“My soul is a hidden orchestra; I know not what instruments, what fiddlestrings and harps, drums and tamboura I sound and clash inside myself. All I hear is the symphony.” (Fernando Pessoa)

“My mind weaves a symphony/ And tapestry of rhyme” (If Dogs Run Free, Bob Dylan)

When I last saw Bob Dylan in London, at the Palladium, at the last of four shows in 2022, I was almost sure this was his great farewell to the city who has meant so much to him. The touching fact that he was returning to the stage several times, just to receive the endless thunderous standing ovations from a grateful audience, really made me feel that way. But here we are again, back in the Royal Albert Hall again – Dylan’s 13th show in this room, after visits in both 1965 (2), 1966 (2), 2013( 3) & 2015 (5). I remember the first night in 2013 so well, it really seemed like Dylan was moved by being back for the first time since May 1966, where both George Harrison and John Lennon attended the last of the two shows. In 2013 Dylan connected the dots and played “Roll On, John” for the second and, so far, last time live. In 2015 he was into his crooning phase, and I could hear a voice screaming “Judas!” when Dylan played “Autumn Leaves” one of the nights. Some things never change.

Tonight Dylan again starts the show with his back to the piano, sitting behind it, with guitar, playing a really nice riff to “All Along The Watchtower”, before starting singing and playing. The guitar on “It Ain’t Me Babe” is getting better, but still has a way to go, in my opinion, while the vocals are great. A fine version of “I Contain Multitudes”, but lacking some of the punch from earlier shows. After a bit slow start of the show, “False Prophet” was the first highlight of the evening, some really biting phrasing and a powerful performance. A swinging “When I Paint My Masterpiece” with Dylan perfectly rapping and playing with the lyrics, then with this evening’s first fabulous harp solo. Wow! The audience loves it! As Dylan steps out into the arena from the piano, the audience cheers from the first words of “Black Rider”, but then another great version of “My Own Version of You” shows up, tango it is, but including the stakkato lines thrown with great power, as he did in Luxembourg earlier this year. Powerful stuff, but Dylan is waving with his hand behind him, begging Jim Keltner to take it easy, seemingly annoyed by some wrongdoings by the drummer. Still – another highlight for me, this one. And Dylan speaks to Tony Garnier, making him understand what was wrong, I guess.

More trouble is waiting, when Dylan pretty fast decides to go for the handheld microphone after starting “To Be Alone You”, and starts to sing in a mike not turned on by the sound man. Was that a curse we saw and didn’t hear? Annoyed again, but Dylan being fired up paves the way for another fabulous harp solo, something the whole audience recognized at once.

A solid “Crossing The Rubicon” is followed by maybe THE highlight of the night, “Desolation Row” – with the most beautiful tender version of the second verse, especially the way he sings the words “And the only sound that’s left / After the ambulances go” is just magic. Then another mesmerizing harp solo, it makes me think that the pipes of the monumental organ in the room might be jealous of Dylan’s effective and virtuoso outburst of feelings through the harp, maybe even more naked than his voice this time.

“Key West” is usually one of the highlights, and there were glimpse of greatness also in tonight’s performance, but all in all an uneven performance the way I heard it.

“Watching The River Flow” profits very much by being played by both a singer and a band that is warmed up, not as an opener like earlier in RRW Tour. I missed the harmonica, though.

“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” is now plain beautiful in its almost dirge-like version, with plenty of both tears and sadness involved, underlined even more by another great harp solo. It’s almost like it works as a kind of theme song for this last part of the tour, made like that because of the soulful rendition by the singer.

Fine versions of both “I’ve Made Up My Mind….” and “Mother of Muses”, but then Dylan really kick-starts “Goodbye, Jimmy Reed”, dancing and posing in a way the audience really loves, and they are following a smiling Bob through the whole song. Joy to the world, at least in Royal Albert Hall this time.

As usual, “Every Grain of Sand” is a touching and beautiful finale of the set, including another heartfelt harp solo at the end. The audience is on its feet. Dylan generously greets the audience behind the stage especially, before he steps out into the night.

Yes, there were some problems and frustrations during tonight’s show, but the one who keeps it all together is Dylan himself, though sometimes annoyed, he keeps on coming back with improvisations, vocals and harp solos that makes even an uneven night a night to remember. Oh, I must add that I really love the sound of Doug’s acoustic guitar. Beautiful.

Two more shows to go.

Johnny Borgan