpkins like a rat in a cage."

I was trying to think of one with those two guys as Dallas snipers, perhaps involving Sam the Eagle, but I couldn't find any lyrical scraps in my magical hatbox to make it work.

Trying to fit "book depository" and "balcony" together was too difficult.

Um, lol.

Statler and Waldorf
Take aim at the stage
At Sam the Eagle and Beauregard
And Lew Zealand the Mage

For which I’ll probably get booed off the stage myself.

Maybe somebody can work this in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVxTNb3KfeI

Elton and Piggy do the Crocodile Rock
Play Mahna Mahna, play Raggmopp
Miss Lena Horne brings the Animal drums
Play it for Fozzie, play for Sweetums

Nice! Been trying to get Elton and Sweetums in there somehow, well done.

Play Kermit the Frog, sing "Bein' Green"
Play it for Beaker goin' "meemeemeemeemee"

Speaking of clip art covers, Amazona sent me this in one of their unfathomable lists of recommendations and it reminded me of the cover of this album data:image/jpeg;base64,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

Whoa, MacZIng and me and images don't seem to mix.

Sorry, that was some rookie stuff, meant to post this:
https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1535072905i/41444335._UY500_SS500_.jpg

they’re trying to revive sic, it’s touch and go

i think i like this album a lot but it's def not very musically adventurous.

https://i.imgur.com/9OPiETA.jpg

I guess I have two responses to that assessment. One is just the question of the extent to which you're supposed to consider roots music on its adventurousness. Or, conversely, whether it's more apt to think about the ways in which it situates itself in relation to its genre precedents. And I think Bob pushes the boundaries with that on this album.

My second one is that I hear things on this album that I think come from him having immersed himself in those Great American Songbook albums he did and I think those reaches are, actually, musically adventurous.

Not sure if this was already noted or not, but Olof Bjorner's site now has more in-depth session info up for this album. Turns out Fiona did not play any piano on the record:

Bob Dylan (guitar).

Charlie Sexton (guitar), Donnie Herron (violin, mandolin, steel guitar), Robert Britt (guitar), Tony Garnier (bass).

6 Bob Dylan (harmonica).

2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Matt Chamberlain (drums).

5 Matt Chamberlain (percussion).

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, & 8 Blake Mills (guitar).

4 Charlie Sexton (background vocals).

10 Donnie Herron (violin).

9, 10 Benmont Tench (Hammond organ).

10 Alan Pasqua (piano).

10 Fiona Apple (piano).

Fiona Apple (background vocals).

Tommy Rhodes (guitar, vocals).

Shit, yes she did. Never mind that part of my post.

you still had some good stuff in there, buddy

Our new favorite Blake Mills is all over this.

This guy: Blake Mills

'made up my mind' is a very blake mills-y song

It's funny that Fiona's new album and "Murder Most Foul" dropped the same weekend and nobody had any idea she played on both.

The “Twelve years old, they put me in a suit...” verse in “Key West” is so great, and comes out of nowhere. I wonder if it’s a fragment of something he had sitting around, and decided to work it in (by tagging it with “...down in Key West”)?

I have a theory (based on nothing) that verse is about discovering music as a kid.

I think it's about when he got his first suit.

When he grew out of it, they gave it to a vagabond. Admittedly, a small vagabond.

He said there are no metaphors on this album, you guys! ;)

I drive fast cars, and I eat fast fooooods . . . :)

I just noticed he says, "wait a minute, boys" exactly the same way as in Hurricane.

In Murder Most Foul that is.

It's funny that Fiona's new album and "Murder Most Foul" dropped the same weekend and nobody had any idea she played on both.

maybe she asked him to!!! #applegate

He also mentioned “Memphis in June” in another song (“Tight Connection to My Heart”). There should be a list of specific things referenced more than once in Dylan songs.

Key West, fuuck

'i've made up my mind' turns me into a puddle every time i listen

Oh God, me too. I find it almost unbearably poignant and beautiful.

It’s going to be one of the modern standards much as ‘Make You Feel My Love’ has become.

"To Make You Feel My Love" is not poignant or beautiful, though

heartfelt otm

Bob Dylan looking, to my eyes anyway, nicely toasted. pic.twitter.com/ANgkpBKGTX

— Danny Baker (@prodnose) July 13, 2020

I shared this on an ILE thread by mistake. No harm in posting here too....

you know what subtly rules? the bass on the chorus of Key West

Bob Dylan has sold his entire songwriting catalog to Universal Music Publishing in a deal reportedly worth more than $300 million https://t.co/tDr2JysbP9

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) December 7, 2020

My kneejerk reaction to this was "No!" but then I realized...what are they gonna do, license it to Victoria's Secret?

Ha, exactly.

“Thanks, dad.”

dang yeah, 6 kids right? $50M apiece

Jesse’s been disowned. Bob hated American Wedding.

I saw this thread was bumped, and was hoping it was for an end-of-year discussion about how good this album was.

I honestly think my experience of this year would have been completely different (and probably much worse) without "Murder Most Foul" coming out when it did. It somehow seemed to meet the needs of the moment - at once something to puzzle about and something to help us grieve - and then look ahead to what was coming: "The soul of a nation been torn away," "If you want to remember you better write down the names," "It is what it is, and it's murder most foul."

"key west" was the one for me. was not expecting for emotional breakdowns to be soundtracked by a new bob dylan song, but it's just astonishing and beautiful

Jesse’s been disowned. Bob hated American Wedding.

However he absolutely loves How High, so it wall comes out a wash.

Wall wash too, sure, why not?

I've tried returning to this album and found three tunes disposable ("Black Rider," "Goodbye Jimmy Reed," maybe "False Prophet"), love "Key West" and "I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You" and "My Own Version of You."

I agree with Lily Dale - not in a profound emotional sense, just in that it was a delightful and exciting aesthetic surprise served up at a time when that was very welcome.

The other day I saw the name 'Lily Dale' in a folk song's lyrics and thought: is that where the name of that ILX poster comes from?

I enjoy 'Goodbye Jimmy Reed' more than anything on this record - which is probably my favourite record of the year as I don't know any others.

I haven’t even been thinking of “Murder Most Foul” among the tracks of 2020 – it feels like something that lives apart from everything else. Like it would be weird to have it at #5 or whatever, you know?

Goodbye Jimmy Reed is definitely among the top of the latter day Dylan blues vamps

According to Spotify, "Goodbye Jimmy Reed" was my most-played song of 2020, which sounds right.

My name comes from Trollope's The Last Chronicle of Barset - less because of any identification with the character, more because it's a book I love and am always evangelizing about. I sort of regret choosing a username that sounds like it could be my real name, though, just because I don't want to confuse people.

I've meant to ask you, Lily, about your name. I keep evangelizing about Trollope to my friends.

Ha, I was wondering as well. It is also a Spiritualist town in Upstate New York.

I started using it years ago to post on the Guardian books blog, because that comments section can get fairly male-dominated and I wanted a name that was identifiable as female. I'm glad I chose a book that I still love.

It's hard to really explain my feeling about "Murder Most Foul," but it's not quite a personal feeling - though I do feel a deep gratitude toward Dylan for releasing it the way he did, so that it felt like a gift. It's more that it was the first great piece of art to come out (that I took notice of, anyway) that seemed like it reflected the world of the pandemic and not the Before Times. We were all re-reading The Plague and cobbling together pandemic playlists and trying to find works of art that seemed to contain some sense of what was going on. And then "Murder Most Foul" came out, and it was like it not only met us where we were but had somehow gone ahead, set guide-ropes for spring and summer 2020. That was the moment, for me, when that sense of intense dislocation eased, when art caught up with the change in the world and everything came back into focus.

I just meant to italicize "personal," not "feeling." Anyway, you get the idea.

i've made up my mind' turns me into a puddle every time i listen

― ACABincalifornia (voodoo chili), Tuesday, July 7, 2020 6:43 PM (five months ago) bookmarkflaglink

has evolved into one of my very favorite Dylan songs

Me too! So beautiful.

I find that even the songs that don't work as well for me have some intensely poignant and gorgeous moments. "Mother of Muses" is not my favorite song on the album, but the last lines are so devastating that when I hear them I briefly feel like it is.

mother of muses is the one i can't warm up to, lyrically it's pretty rough

Overall I agree, but if you can listen to Dylan singing "Got a mind to ramble, got a mind to roam/ I'm traveling light, and I'm slow comin' home," without feeling like all your insides have just been wrenched out of place, you are stronger than I am.

The line "It just takes me awhile to realize things" from 'I made up my mind' cuts me like no other Dylan line

I never really warmed to this album as a whole, but when individual songs come up in a shuffle I enjoy them. It’s prominence on year-end list has surprised me a little, but I guess a lot of people are feeling it so probably it’s the kind of thing I’ll rediscover sometime.

“I Contain Multitudes” is definitely immediate canon though.

xpost to Heez: "I hope that the gods go easy with me" is the line from "I've Made Up My Mind" that has that effect on me.

I'm trying not to read too much into this that isn't specifically stated, but I think there are a few factors leading to this showing up so high on so many lists - a) it is legitimately good and his best record since Modern Times, maybe even Love and Theft; b) it's a relief to hear him move out of the Sinatra classic songbook mode again; c) he's been steadily building up goodwill for his whole career with the excellent Bootleg Series and stuff like the Rolling Thunder doc, so there's just a general appreciation in the air; d) a little bit of it is surely the realization that we don't just know how many more new albums we're gonna get from Dylan at this point - given the surprise loss of Bowie, Prince and Petty, I seem to see a move towards appreciating artists and handing out some laurels while they are still around to receive them.

Again, all of this is speculation on my part and is in no way meant to diminish a legitimately great record that will be very high on my personal list too, I'm just surprised to see even Pitchfork placing it so highly. I mean, Rolling Stone, Uncut and Mojo aren't a surprise at this point, but seeing it on so many younger oriented outlets' lists too is a bit of a shock.

all those reasons otm and I'd add that the mood of the album (incl some of those lines quoted above) has more than a taste of that wistful end-of-career capstone feel, esp when compared to his recent American songbook output. Obviously all of the above lists predate yesterday's news that he sold the rights to his catalogue, but that + turning 80 this coming year + COVID putting a stop to the Neverending Tour makes me wonder if he's gonna move towards more of a retirement phase.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN0l73uDeEA

I wouldn't read too much into the publishing right sale; lots of big artists are doing that lately.

(also, the deal reportedly excluded any future songs he writes, which probably suggests he plans on writing some... otherwise why not throw that in too, for an extra mil)

(granted, I've had a few beers, and my analysis may be colored by my desire to see Dylan record & perform for 20 more years)

"Murder Most Foul" is still the greatest track of 2020 for me

this is a pretty wonderful album to sink into right now.

and spotify kind of comes into its own when you think “hmm i’d like to hear some more bob dylan”. well, here’s the complete basement tapes. here’s every studio album. fuck.

listening now to “i forgot to remember to forget”

B-b-b-ut what about "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know"?

This album is simultaneously super fun and so 2020. I was driving home from the store and was struck by:

play "Jagged Little Pill", play Alanis
Play for the big-mouthed girl named Janice

i could listen to 'murder most foul' for almost ever

there are so many places it could go/have gone/might have gone/even if not but still

otm

^^

i want to suggest adding "Key West" to the pantheon. those are always temporary and fleeting, always changing in and out. but key west will be there frequently

I still like 'Goodbye Jimmy Reed' more than almost anything else on the LP!

goodbye jimmy reed RULES

It's a good driving album. At least the car is where I've listened to it the most. Being able to focus on Murder Most Foul while highway driving is nice.

When he sings 'the healing virtues of the wind' in Key West and his his voice minutely cracks. Damn.

I mentioned the song the other day to someone, and for the first time the other person immediately knew what it was. Before I said anything about the song, they said “key west is fine and fair”, and we both said “if you’ve lost your mind, you will find it there”, and then I said “key west is on the horizon line”. We just left it at that, which made me feel really good.

Because obviously, ok I guess we both know this song then

i want to suggest adding "Key West" to the pantheon. those are always temporary and fleeting, always changing in and out. but key west will be there frequently

― Karl Malone,

Truman had his White house there!

Drunken Truman: “I don't love nobody, give me a kiss / Down on the bottom, way down in Key West”

Harry and Bess liked his Old-Fashioneds.

Anyone see this month’s shows? Especially good to see he’s doing “Key West” and “I Contain Multitudes,” as well as “False Prophet” and “Goodbye Jimmy Reed.”

I saw him two nights ago at the Beacon. He did everything off R&RW except “Crossing The Rubicon” and “Murder Most Foul.” He played an upright piano, staying behind it for most of the show. Sometimes he’d pick up a mic and sneak toward center stage, then move back to the piano. A friend told me he’s apparently frustrated with being able to remember lyrics, so it seems likely they’re all on the piano (at one point between songs it looked like he was flipping through a binder). His band was incredible, inhabiting his songs like few others I’d heard. His drummer on this tour is Charley Drayton (bassist/occasional drummer with Keith Richards, bassist on Neil’s SNL appearance), and he was so perfect. When Bob introduced the musicians at the end of the show, he said, “Boy, Charley’s really something on the drums, isn’t he?” The quieter new songs, especially “Mother Of Muses,” were so beautiful, and I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such an intense degree of collective concentration at a show — everyone was hanging on every syllable.

Wow. Sounds amazing.

This is a good review, and largely tracks with what I experienced (“They’d come from far away” — I traveled from 3 hours north of NYC, and ran into a friend from Massachusetts).

https://www.hotpress.com/music/a-triumphant-bob-dylan-comes-home-to-new-york-city-22881777

Only part I’d take issue with is “most masked throughout the show.” I’d say maybe 1/3rd of the audience was masked. You had to show proof of vax to get in, but it was still frustrating to see so many unmasked. I mean, jeez, at least mask up because Bob is 80 and you don’t want him to catch a cold.

Thanks for the review; sounds great. I would have liked to caught one of the shows as it's been 10 years since I saw him last.

From Jon Wurster's guest commentary on Knoxville, in recent issue of Flagggin' Down The Double E's BD show download enewsletter (you can subscribe for free and get a couple of these a month, pay and get more)
Links and other stuff in original worth checking:
...Now let’s get to the show. I don’t want to give too many spoilers for those who want a pure experience, so I’ll be relatively brief. The lone drawback of having such good seats was that we didn’t get to see the “floor of lights.” The stage design for this tour is pretty interesting (to say nothing of its cost-effectiveness): None of the hanging lights that are the norm for most concerts, and the band is essentially playing inside a black-curtained cube. You really feel like you’re watching six guys rocking out on their own planet.

As I said a few months ago right here, I watch Bob’s band as much as, if not more than, the man himself. They were an extremely well-oiled machine by the time I saw those three shows in late-2019, so there wasn’t the palpable feeling of excited uncertainty that was coming off the stage in Knoxville. Dylan seems to thrive on chaos, and Knoxville had several great chaotic moments, particularly during a somewhat extended “Most Likely You Go Your Way.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off Tony Garnier as he studied Bob’s hands to see where they might next land on the piano keyboard. Charley, who really impressed me later in the show with subtle brush work and understated-yet-driving, Kenny Buttrey-style drumming, broke into surprised smiles several times during “Most Likely” as he reacted to where Bob was taking the song. And that’s what’s so great about seeing a Dylan show: even though the setlist might be the same several nights in a row, every song is performed with subtle differences that keep it fresh for everyone involved.

For me, the night’s two big highlights were a chugging, almost “Neighborhood Bully”-esque “Gotta Serve Somebody” featuring great, gritty guitar interplay from Bob Britt and Doug Lancio, and a downright gorgeous “Key West.”

And Bob? I think this was the most I’ve seen him smile during a recent(ish) show. He was clearly having a good time, especially when he made his way out from behind the piano to sing at one of the centerstage mics. Sure, the piano playing was a little wonky at times, but in a way, Dylan is a jazzer. Maybe that Miles Davis (Monk?) quote about there not being any wrong notes is true! His voice was exceptional, especially on “My Own Version of You” and “I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You.” There were so many moments during the show where I found myself thinking, “How can this guy be this good at eighty?”

But he is eighty. Dylan was less mobile than I expected, and the encore section of the tour’s earlier shows seems to be a thing of the past, my guess is because he only wants to have to walk on and off that stage once a night. I only mention this in hopes that it might spur anyone on the fence to go see him while you can. There truly is no performer like him. https://dylanlive.substack.com/p/wednesday-night-in-knoxville-by-jon?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo0

Thanks for sharing these... going to keep my eyes open for West Coast dates.

Waiting for my flight. Overheard a guy say, "Key West was nice." I said, "Oh, were you at the Bob Dylan show last night?" He looked at me with such complete confusion, all I could think to do was say, "Well, I was." That did not unconfuse the situation

— HarryHew (@harryhew) November 21, 2021

Lol

hahaha

It me.

Just came back from the closing Beacon show. Great show, the new stuff was marvelous, and as mentioned upthread, Dylan had the lyric sheets out on the piano. I think he really wanted to get the new material across because I can't remember the last time he's enunciated this well - like, virtually every word was clear and discernible. "Key West" was the high point, "Gotta Serve Somebody" and "Every Grain of Sand" were the highlights of the older material, and once again, Dylan was cracking jokes at the audience. Not just at the end like last time, someone yelled out "rock and roll!" at one point and Dylan actually responded, the first time I've ever seen him interact with the audience (which he obviously did ages ago, but that was a different time). Paraphrasing, but he joked "you're at the wrong show, you must be looking for Springsteen on Broadway!"

BTW, they really weren't fucking around with the no-cameras and no-phones policy - four people (three men, one woman) within the back orchestra alone (behind the mixing desk) were thrown out for using their phones, all in separate incidents. Also, as mentioned upthread, at best 1/3 of the audience was masked.

someone yelled out "rock and roll!"

the tape of the show makes it sound like they yelled out "pretty boy floyd" just prior to his springsteen on broadway comment.

this all sounds very much like the show i saw in mankato, mn right before covid, wonder if it was one of the last shows actually? but yeah, he's singing better and seems more committed than he has in years

the tape of the show makes it sound like they yelled out "pretty boy floyd" just prior to his springsteen on broadway comment.

Awesome, recording's already out there! I couldn't hear honestly, the shouting was too distant from us, but another fan we ran into afterwards thought it was "Born to Run" and my gf believed it was "rock n' roll" - she might have misheard as I don't think she knows "Pretty Boy Floyd" (the song or the infamous bank robber) and wouldn't interpret what she heard in that way.

Also, just sunk in that he didn't play "Like a Rolling Stone," "Highway 61 Revisited" OR "Tangled Up in Blue." He typically plays at least one or two of those (and I want to say most of the NET recordings I have has him doing all three). "Highway 61 Revisited" is almost always a concert highlight throughout his career, but the show was so good, I can't say they were missed.

"Tombstone Blues"! That's what I'd call for.

I'd be relieved if I didn't have to hear those songs again.

"Tombstone Blues" though? Anytime.

A few songs have changed during the tour, but the Beacon shows all had the same exact setlist (see below)...not sure if he's going to stick with this from here on out, but as I mentioned in another thread, a big reason I think his last few tours (pre-pandemic) were a major improvement is that he kept the same exact setlist for that particular year. The band always knew what song was next, so they were able to attack each number with great precision and complete confidence. With Dylan clearly using lyric sheets this time around (probably because it's heavy on new material, and the songs on the new album are typically long), the same principal applies - he knows exactly what to sing next and he can focus more on phrasing than trying to remember.

1. Watching The River Flow
2. Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I'll Go Mine)
3. I Contain Multitudes
4. False Prophet
5. When I Paint My Masterpiece
6. Black Rider
7. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
8. My Own Version of You
9. Early Roman Kings
10. To Be Alone With You
11. Key West (Philosopher Pirate)
12. Gotta Serve Somebody
13. I've Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You
14. Melancholy Mood
15. Mother of Muses
16. Goodbye Jimmy Reed
-- Band introductions
17. Every Grain of Sand

I never get tired of "Tangled Up in Blue" and especially "Highway 61 Revisited" - he does them differently all the time and in the case of the latter, he has a much higher success ratio with changing the arrangement than any other song. Great at Isle of Wight in 1969, with the Band in 1974, at Evanston in 2000, etc., etc...."Like a Rolling Stone " is typically the same though. It was the highlight of his shows from 1966 to 1974, but with the NET it's rarely been more than a nice sing-a-long (at least at the NET shows I've heard).

i've probably said this here before but i got to see dylan at tramp's in NYC in about 1998 or so, one of the best concerts i've seen in my life, elvis costello came up for a duet of "i shall be released" as an encore, dylan played lead guitar several times, like actually shredding downstage, it was unreal. anyway i was standing near the sound guy and i saw the setlist in front of him, printed out on a piece of paper, and they probably did.. a quarter of the songs that were written down? at most? but absolutely nailed everything anyway.

wow okay somebody recorded it. that's crazy. i just found it! it was actually 1999. i forgot how rowdy the crowd was. speaking of rough and rowdy. it was a secret show and basically i think everybody just couldn't fucking believe they were there. here's a few songs from it. dylan goes absolutely off on visions of johanna. pleading.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzYlz2kXCFc

there's a mediafire link there that still works. it's really it. just incredible. particularly intense for me me listening to this now more than 20 years later because the guy who phoned me up out of the blue the day-of to ask "if i wanted to go see bob dylan at tramp's" is dead now, hit in a head-on collision out of the blue with his new wife, just driving down the road.

sorry i didn't mean he collided with his wife! they were both in the car and he was killed instantly. i had lost touch with him over the years. he was such a generous, kind, creative person. a brilliant set designer and actor. i had just gotten a haircut the day of the gig, i don't know why i remember that. i felt great. really put together. me and jeremiah showed up early. talked for a long time before the show started.

you never know what you're going to get. my parents saw dylan and willie nelson play in knoxville, maybe a dozen years ago, at bill meyer stadium downtown. apparently willie was great but dylan was practically incomprehensible, barely singing, seemingly adrift in his mind.

wow, the mediafire link is wild. if anybody misses it, let me know. very comprehensive notes.

"15 new songs (78%) compared to previous concert." lol

Yeah, that's one of the great NET shows, for both quality of the show and the fact that it's available as a top-grade board recording. I'm guessing the mediafire link is the same boot I got some years ago? IIRC EC wrote about it too in his memoir.

Thanks for the Tramps 1999 memories, Tracer. I really wanted to see that show and just couldn't do it - I took the bar a day or two before and couldn't swing it. That Visions is something special.

weirdly my calenders app has just reminded me that my friend jeremiah’s birthday is tomorrow. :(

thx for sharing the memories - i love these incredibly vivid recollections of attending concerts. I can remember the brand of coffee I had and with whom before a gig 25 years ago, while most of the last decade seems lost to the mist of time.

Great show in DC last night. Stage banter update: he brought up the Mayflower Hotel and mentioned J. Edgar Hoover used to eat lunch there every day. Then he name-dropped Country Joe of all people, who was born here.

yes, amazing show! black rider was surprisingly one of the highlights for me

"Well, the fish tail ponds and the orchid trees
They can give you that bleeding heart disease"

feeling this line from key west. reminds me of driving around the south and just being stunned by the natural beauty. gives me that bleeding heart disease. i think of his later years in the romantic poet lineage where nature stands in for deep emotion

https://www.ilxor.com/ILX/NewAnswersOnDateControllerServlet?weeksago=884&boardid=41

Oops

More tour -

Bob Dylan and His Band present the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour this fall in North America!

See https://t.co/IlnO4bIndr for October dates, which go on sale this Friday, August 25.

More dates will be posted soon.

Don’t you dare miss it! pic.twitter.com/cCZOtoUxh4

— Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) August 21, 2023

Wow Bob's better at twitter than I thought

I was wondering about this, namely, is this his first big ticket sale since the nu Ticketmaster dynamic pricing kicked in in earnest? We all know Dylan can't possibly gaf, so I wonder what prices will be like.

Not sure about the other venues announced, but the last one on the docket so far, Proctor's Theater in Schenectady, NY is a pretty sweet out-of-left-field choice. Only seats a couple thousand, beautiful place, and in my experience their bread and butter is touring Broadway shows with film screenings to fill dates between. Anyway here's the pricing for that one. Honestly not insane in the current climate, though lol at the fact that having a physical ticket as a memento has become a premium perk:

FRONT ROW PACKAGE – $533.50
One (1) Front Row reserved ticket
Commemorative ticket
Merchandise item designed and created exclusively for package purchasers
Collectible laminate to remember your evening

GOLD HOT SEAT PACKAGE – $433.50
One (1) premium Price Level 1 reserved ticket
Commemorative ticket
Merchandise item designed and created exclusively for package purchasers
Collectible laminate to remember your evening

SILVER HOT SEAT PACKAGE – $263.50
One (1) Price Level 2 reserved ticket
Commemorative ticket
Merchandise item designed and created exclusively for package purchasers
Collectible laminate to remember your evening

Price Level A Seating – $133.50
Price Level B Seating – $83.50
Lia Seating – $63.50