Legendary Bob Dylan lackluster in Seoul concert

U.S. singer Bob Dylan performs during the 37th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Michael Douglas at Sony Pictures in Culver City California in this file photo taken on June 11, 2009. No photos or video were allowed at the concert held in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times file

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Bob Dylan is one of the greatest musicians on Earth. He has sold millions of records, won numerous awards ― even the Nobel Prize in Literature ― for his brilliant, poetic lyrics. But the music legend didn't stand out in his concert held in Seoul on Friday at the Gymnastics Arena of Olympic Park in southern Seoul. He was rather hard to understand due to his rough and raspy voice.

“It's a shame that I couldn't hear a word Dylan said when he is highly acclaimed for his unparalleled lyrics and songwriting,” said a middle-aged woman who only gave her surname Song. “But I highly respect his strength and passion for music. How could a 77-year-old perform nonstop for two hours? He must be about the same age as Na Hoon-a, am I right?”

Na Hoon-a is a legendary Korean trot singer who is nicknamed the “emperor of trot” due to his powerful voice and charisma.

The Nobel laureate is known for his unique vocal style, mumbling in his singing, but most of the songs he played during the concert were hardly recognizable if not for the band playing with him.

“There were new arrangements in the rendition, which were different from what I had heard on the album. I also wish he'd sung Knockin' on Heaven's Door during the concert,” said a 20-something office worker, who brought Dylan's vinyl album to the concert.

Dylan sang 21 songs at his first concert in Seoul in eight years, including “All Along the Watchtower,” “Don't Think Twice, It's All Right,” “Gotta Serve Somebody,” “Make You Feel My Love” and “Soon After Midnight.”

Dylan didn't say a single word all night and didn't thank the crowd who came to see their favorite singer. When the singer left the stage immediately after finishing his set, the respectable audience gave a big round of applause and echoed his name to return to the stage. In response to the extended applause, the folk music legend reappeared on stage few minutes later to play two more, “Blowin' In The Wind” and “Ballad Of A Thin Man.”

After the two-hour concert, the singer moved in front of the stage and stood motionlessly with a faint smile. All the seated audience stood up in awe with the hope that the singer might say something. Nonetheless, Dylan unhurriedly disappeared from the stage.

There were people in the crowd that apparently loved everything about the concert. Intermittent cheering and clapping came and went throughout the show, and when Dylan started singing “Autumn Leaves” to the standing microphone near the end of the concert, it seemed to energize a mostly seated audience. A few from the side seats even danced to his music, genuinely enjoying the concert.

“The stage with red curtains and sparse lighting seemed fairly small for Dylan. I felt like I was listening to his music in the open fields in Chicago,” said Lee Chang-ho, a university student.

On the sidelines, Dylan reportedly turned down the organizer's request to install big screens for the audience, saying he wants the fans to focus on his music. Thus, the audience had to merely appreciate his vocals. But because his vocals were so rough and the singer sat down at the piano for most of the time, fans were a bit disappointed.

Following the Seoul concert, Dylan performed at the annual Fuji Rock Festival in Japan on July 29. He will later go on an arena tour of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia.