and he put on a good show. Nothing spectacular (except that he played London Calling by The Clash) but equally nothing toe-curlingly embarrassing. I remember being disappointed that he played nothing off Blood on the Tracks or Desire, the albums of his I play most.

I saw him in April 2009.

I walked out early, thought he was dreadful.

Without doubt, the most disappointing concert I have ever been to.

Liked him.

I'd say though, that Toots and the Maytals will put on a proper show and make sure you'll go home smiling...

on the Brixton run

Awful at the Roundhouse two years ago. I doubt I'll bother again. But I said that at the Docklands shows in 2002 and then floored by his Hammersmith show the next year

I saw him a lot between about 99 and 05. They were generally superb shows. However I believe his voice is now truly shot and there are diminishing returns. He also seems to play similar sets each night which wasn't the case in the past.

In your position I would go, you get to see a legend and, you never know, you may catch a great night.

Honestly, he's terrible. My last Dylan gig was at Brixton a few years ago and it was awful. I vowed then, never again.

He went down a storm with the faithful, of course. I felt like waiting for a quiet moment and, a la Emperor's New Clothes, shouting out "But this is shit!". Thankfully I resisted the temptation. I may not have got out alive.

The hardcore fans seem to be happy to forgive the tuneless wailing, saying things like "but Dylan has always been about doing things differently, man", as if his hopeless caterwauling were a deliberate art statement rather than a sorry reflection of his vastly diminished abilities.

I went a couple of years ago, and I'm glad I did, but only as a checking-the-box exercise.

"Hnnnnn aaaaahhhhh saaaarrzzzzhhnnmmmmaaaaaahhhh.. pluffrinnnmmmmmmhaaaa.. ffuuuuuuuuurrraaeeeeeeaaaasshhhhh..!"

(Trans: "Don't bother. Load of old wank")

I shall post the same answer tomorrow. But it'll sound completely different.

...left after about half an hour.

I'd never seen him live before, and was well aware of his reputation for less than stellar performances, but wanted to see for myself and, I suppose to be honest, tick a box.

I wouldn't have minded so much if it was bad, it was that it was so boring.
He played songs I was very familiar with, so it wasn't that.

The band were horribly session-y; the audience was split into 20% people genuflecting, 80% talking amoungst themselves and not paying a blind bit of attention.

And it was expensive.

So - not a good night out for me.

Imogen Heap plus Toots and the Maytalls. Sounds fantastic, doesn't it?

Now add in John Legend as an, "I haven't heard much of his music - could be good" hour and the bill gets even more attractive.

Then top it off with Bob Dylan and it's, "Even if he has an odd night it's still been a great night."

I'd go - no question.

Treat it as a unique night of living theatre (full of deliberate comedy) rather than a chance to measure him against some kind of historic benchmark and you might just have fun. I did:

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/my-night-edinburgh-with-bob-dylan

It was back in September 2000. People still talk about it. Generally saying things like "That was a load of old toss, waste of bloody money, why did I do that just so I could say "I've seen Bob Dylan?""

I saw him at the NIA in Birmingham, a big shed, stinkingly bad. Friends saw him a few days later at Edinburgh Playhouse, a lovely theatre, and were knocked out by his joie de vivre and performing skills.

If (like me before that stinkfest) you haven't seen him, go ahead and tick that box in your I-Spy Book, but be prepared - may be great, may not.

My post on this (which generated a holy war) here: http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/my-night-nia-with-bob-dylan

as I said, wise friends saw him in Liverpol & Edinburgh in sympathetic theatres and love the show.

damn

got bb king supporting in adelaide

just ole gravel voice in Melb

saw him 2 years ago awful but ..what can I say I'm going again

1978 budokan tour execllent
80s tom petty tour excellent
1992 cocaine ,fave covered by hoodie unrecognizable songs, lots of noise tour -interesting
1998 supported by patti smith with larry campbell et al excellent
2001 Centennial Park sydney -band superb bob in good voice got the grammy while in australia
2002/3 ? billy burnette on guitar bob with mo on keyboards - not so good,billy ignored on stage, awkward
2009 voice shot, not much guitar playing, perfunctory not good

2011 ???

go to bob links and check the fan reviews and set lists for recent shows but dont expect objectivity

Well this was my comment the last time I saw him.....
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/dylan-sport#comments

not sure if i'd go again...but then again; small venue... who knows!

ahead of the Australian tour