Review of Bob Dylan at Bournemourth’s BIC

Bob Dylan and his four-strong band took to the stage at the BIC bang on the appointed ticket time of 7.30pm.

The man sat behind his piano, electric guitar in hand and began proceedings with the hypnotic All Along the Watchtower – not a bad track to open a set with in anybody’s book.

Much of the following came from 2022’s Rough and Rowdy Ways, where Dylan ditched his guitar and alternated between piano and harmonica, gelling seamlessly with his excellent band who followed the wandering passages of lyrical brilliance and unexpected changes of tempo with an almost reverential telepathy.

Tracks such as My Own Version of You and Key West simmered with a boozy, bar-room vibe but, just as the murkiness of Dylan’s cracking, age-worn voice threatened to overwhelm, the music switched to the good time, rock and roll blues of False Prophet and Goodbye Jimmy Reed.

Dylan himself shuffled around the piano, mumbling the occasional, “Thank you” but never fully engaged with his adoring fans. ‘Let the music do the talking’ seemed to be the man’s philosophy, and why not when the songs are this good.

I did find myself yearning for a couple of the ‘hits’ but Bob silenced me with an achingly beautiful, It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue from 1965’s Bringing it all Back Home. At a quarter past nine, the band finished with 1981’s monumental William Blake-inspired, Every Grain of Sand – sadly, no encore but a standing ovation.

A small observation to finish with. My girlfriend and I sat down in the auditorium half an hour before the gig started. Mobile phones were banned and all one could hear was the sweet, sweet sound of people talking to each other. All hail to the mighty Bob.

Ian Hey