BOB DYLAN IN COVENTRY - REVIEW BY PETE CLEMONS

BOB DYLAN IN COVENTRY - REVIEW BY PETE CLEMONS

PUBD

Bob Dylan has been and gone. He played in Coventry as part of his 'Rough and Rowdy Ways' world tour. The concert, held at the Coventry Building Society Arena, was his first ever performance in the city.

I remember reading how, several years ago during a show in Europe, Bob Dylan grew so enraged by fans taking photos and shooting video that he stopped the set. He retorted “'take pictures or don’t take pictures' he snapped. 'We can either play or we can pose. OK?'

Bob has performed in minimal light throughout parts of his career, using specific lighting choices to create a certain atmosphere or make himself less visible to the audience. So this is not really a new thing.

But he is right in that phones have made concerts almost unbearable at times. It is a difficult situation. That said, for this performance phones had been put in secure pouches to ensure the audience was fully immersed. Despite that, the majority were still being punished to the mischief of the few. In fact, I would say that this, quite possibly, had a detrimental effect.

The bigger problem was that, for me, it created for one of the bleakest crowd, energy wise, I have ever experienced. There was disgruntlement and dozens streamed out after less than an hour.

Additionally the sad fact is, in the case of the Coventry gig, it was an absolutely brilliant show – musically it verged on utter genius, a truly unique performance – but will it be forever overshadowed by a camera debate?.

According to reports, those in the first few rows appeared to be OK. To the rest of the crowd, and this room is spacious, I suspect Bob Dylan was little more than a visual smudge behind the piano with lights on top, 'you could just about make the top of his head out' assuming they were able to see any trace of him, or his band, at all.

Bob Dylan has written over 600 songs across his career, with some estimates reaching closer to 1,000 when including unreleased or co-written tracks. So the choice, as to what to play live is immense.

He began with 'I'll be Your Baby Tonight' followed by 'It Aint Me Babe'. They were absolutely magnificent and performed in a style that set the tone for the rest of the set.

Of the album songs played, the album's opening track, 'I Contain Multitudes,' sets the tone for an exploration of an all-around, changing self and the contradictions within individuals and society.

There are several moments that address death and the passing of time as Bob reflects on his own age and the universal frailty of human life. Songs like "Mother of Muses" are odes to the sources of his inspiration.

But there are moments of tenderness, such as 'I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You,' an overt love song that offers a sense of peace and devotion.

Overall, Rough and Rowdy Ways is a dense, cryptic look at a world of both immense injustice and enduring hope. The album is rich with historical and musical references. It is a late-career reflection on a lifetime of experience and, at the same time, an examination of where we are now as human kind.

With phones safely locked away, and i got the intimate stage lights thing, but this was far from an intimate venue. The sound wasn’t brilliant either, it tended to bounce around the hall. However, Bob's voice held up really well.

I hope Bob Dylan got to see more of Coventry than Coventry got to see of Bob Dylan. As his times of sand disappear I really hope these gigs have not damaged his legacy and that it is not memorable for all the wrong reasons. Not that Bob himself probably cares. As I read often, its Bob being Bob.

As for the music - truly masterful and accomplished however, as a spectacle and lasting memory – possibly an own goal. Time will tell.

For those who could'nt see them them the band was:

Bob Dylan – vocals, piano, harmonica, guitar

Anton Fig – drums

Tony Garnier – electric and standup bass

Bob Britt – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel

Doug Lancio – acoustic guitar, electric guitar

Bob Dylan — I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You. Coventry. November 13, 2025

Phil McWalter with Valuable Friends - Songs That Mean Something

Phil McWalter with Valuable Friends - Songs That Mean Something.

By Pete Clemons

As soon as one album hits the player another album is announced. It was only a matter of weeks ago I put together a few words about the album titled 'Valuable Friends'. And now along comes 'Songs That Mean Something'. This may be the same band as the previous release, well almost, but it’s certainly not more of the same. The contrast between both albums is stark. Think The Beatles and their Red and Blue albums. Not in a way that compares the bands and songs. Not that they are chronologically ordered in any way: Think of them in a way that emphasises the gulf in difference between both albums. In the case of The Beatles, The Red Album focus's on their early work and transition into their later sound. The Blue Album covers their more experimental and mature work. And on 'Valuable Friends' (the blue sleeved album) it did have an experimental feel to it. But here, on this Red coloured album, 'Songs That Mean Something' you have a collection of songs that are immersive experiences and demand your full focus. The songs are tight, laid back and easy to listen to. They appear to be reflective and personal. While not assaulting you, they do on occasion, make you sit up. Unlike 'Valuable Friends' - the Blue album, recordings on this, the Red album, have been kept on more of a tight reign. It does not scatter or radiate. The songs are far more controlled and more structured. They do grab your attention and possess an immediate and undeniable quality, drawing you into Phil's world from the very first notes. Additionally the album delivers flawless melodies. It is lyrically dense, poetic, and is a deeply personal world-view across a vast collection – 18 songs in total. This is from the heart and soul. The albums opener, 'A Pretty Waterfall', sets the scene with it's effortless brilliance. And so the album continues… The seventeen songs that follow on articulate feelings or experiences that few could put into words. They seem to speak to a part of the human condition, making you feel less alone. As the lyrics sink in, they can reveal new meanings based on where you are in your life, creating a bond that deepens with each listen. Inside the sleeve, apart from the album itself, is a booklet containing plenty pictures of the band and a selection of the lyrics. Next, the songs, are they worth listening to? Well, the answer is an unqualified yes. They contain catchy hooks and tremendous words. At times even a little ethereal. If these albums ever reach the mainstream, or sell by the bucketful, expect conversations about which is the better between those who made their purchases. Songs really do mean something.

SONGS THAT MEAN SOMETHING  Get the album here on above link.