Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson

Dylan and Willie at Prince George's Stadium, Bowie, Maryland, June 14, 2005: I have never lived closer to a Dylan concert site (7 miles) or taken more time to get there (an hour and a half due to an accident less than a quarter mile from the venue). When everything was said and done, I walked into the stadium just in time to hear Willie start in on his opener "Whiskey River."

Maybe Willie's been hanging around Dylan too long; he started his signature tune with a half-talking/half-singing style similar to Bob's and kept it going for the entire night. The black cowboy hat and black t-shirt sure looked like Willie, but I'd never heard his voice this weary. He dropped phrases like they were memos from the IRS.

But it was still fun. And the man can still play guitar like nobody's business.

I saw Dylan in 1995 the day after the O.J. Simpson verdict and in 2005 the day after the Michael Jackson verdict. On both occasions Dylan opened with "Drifter's Escape," which I thought was hilarious.

Dylan had his five-piece band decked out in white and black western shirts and black pants while the "Columbia recording artist" wore black with red stripes down the pants-leg and red pocket stitching. And a black hat. I was a little disappointed that Dylan never left the keyboard except for a couple of times to step out and play harmonica. I've seen Dylan for nearly twenty years and I've always thought he performs his best when it's just him and his guitar.

But he really kicked the doors in last night. I never would have figured I'd hear so many different styles done so well.

"Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)" featured a vocal that almost pleaded with resigned desperation as Dylan ended most of the phrases with withdrawn octave leaps, something I'd never heard him even attempt before. "Lonesome Day Blues" showed that Bob can deliver, yes, a pronounced yet authentic blues vocal. "Shooting Star" was downright lyrical, easily topping the studio version.

Starting with "Highway 61," Dylan showcased his excellent band. These guys soared with blistering solos and stunning interludes, extending the typical running time of most of the remaining songs by at least a couple of minutes. "Stuck Inside of Mobile" reached back to the Nashville Skyline days, proving these guys can honk out some serious country. I've seen a lot of Dylan shows, but I've never heard any greater energy than I did when he drove "Summer Days" through the night like a rocket.

"This Wheel's on Fire," "John Brown," and "Chimes of Freedom" were all great. Only with "Bye and Bye" did Dylan miss the mark, sounding a bit tentative and out-of-place.

(Bob had a little fun with the crowd, plunking out "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on the keyboard. What can you say? The man's a riot.)

The first encore "Masters of War" was full of grit and raw power and when it was over I think we all wished the stadium was a little closer to Pennsylvania Avenue. The evening ended with "Like a Rolling Stone," and if you had any doubts about whether Bob can still deliver at age 64, all you had to do was listen to him sneer "how does it feel."

After the show, waiting for the traffic to move, a teenage kid ran through the cars, waving his arms, yelling "Dylan! Dylan! Dylan!"

Yeah, I'd say Bob can still deliver.

Now Playing = Highway 61 Revisited (What else?)