ARTS

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Lyrical legend fades away

by Andrea Nelson

When we hear the name Bob Dylan, we think of the leader of a generation, an incredible songwriter and a legend. So, of course I jumped at the chance to see him play with Phil Lesh at the Value City Arena in Columbus. I was so excited to see an artist I had heard so much about. I grew up listening to Bob Dylan and I join the majority of San Franciscans influenced by the Grateful Dead. I even made arrangements to miss my coveted "Improvisational Cooking Exco" to experience the music of a rock icon. I was expecting something revolutionary. But, as I tapped my foot to the beat of "Tangled Up in Blue" later that night, I found that I wasn't engaged.

Whereas normally live music takes a hold of me and enraptures me, I was merely keeping the beat to a classic old tune. I was expecting to taste a slice of what life was like for my parents' generation, yet all I tasted were some old songs sung by a legend that has changed in the past thirty years. Or maybe it is that the times have changed.

What was once raw and young is now classic and much more mainstream. Seeing Bob Dylan was almost like experiencing a time warp, in which I could hear the past but I could see the present. He sings about change, yet performs the same songs he has been performing for 30 years. His songs still have their verve. "Blowin' in the Wind" captures a generation's struggle with a war that sparked a movement of peace and love. Bob Dylan communicates this fire in a way that few have the ability to do. I sensed this fire listening to him a couple of nights ago, it's just that it wasn't to the extent that I had expected.

However, like most fires, Bob Dylan may be slowly dying out. Not to say that he can no longer wail, but we may have moved on to other revolutions. But there are qualities of timelessness that we can experience at concerts such as Bob Dylan's. I am still having trouble pinning down what exactly I was surprised about when I look back on his concert. I am not sure if it was the scene or the size of the arena or the formality of the whole experience that surprised me. I do know that I am happy that I went and witnessed an artist that had a tremendous impact on our previous generation. I will still enjoy listening to his music and letting his lyrics inspire me. It is possible that Bob Dylan is just a little bit more of a person in my mind now instead of an untouchable legend. Like the rest of us, Bob Dylan enjoys doing what he feels passionate about even though "the times they are a changin.'"

Andrea Nelson is a sophomore.

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Copyright © 1999, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 128, Number 8, November 5, 1999

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