Bob Dylan Tour LATIN AMERICA 2012.

Bobby arriving in RIO on the 13th of April 2012.

PART NINE

LATIN AMERICA 2012

to Oscar Montes, who 'saved' my soul in Mexico City Airport.

The winter had been long and sad. Some news arrived in February. Bobby had been in a L.A. studio in January recording with Los Lobos. A new style of music?

Then one after the other concerts' dates are published. A South American Tour prolonged to Costa Rica and Mexico. Then the European festivals in July, a bunch of them plus some dates to fill up.

I'm now in transit in Rome, 5 hours before flying to Rio. I'm in that state of mind of a sleep walker wondering what Bobby gonna pull out of his hat. Has he changed from the last Tour? Or will he hide from everyone again? Only God knows!

I

April 11th in RIO.

Been to the beach today after checking in a Youth Hostel for 5 nights.

As usual reality in Rio doesn't fit my dreams. The beach is not full of beautiful bodies. I find the Rios-cos a bit fat. But the sand is white and the sea is blue, warm and clean. Other than that Rio is noisy and polluted. People are moving, eating, drinking like anywhere else in the world.

I don't understand Portuguese and it is not true that they all speak Spanish but they're open and smiling. The Hostel is nice but noisy. I'm now tired and will go back to my new book; “ALEPH” by Paulo Coelho in English. I'm sure Bobby would like this one.

II

April 12th Second day in Rio.

A beach day. Now in the evening I'm like a cooked shrimp, all red, all burning. Copacabana beach is excellent; white sand, clear water(a bit rough for swimming), no wind, no insects, unfortunately no shade. But as soon as we enter into the city it's hell (for me); traffic, pollution, noise and the streets filled up with fashion shops from Paris like anywhere else in the world. Food, too much! For the beautiful bodies of Copacabana are a little too fat for me and deformed. I enjoyed walking 4 km with my feet in the water and listening to the sound of the waves. A little bit hard to meditate with so many people doing the same as me. But I manage to isolate myself and get lost in my thoughts. I just found out that the venue for the show in Rio on the 15^th is very far from where I stay. I'm planning to get a cab at least to come back after the show.

III

April 13th
I met a nice Lady from Sao Paulo and we went to visit together El Cristo Rendetor and the Pao de Açucar. She helped me a lot for she speaks Portuguese (and only Portuguese) and she didn't stop asking for directions and when to stop and where to stop and this and that. People don't speak Spanish and less English. In the evening in the room two ladies from Sao Paulo as well joined us, so we spent the 14^th all 4 together visiting the FORTE DE COPACABANA and El Jardim Botanico. Again it was my luck for they didn't stop asking directions in Portuguese.

I found out that the last of the tickets on sell for the Rio show are 800R like 400 dollars, I can't believe it. So I decided not to buy a ticket and wait for the evening of the show. But I feel nervous, please LORD help!

IV

April 15th Rio

16^th of April on Copacabana beach waiting for a bus to the airport for a flight to Brasilia.

Last night was strange, as usual things didn’t happened as I dreamed.

I went to the Citybank Hall early in the afternoon to find out that the venue was in a Mall, my worst nightmare with the casinos. I didn’t take the risk to wait for a ticket from the scalpers so I bought one at the Box Office for 800 R (really, really expensive). The cashier told me that I would be 10 rows from the stage. So I went to the backstage door to check around. It’s a closed parking lot, so nothing to see. No trucks around, no buses. I saw Fed. but I didn’t talk to her. I was also looking for C. and S., but I didn’t see them. The show was at 8.00 p.m. doors opening at 6.30 p.m. I went inside at 7.30 p.m. to find out that I was first row center, right in front of the mike. A wonderful surprise. Bobby was on shortly after 8.00 p.m. in a black suite, white shirt and white hat.,

‘Leopard pill box...’ That’s gonna be the European set list.

No surprise with the songs but Bob is in a funny mood, like in Dublin; stepping aside the keyboard and looking at his Band, drumming his fingers on the keyboard and looking up like he’s just a spectator. He’s looking thinner though really pale and unshaven.

I recognize immediately all the songs and dance and sing along. I have a wonderful time.

The audience doesn’t seem to move a lot, even the first row. Only two young musicians of 15 are as crazy as I am. The security doesn’t allow us to stand up even at the end for ‘All along the watch tower’. Too bad. At the end I meet with C. and S.. We negotiate the price of a taxi to go home. A short night but I’m so happy. Thank you Bobby!

V

April 17th Brasilia

Next morning I get up at 4.45 a.m. after few hours of sleep. I try to catch a bus to the airport flying to Brasilia. It starts raining like crazy. I have to wait one hour under a café umbrella. The flight is delayed for one hour. Finally arriving in Brasilia in the early afternoon. It takes me two hours before reaching the hostel, people in Brasilia being less helpful than in Rio. A good night sleep and I go buy a bus ticket Brasilia/Bela Horizonte before heading towards the venue in the early afternoon. I find out that they have a Standing Area in front of the stage and the line already formed is not too long so it will be easy to be front row. I buy a ticket for 220R, expensive.

I want to be in the front and I am, exactly the same position as in Italy and London.

The show will start at 9.30 p.m. way too late. The audience here is young and enthusiastic. As soon as Bob is on the public is crazy, calling Bobby, Bobby non stop.

Bob picks up the mood and he’s really good, different from Rio. He looks at the audience. I have eye contact with him few times but I’m wandering how much he can see. He will do six different songs ending with ‘All along the watch tower’ but he forgot to present the Band. The lights turn off and the audience gets wild calling his name again and again. And yes he’s coming for an encore ‘Rainy day women’.

And oh surprise at the final salute he will send a kiss to the audience. For a fraction of a second I thought it was meant for me but when I turn around I see 10 000 people behind me. Oh shit!

He’s happy and so I am. A spectacular show though I found the sound a bit strange; the guitars are hardly audible but Bob’s voice is high so are the harmonica’s solos.

The whole day had been a surprise with a storm in the middle of the afternoon chasing some people away. I met with a young boy of 15 who stood next to me on the rail. Plus more young boys and girls in the front; a new generation of Dylan fans (his grand-children's age).

But Brasilia is not the city where I want to stay.

A little story I have to tell.

When I checked in the Hostel there was just another Lady in the dorm. A Young woman of about 22/23. First she says she’s going to the show as a journalist. I ask if she knows Bob Dylan. She says she had read a biography and listened to some songs.

I’m still with Ricardo (a follower from Argentina) in that Hostel and we’re going together to the show that night.

After the show Ricardo and I meet with the journalist in the lobby.

She starts criticizing badly the show.

“Dylan can’t sing, she couldn’t recognize the songs from the albums, he didn’t talk to the public, he didn’t respond to the demand of the public (there was a guy who didn’t stop asking for “Mr Tambourinr man”) etc...”

With Ricardo we start explaining to her who is Bob Dylan ; a unique Artist who believes his songs are alive and could change over the time (like changing the lyrics or the melody). That he is first of all a Performer and not so much a studio musician, that everything he has to say is in his songs and he doesn’t have to explain them or talk to the public about anything else. But we apologize for Bob, saying that that night, exceptionally, he forgot to present the Band. Usually he will give the name of his musicians. As to respond to the demand of the public, it is impossible. He wrote  around 400 songs and each fan will have a specific favorite one. I say I would like to hear “Chimes of freedom”, Ricardo mention “Jokerman” and so on ...

I explain that for a Tour Bob will rehearse with his Band probably 30 songs and he will pick up 15, 16, or 17 for a show. He will make the effort of changing some songs from one show to the other and between the Rio show and the Brasilia show he changed 6 songs, making a total of 21 in two nights. A great exploit.

That’s the reason one we are following the Tour for with Bob Dylan we know we will never be bored. There is always a surprise; changing in the lyrics, changing in the melody, adding solos of guitar or harmonica, adding a surprised song, being in a funny mood like Rio or a talkative mood (with the musicians) like in São Paulo (first show) ...

We talk and argue with that journalist for more than one hour, final going to bed at one o’clock in the morning.

Next morning at 10.00 a.m. I find the journalist in the lobby typing on her computer.

We say hello and she asks me the Set List from last night. I obliged, noting the songs on a piece of paper from memory. She asks me what are the most significant of those songs. I note “Things have changed” “Tangled up in blue” “highway 61” “Ballad of a thin man” “Like a rolling stone”

She asks me the most significant songs he didn’t do. I note “Blowing in the wind”, “Forever Young”.

She asks me how to describe Bob Dylan as a Man. I note a REBEL, it sounds good to me.

She asks if she could call him a “Folk Legend”. I say a “Rock Legend’ would be more appropriate since in 50 years of career he did more Rock music than Folk music.(I don’t like the word Legend, but I don’t say it. I believe it’s OK with Bob as long as he’s not called a Prophet).

Then she asks me if she can mention me in the article and I say it depends.

She translates her writing;

“I have been to many shows and according to me this show in Brasilia was one of the best, for the public was really enthusiastic and Bob Dylan responded well to the atmosphere. He was in a good form and communicative with the audience, even at the end sending a kiss to the public...”

I say I agree that she puts my name on that quotation.

I don’t remember the name of the paper but Ricardo and I were relieve that she had changed her mind and decided to trust us as critics.

I say to Ricardo “Do you understand why I never read the critics, for this girl didn’t know who she was talking about, mistaken Bob Dylan for Mark Knopfler!"

Ricardo kept telling her that Bob Dylan is not Paul Mc Cartney!

VI

April19th Bela Horizonte

One night on the bus, comfortable but hard to sleep when people step on and of.

Arriving in Bela Horizonte at 7.00.p.m.

Ricardo the BobCat from Buenos Aires joined with me and we check in a Youth Hostel.

We take some time to relax before I alone move towards the venue early in the afternoon.

At 3.00 p.m. I find already a line in front of the venue. A group of youngsters is waiting since the morning. Whoa! There is a Standing Area again. A new chance to be in the front. I start sharing with a small group of really young kids;15/16, and they agree for me to join their group. Since I met Bobby, they are impressed.

They ask me how to reach him, I explain it’s almost impossible on the road. Too bad for Bobby would love to talk with them.

They heard about Dylan 5 years ago and became hooked; one tells me he knows 80 songs by heart. The new generation of Dylan Fans I found nowhere in the U.S.A or Europe.

We wait for hours on until 7.00 p.m.

Again I find myself right in the front.

Unfortunately we heard in the afternoon the death of Levon Helm  and we’re wondering if Bob had the news and how he gonna be affected.

He’s on at 9.00 o’clock under a thunder of applause, pretty much the ambiance of Brasilia.

The sound is bad for the few first songs, I realize that the youngsters next to me don’t recognize the songs for we don’t hear Bob’s voice with the lyrics.

I see immediately that Bob is not with us; he looks old and tired and lost, not looking at the crowd and holding his left hand to his heart many times during the show.

The show is good though, really professional, he’s doing his best.

‘Man in a long black coat’ and ‘High water’ are added to the set list.

No mention of Levon Helm on stage but I’ll find out that in the afternoon he had left a note on his official site.

An encore with ‘Rainy day women’, that will be 17 songs no more.

The kids next to me were enthusiastic or emotionally touch. Maria was crying for seeing Bobby on stage for the first time. 

The public was exceptionally young and enthusiastic, participating in the singing of ‘Like a rolling stone’. 

I don’t tell them at the end of the show that Bob had been a lot happier in Brasilia.

Thanks to Maria, Mariana and friends. We’ll meet again on FaceBook and next time in Bela Horizonte.

Maria Luisa, Diego, Mariana and myself on the left.

VII

April 20th

Ricardo and myself will leave the Hostel at 9.00 a.m. to reach Sao Paulo tonight.

Too bad for that city was friendly.

Ricardo suggests that we ask Bob to perform in a small theater in Rio for a week or two so we’ll be able to enjoy a good time vacations (next to Copacabana, please Bobby, but without your dark suite and your woolen hat. A bathing-suite?).

We’ll have that chance in Buenos Aires. With GOD will!

I pray Buddha, Krishna, Vishnu, Elohim, Allah and Jesus ... to help Bob to recover from the loss of his friend.

Be strong Bobby  it’s life and life only!

We love you LEVON

VIII

April 21st Sao Paulo.

I’m just back from the bus station where I bought a ticket for Porto Alegre, 18 hours in the bus leaving tomorrow at 2.00.p.m.

I’m exhausted, physically as well as mentally. Yesterday had been a crazy day again.

After a nice breakfast in the morning at the Hostel, Ricardo and myself went for a walk in a nice park near by.

At 3.00 p.m. we decide (me particularly) to head for the Venue for the trip on bus is supposed to be one hour and a half and we don’t know the direction.

I got confused with the name of the venue; Citybank Hall or CreditCart Hall.

As an intuition Ricardo asks a Lady the direction of the CreditCard Hall in the bus and we step out of the bus in the middle of nowhere. By a simple twist of fate the venue is right next to that stop; the Dylan spirit. We are early and I find out that the show will be at 10.00p.m. and not 9.00 p.m. as I thought first.

I check immediately the backstage entrance. There is a possibility of seeing Bob’s car or bus arriving. So the waiting starts. I inquire for the price of a ticket from the scalpers 200R, not to bad for the show is not Sold Out. I don’t want to pay more than 100R for there is no standing and the first row is 900R, outrageous!

At 7.00 p.m. the musicians’ van arrives and shortly after I have to play ‘cat and mouse’ with “I ain’t Big Jim” (I call him that name now for he’s obviously NOT my sweet Sir Jim Callahan). I manage to send a sign towards the smoked-window car with Bob inside, no doubt.

We hear the sound check from outside and they are rehearsing “Love sick”, a surprise?

I meet with C. and S. who got two tickets for 50R. I’m a bit pissed of for I’ve been looking for hours with no luck. I buy a ticket for 200R for the scalper promise it’s a floor (don’t trust them). In the mid time Ricardo had bought a ticket at the Box Office for 250R without telling me. I’m so mad at him that I decide to drop him; no more traveling together.

C., S. and myself move in to find out we are all the way up, no way we gonna stay there and not see Bob’s face.

C. has the idea to use the fire exit stairs to get all the way down.

With guts and luck we snick until the second row front center (V.I.P. seats for a value of 900R.)10 minutes before show time.

We pray for Bob to be on time like in Bela Horizonte.

Bobby is nice with us and takes his stand at his keyboard at 10.00 p.m. Thank you Bobby!

A fantastic ‘Leopard skin pill box hat’. A fantastic acoustic.

And Bob is “alive”, recovering from yesterday.

At the top of his form, his voice is great and he’s exchanging signs and words with the musicians, particularly Georges who seems to be doing all wrong??!!!

At time I’ve the feeling that Bob is really angry, making signs with his hands and eyes.

But when he’s angry he can be the best, and he is GREAT!

And ho! Surprise! ‘Make you feel my Love’, so sweet. I sing along.

Another surprise ‘The Levee’s gonna break’ with a new arrangement. Great!

Another surprise ‘Every grain of sand’ that I sing along, a beautiful autobiographic poem.

Another surprise ‘Love sick’

The public in the back reacts well, not so much the F... V.I.P.s in the front. A stupid one keeps on asking for ‘Hurricane’.

He doesn’t realize the immense effort Bob did to make this show all brand new.

Buy introducing the Band Bob will say a small joke for each one of the musicians.

Not being angry so much then?

I’m in heaven after so much pain and deception. A shot of Love.

And yes an ‘encore’ with “Blowing in the wind”. Making that show a 17 songs' show.

The front row is finally up for a standing ovation that Bob receives with happiness.

One of the best shows I’ve ever been to, at the level of the second in London at the Hammersmith.

We recover slowly from the many surprises and start to move back ‘home’.

I’m in bed at 2.00a.m., exhausted and crying from pain and joy mixed.

IX

April 22nd São Paulo

A nice breakfast then I take the metro to the central bus station to buy myself a bus ticket Sao Paulo/Porto Alegre on the 23rd. 18 hours ride.

I spend the morning relaxing a little bit then take a bus to the venue around 5.00 p.m.

It’s raining in Sao Paulo. Sad atmosphere and it’s Sunday, the streets are deserted.

I reach the venue at 5.45 p.m. They are already making the sound check for the show tonight will be at 8.00 p.m.

I meet with C. and S.. Fed. is around but not Ricardo. He probably went back home being completely broke.

We start looking for a ticket with the hope, like last night, of sneaking in the front row.

We’re lucky to find three floor tickets for a reasonable price and we snick through the ushers until the third row central. Good enough for the two first rows will fill up slowly, but our seats are not taken.

C. spot Jeff Rosen on stage, the Grand Manager is here tonight. No way to say hello.

Bob is on stage right on time.

Immediately I see that this will not be the yesterday’s show. He looks tired and his voice is gone. ‘Leopard skin  pill box hat’ is hardly audible.

The energy is gone and again Bob is lost in his own world.

Not once he will look at the audience.

The set list is not the one from yesterday, no ‘Every grain of sand’, no ‘Make you feel my love’ … no surprise. Though Jimmy (the sound engineer) told us that they had been rehearsing new songs in the afternoon.

He will do ‘Forgetful heart’ and S. is crying and Bob too it seems. His voice is particularly sad tonight and his look is far in the past. Nostalgic Bobby? Is that Lady Sarah? Or Sue Rotolo before she passed away?

A fantastic ‘High water’ Donnie excelling on his banjo.

Bob will make a mistake on the lyrics of ‘Tangled up in blue’ starting twice the second verse. Proving he’s gone in his own universe.

The audience is average. The first V.I.P. rows are not moving so much. Just some young persons in the back are alive. The public in Sao Paulo is a lot older and richer than the public in Brasilia or Bela Horizonte. Not so much the new generation of Dylan fans. Maybe the price of the tickets and the fact that there is no G.A. is changing the composition of the audience.

But during ‘Ballad of a thin man’ a group of youngsters force the security and rushes in the front. I immediately react and move right in front the mike. I was never so close to Bobby. He’s surprised and panics. He will do a mistake in the lyrics of ‘Like a rolling stone’; starting the second verse with the third verse. And I hear him mumbling in the mike  “No, that’s not it” and changing to the second verse. A song he had been doing for 50 years!

He will come back for ‘Blowing in the wind’ but don’t look at the people in the front, not once he had eyes’ contact. Tired, tired! So pale! He’s thinner than in Europe.

He always wears one or the other of his dark suites with the straps on the side but he’s now wearing underneath just a regular white shirt with no tie. Nice. And the white hat, the same every night.

So this show was not the best but still we three agree that always he’s professional and doing the best he can to please the audience. Not shitting once.

We move out and S. buys a poster from Brazil.

I take a bus to my Hostel, miss the stop and have to walk in the dark streets for half an hour. It starts raining.  But finally I fall asleep in my bed in a crowded dorm.

For the first time since long I see Bobby in my dream as a Man, not as a Ghost.

A premonition?

X

April 24th Porto Alegre

A nice shower, a good breakfast and I move to the central bus station in the early afternoon.

The bus will be leaving on time at 2.00 p.m. to Porto Alegre.

I spent  the few first hours enjoying the landscape (really green) and dreaming about Bobby, wondering who could be the Lady in “Forgetful heart”. Crying on that version in São Paulo which was so sad, crying of frustration of not being able to approach him.

I fall asleep and on and off will be sleeping until 8.00 a.m.

Porto Alegre is a small city. I find my hostel rapidly, check in, take a strong cup of coffee and take a walk in the center. Nothing much to see except shops and that frenzy of buying from poor people who start having some money to spend.

I decide to go towards the venue as soon as possible in the early afternoon just to check.

I arrive at the ‘Pepsi On Stage’ at 3.00 p.m. to find again a group of youngsters who had been camping there since the morning. I start to talk with them. Same stories as in Bela Horizonte. Young people who discovered Bob Dylan few years ago by going to school and learning English.

One has a guitar on which we can read in Portuguese “This machine kills the fascists”, a famous Woody Guthry line. I inquire if they have read “Bound for Glory”. They tell me that the American books are expensive in Brazil, so I promise to send them a copy from France. They HAVE to read this book! They know many songs by heart and their English is perfect.

C. and S. join me for a ticket search. Many scalpers are selling so we have a good chance for a good price ticket.

I buy one for 150R and get on the line with my friends.

We run and I am again right in front of the mike with S. at my side and a bunch of enthusiastic youngsters. That show gonna be great no matter what. I know Bob will do his best.

Two mikes are positioned on stage, one in front of the other. Strange!

At 8.00 p.m. a young girl appears on stage with a weird guitar and start singing in Portuguese.

With S. we laugh; Bob probably picked up that girl from a café or a bar and decided to  put her on stage. She is extremely good looking but nothing too much about her performance. You had a good time Bobby?

Bob will be on at 9.00 p.m. under a thunder of applause. The first row is hysterical.

he's wearing a black hat.

His voice is not at the top. He looks tired.

Except for “John Brown” and “Blind Willy Mc Tell’ (for the first time in Brazil) there is no surprise in the set list.

I’m even disappointed when I hear too quickly “Ballad of a thin Man”, It is almost the end.

The public is wild on “Like a rolling stone” singing instead of Bob who doesn’t know what to do and decide to be quiet.

Before the presentation of the Band we hear him singing “Hey Jude” clearly in his mike.

“All along the watch tower” rapidly ended and a very short break before the encore “Blowing in the Wind” sang along with the crowd.

My feeling is that he was not at the top of his physical form.

At one point I saw him moving aside from the keyboard, holding his hip and wincing. Some kind of pain? He was drinking a lot and sweating though the weather is not hot.

For the kids he had been perfect, a performance they will remember and cherish forever.

He did his best.

But with S. we see that he’s pushing himself, he’s going every night to the limits of his strength. 

Nothing like the first show in São Paulo where he was naturally (?) Strong and healthy.

I take a bus back to my Hostel, miss the stop once again and run ten minutes, for this area is not too safe.

I crash on my bed and dream, dreams of water. I was expecting “The levee’s gonna break” or “High water”.

That was the last show in Brazil.

Rio and São Paulo being V.I.P. shows with expensive tickets for the first rows.

A bunch of Yuppies seeing Bob Dylan as a Living Legend. Not always respectful of the performance on stage.

But in some way those shows had been the best. The top for me being the first one in São Paulo.

Brasilia, Bela Horizonte and Porto Alegre with a G.A. drew a crowd of youngsters, a lot more in the spirit of the sixties, with hope for Peace and a better understanding of Human Kind. Seeing Bob Dylan as an ARTIST who will be forever an inspiration.

Bob responded greatly in Brasilia, with that kiss saying 'I love you all'.

We love you too Bobby!

Take good care of yourself and see you in Buenos Aires.

With GOD will.

XI

April 26th Buenos Aires

We left Porto Alegre on the 25^th at 5.45 p.m. C., S. and myself, on a comfortable coach. We try to sleep but we are often woken up by passengers getting on and of. We are delayed for more than one hour at the border. We'll be arriving in Buenos Aires three hours late.

The central bus station is crowded and the metro is on strike. I take a taxi to my Hostel to realize I'm right across the Gran Rex. What a chance!

I take a nice shower and walk in the area for I need a bank to get pesos, also change the left over of my Brazilian money. I get enough change for a ticket I hope.

Start to hang around the Gran Rex by 6.00 p.m. Nothing much is happening. There is no G.A. so there is no file.

The show is Sold Out, some scalpers are selling for 600 pesos a floor seat, too much.

I spot more BobCats from Europe, 5 or 6. They come for the 4 shows here in Buenos Aires. But no one is really friendly, BobCats are individualists.

I negotiate a 4^th row for 320 pesos, not too bad. I take a seat in front of the mike and C. and S. will join me there. Unfortunately the usher will move us. I'm still 4^th row but all the way on the right side.  I see the back of Bob. A strait back and large shoulders, he must be doing a lot of swimming. No showing of bullet proved jacket.

The public is not moving. I'm stuck between two guys who don't seem to appreciate Rock and Roll.

The sound is not good. The Bass is really loud, making my head sobs. Bob at first is full of energy but in the middle of the show he will lose power. Often he will stand aside his keyboard and just wait for the boys to play. Banging on the keyboard just for the final.

He's either tired, sick or annoyed by the bad sound. The public is not so enthusiastic neither.

Even “Like a rolling stone” doesn't wake the crowd. The set list is classic, nothing we don't know.

I appreciate always “Beyond here lies nothing”, “High water” and “The levee's gonna break”

but everything seems to be like in a movie. I'm over tired and it takes me a tremendous effort to realize it is Bob Dylan alive in front of me.

Not the best show ever that's for sure, I even have the feelings he didn't make an effort to be good. Just average. If my memory serves me well he even skipped the harmonica on “Ballad of a thin man”.

He came back really quickly for the encore “Blowing in the wind” that the public doesn't make the effort to sing along!!!

XII

April 27th Buenos Aires

Big breakfast before taking a walk on the largest avenue in the world, Av. 9 de Julio.

Nice weather. I find a beautiful church next to the "Plaza de Mayo". I get in and burn a candle for Bobby, praying that he will be healthier tonight for the show.

Last night we were all extremely tired from the trip from Brazil to Buenos Aires.

Today the spirit is high again. I'm sure Bob will feel it. He's never bad two shows in a row.

I go by the theater shortly before 7.00 p.m. I expect to see him arriving in his black car. And yes at 6.55 p.m. a black smoked-windows car pulls in the parking lot. The auburn-hair Lady is in the front. Bob is in the back, his head covered with a dark hood. No look towards the crowd waiting there.

I go back to my Hostel just across the street for a light meal and the search for a ticket starts. Not too bad for the same scalpers are selling the same kind of tickets. First rows for 600 pesos. I propose 300 pesos, promising to buy again tomorrow, for a second row almost center. C. and S. will get the seats next to me and also a BobCat from England. Great! 4 BobCats in the front. The spirit is high.

Bob is on. Immediately we know is spirit is high, his energy too.

“Leopars skin ….”

then oh surprise! “Girl of the north country”. Thank you Bobby, this one alone made my day.

My favorite “Beyond here lies nothing” that he doesn't forget to do (just for me!).

He will not do “Things have changed”. So maybe they have not changed so much Bobby! Will we meet again?

After a fantastic “Desolation row” a song I don't recognize.

C. whispers: “Cry awhile”. A Jewel! We are all in Heaven.

A “Thunder in the mountain” revisited. A great vocalization. Who said Bobby Dylan cannot sing!

The public is a bit cold for such a performance, they should be up, but ,no, the first row of Yuppies is not even up for “Blowing in the wind”, but the BobCats are making for them.

Bob was looking at the public, looking for familiar faces.

Here I am Bobby dear!

Good night and thanks for all. See you tomorrow. Keep the spirit high!

XIII

April 28th Buenos Aires.

I went to buy my bus ticket to Santiago Chili. Since the second show in BA was great I decided to follow further on.

I walk around the city under the rain. I bought myself a rain-poncho, all yellow. I'm truly a Gringa.

Nothing much happened except that I treated myself with a nice Mocha and scone.

I take my position at the entrance of the parking lot at 6.45 p.m. At 6.55 p.m. A black car with smoked-windows enters the parking lot. I can't see if Bob is inside.

The scalpers are worst than ever. They ask for big money. I want a floor, close to the stage, but noway. The closest is a 12th row on the floor for 400 pesos, even more expensive than yesterday.

C. is nervous and argue with the scalpers, acting a little bit too much like a Gringo.

Finally the scalpers don't even want to sell his tickets. C. and S. won't get in.

I regret and feel sorry but I'm in right on time to see Bobby arriving at his keyboard.

Great sound, great voice, great energy.

A set list I truly enjoy since he's doing surprises one after the other.

A beautiful “Jolene” a splendid “Lonesome death of Hattie Carroll”.

Nothing I never heard before but new in South America.

I can't see his face but he seems physically shape, no erratic. Truly professional. The Band is great!

From where I am I can see Stu sweating on his guitar.

The public is reserved again standing up only for the encore; “Blowing in the wind”.

I step out to meet with C. and S. who are frustrated.

I don't know how to feel, sorry for them but I don't want to have bad feelings after such a good show.

I want to focus on Bob.

It would be better for me to go alone again, a freewheeling.

We talk outside on the pavement when coming from nowhere, here come the members of the Band, one by one getting in a white van. Spontaneously I touch Donnie on the arm and say hello.

“Hi” he says obviously not knowing who I am.

“Your violin playing is great” I say. Stupid remark??

They disappear not talking to the fans trying to exchange.

The Dylan spirit spreads on every employee? No contact what so ever with Fans?

The show was good but my heart is aching:

I feel like I want to disappear, dissolve in my bed sheets, be swallowed by the inconsistency of time and space.

XIV

May 1st in Buenos Aires.

Yesterday in the morning I bought a ticket for a Tourist trip in Buenos Aires on a double-deck bus.

I burnt a candle in a nice church next to "La plaza de Mayo".

The weather was nice and sunny I started to forget about Dylan and enjoy myself.

Buenos Aires is a cultured city with a lot of museums and buildings and parks.

At 6.00 p.m.I started to feel nervous again; wondering about that F... ticket I will have to find.

At 6.45 p.m. I post myself at the entrance of the parking lot to spot the black car (don't ask me why. Just say I'm crazy).

At 7.15 p.m. The black smocked-windows car pulls in front of me. In the front Dylan's assistant. She sends me a dark look. Bob is in the back, his head entirely covered with a black hood. Tell me if it's not crazy? I resent it as an insult. And don't tell me about security for I'm the only one waiting for him. Even Fed. is no where to be seen.

The search for a ticket is turning into a nightmare, the scalpers ask for more and more money. First show I paid 300 pesos for second row, second show 350 pesos for a 4^th row, third show 400 pesos for a 12^th row and tonight I will pay 550 pesos for a 12^th row. But I'm in, hoping that C. and S. will make it also (they will be at the 18^th row buying at the last minute).

Bob is on, right on time.

Feeling good.

The sound is good except for his mike at the keyboard; the sound is not clear.

The front mike is perfect.

He will lose his voice during "Thunder on the mountain". But who cares? The crowd is here to see the LEGEND.

Georges is drumming like crazy tonight, good Georges!

The public is reserved.

Bob will do two of my favorite songs “Man in the long black coat” and “Blind Willy Mc Tell” and a surprise:”Rollin' And Tumblin'”. Great. With Donnie on banjo. Bravo Donnie!

Good show but my spirit is a bit low. I'm used to the front rows. So far away I'm mixed in the public. Anonymous. I don't like it.

The audience will stand only for “Blowing in the wind”. Reserved and not singing along.

I'm ready to leave the venue when suddenly coming from the left a young guy jumps on stage, reaches Bob and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

A usher will react fast but Barron arrives too late. And if the guy had a knife?

SECURITY SUCKS! If it is indeed SECURITY.

I feel like crying.

I stand at the entrance of the parking lot to see the black car getting out. I will never see it and the crowd getting out is blocking the entrance of the parking lot.

I know which way the musicians are getting out and I want to say hello to them.

One by one they climb in a white van. I just have the time to say “hi Stu!” and gently he will shake hands with me.

I mumble “Tony, see you in Santiago”.

He will answer “But where is San Diego?”

I meet with Marcelo a resident from Buenos Aires and we start talking. We will end up talking in a Pizzeria until 2.00 a.m.

Marcelo is a Fan of the "Rolling Stones" and had been following them all around the world (Europe, U.S.A., South America), He was a good friend of Jimmy Callahan (my sweet sir Callahan ) who had been Body Guard for the "Rolling Stones" as well as Body Guard for Dylan. We agree to search for Jimmy and contact him where ever he is now. Get some little stories out of him, now that he's retired. He should write a book, we think.

We talk about the good old days when it was easy to meet with those Stars.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED for the worst. The BEST has gone out of them.

XV

 May 2nd Santiago Chili

We (C., S. and myself) leave Buenos Aires on the 1st of May at 5.00 p.m. That will be a long trip to Santiago; 20 hours on a luxury bus. We will never step out of the bus except at the border with Chili to pass the passport control (there is snow all around us). At times it feels like being in an airplane but opening my eyes I see the landscape and not the clouds. I sleep a little bit but fully wake up to enjoy the outstanding view on the Andes. 

We are in Santiago at 12.30 p.m. First thing is to withdraw some money from an A.T.M, machine, here we will be using pesos. The bills are of large amount: 500 pesos for 1 dollar. Second is to reach my Hostel. I’m tired and lost, walk like a zombie. A nice guy will phone the Hostel for me to find out where it is and how to reach it by Metro. He will put me in the Metro and tell me where to stop. Thank you nice fellow!

I check in the early afternoon. They speak French at the desk. Great!

I take a good shower and move towards the venue. The Arena is inside a recreational park. I take time to relax.

I inquire at the Box Office for a ticket. They have plenty, it’s not sold Out (but it will be).

I wait for C. and S. until 8.30 p.m. then decide to buy a ticket for myself for the show will start at 9.00 p.m. I buy a ticket from a scalper, high price ,not a good seat, but I don’t feel like being in the front row. Tonight I’m not in the mood to see his face.

I get inside the Arena to realize it’s empty, I don’t understand. I ask the time to a young fellow who says 7.45 p.m. Oh shit! I forgot to change the time on my watch. We gained one hour from Argentina. I’m in with no way to get out again. I feel like killing myself for my stupidity.

I wait for C. and S. at the gate entrance. They will get two good seats, on the floor section. No way to snick in. Security is tough.

I’m all the way up in that Bowl (again a bowl with a capacity of 15000). Full of middle age people, some in their 20’s.

Bob in on. The sound is excellent, like Sao Paulo. Bob is “fucking” good.

“Beyond here lies nothing” is a jewel. I can hear clearly the three guitars; Bob, Stu and Charley. No surprise (a second time “Cry awhile”) but each song is perfectly executed.

One of those quality shows.

Unfortunately my day had been spoiled by that mistake in time. .I’m not with my friends to enjoy.

I don’t feel the MAGIC I was used to in the States or in Europe. I don’t dissolve into space. I feel my heart aching. He will not do “Forgetful heart”.

I’m on the side of the alley with space to move my body.  Some boys are dancing to, but nothing hysteric. Everyone will be seated until the end of “Blowing in the wind”.

Bob takes his time to enjoy the Standing Ovation. Again with that sign that seems to say 

“I’m yours”. But not mine Bobby!

Anonymous is my name and I don’t like it.

I will walk all the way to my hostel since I realize there is no more Metro after 11.00 p.m. Not such a good day after all. Not too bad neither. It could have been worth of course.

Today the 3rd of May in Santiago Chili is a new morning...

No show on the third and fourth. I am in Santiago in a nice Hostel. I will be a tourist for two days.

I ´m close to the center so I will do everything walking. I also treat myself with a Tourist Tour on a double deck bus. A quiet way to enjoy the city. Though I don´t really like the cities and this one is like all the cities in the World: crowded (6 millions inhabitants), noisy, polluted. The snow on the mountain we can spot in the frog had been forgotten by the people long time ago.

I find a Travel Agency and a helpful English speaking man who will book me a flight from Santiago to Mexico City with a stop over in San Jose (Costa Rica) for only one night (the night of the show) and one day. Then I will be moving to Mexico City on the 6th with a connecting flight to Monterrey on the 7th arriving in Monterrey at 9.00 in the morning of the show. That will be few days hoping from one Airport to the other. As to complicate the trip I have one hour delay  in Lima Peru.

Forgetting the fatigue I just hope that everything will be alright.

Nothing good about these Airports except that the rest rooms are convenient and free. We are fed in the planes. But the security control is a drag.

I planed everything until Monterey including Hostels. Then I will have to reach Guadalajara and finaly Mexico city.

XVI

May 5th HEREDIA COSTA RICA

I check out from the Santiago  Hostel  at 9.30 p.m. traveling to the Airport with a young fellow from Australia. I find myself a bench and try to catch few hours of sleep. It´s cold!

At 4.00 a.m. on the 5th I walk for the thousands time the tunnel to the plane. And breakfast and we land in Lima. I inquire for a boarding pass they forgot to give me in Santiago.

Time for a lunch and a nap and we land in  Costa Rica.

Everything at the airport is easy :

I find an A.T.M. machine (we have to change pesos in each country)

I get a map of Heredia.

I catch a cheap bus to Heredia.

The Ticos|Ticas are rough but helpful. They are used to tourists and speak English.

I recognize Heredia, I passed through it few years ago when I was visiting as a tourist. It takes me one hour to find the Hostel for they don´t refer to the name or number of the streets to find their direction but to the proximity of some well known buildings (to them).

At 4.00 p.m. the rain starts pouring like every evening in Costa Rica. I have to wait one hour before being able to get out and buy some fruits, a coffee, some bread.

Then I start walking towards the venue, 10 blocks away.

I am immediately stopped by the scalpers offering a comp. ticket for 80 US dollars , not in front row but getting close.

I see Mr. Johns walking, try to greet him and be friendly but he´s with a beautiful Asiatic girl 20 years younger than him and he doesn´t seem to appreciate my presence. Never the less we go to a Bar together when they´re having a beer.

We get out after a while and we split, I´m again a free wheeling!

Fed. is begging for a free ticket. I don´t see anybody else. Some expats and some American tourists certainly.

I get inside the venue at 7.45 p.m. , show starting at 8.00 p.m.

Two fellows are on stage singing some funny songs. Good that Bobby didn´t bring a chick like in Porto Alegre. I´m not in the mood.

I´ve been feeling old and ugly for a while now. My heart aching constantly.

I hurt easily being angry or depressed.

But I reached my goal being here in Heredia in el ¨Palacio de los deportes¨.

I snick to the third row center and Bob appears under a thunder of applause.

He feels the good spirit, right away he´s in contact with the audience. The sound is great, that will be one of those great shows.

Unfortunately the V.I.P. in the front have no respect and they get to their seats while the show is on, disturbing my concentration. Sooner or later I know I will have to leave that good seat. I do after few songs. I spot 4 empty seats right in front of the mike, I rush forward, right in front row center.

I immediately spot Barron rushing from the left of the stage and he talks to the security guard in front of me. Does he recommend the security guard to watch me! Or am I paranoid!

I´m not schizophrenic I know when reality starts and when my dreams end. I will NEVER disrupt a show by jumping on stage, I don´t even take photos.

Bobby is not mine, he plays for 10 000 or 15 000 persons.

It breaks my heart to see people coming right in front of him just to take a Photo with their F. cell phone. NO ONE, not even Barron will stop them.

Some one has to explain to me the politics of taking or not taking photos. At times Barron will jump on fans with camera literally molesting them and at times Fans get so close to Bob´s face to get a Photo. Those cell phones are actually better than some cameras.

I enjoy myself as much as possible in that seat until the stupid V.I.P. claims his seat in the middle of the show!

I move rapidly to my seat, few rows back but stand on the aisle to be able to dance.

 'Summer days', 'Highway 61', 'Thunder on the mountain', it's great and solid rock tonight. No nostalgia. Bobby is in shape. I heard he had been a Tourist for two days in Costa Rica.

It's a country I love for the preservation of the nature and the energy of the people.

After Israel it's my favorite country in the world.

Bob should have loved it. He looks thin and young though a little bit pale. His voice is good.

After 'Ballad of a thin man' some young fellows try to move front. The security is tough. They ask us to retrieve to our seats. I play 'cat and mouse' with a fat ugly Lady.

I don't want to be good tonight, I fight back and it pays. The lights are off, I rush to the front row, I'm right in front of the mike for the encore. And oh surprise! it's 'Rainy day women' and  Bob doesn't leave the stage. Donnie picks up his violin for 'Blowing in the wind'. I'm surrounded by young fellows, some pretty girls on my left and right. Bob Loves that young public. He's sick of the old hippies. Sick of seeing the same faces in front of him?  But nevertheless I enjoy myself for I believe that today I paid the price: coming all the way from Santiago and buying an expensive ticket.

Bob will make his final bow with a special regard towards the balcony on his left. The young fans had crowded there with cheap tickets, all standing up and screaming his name. He heard. He Loves the 'Children of Paradise'. He's right. They were the best.

The Yuppies in front came to see Bob Dylan like you go to the Louvres to see the Madonna. They came to see the Legend. I wish we could have venues with General Admition in the front and V.I.P. in the back.

Tonight Bobby was ´awake´ like in Brasilia. HAPPY!  Yes, tonight I will say that HE was Happy to be with us, even smiling with Donnie.

How come all the shows can´t be like this one!

For me it was a ´Shot of love´.

But he magic was tinted with pain: the day had been to harsh.

I´m one of those wounded whose wounds can not be nursed.

Hearing the chimes of freedom flashing in the distance.

XVII

May 7th Monterrey Mexico

I slept well, sharing the room with a Lady from Colombia. She goes to the University to prepare a P.H.D. in sociology.

Sunday morning we take a walk around Heredia, nothing much, except that we eat a cheese maize pankape at the market. I buy myself a mango and a papaya for lunch. Fruits are excellent in Costa Rica. Then I take a nap before packing and catching a bus to the Airport. I´m sad to leave Costa Rica. I´ll be back for sure. If Only Bob Could play few nights in Costa Rica,  so next year I could enjoy a longer stay.

You heard the voices calling for you, Bobby!

Checking in an Airport is easier and easier, just showing the passport. The computer will find you. The drag is the security control: sometimes light, sometimes heavy.

The flight is short arriving in Mexico City at 10.30 p.m.

I find myself a quiet spot and fall asleep on the floor.

5.00 a.m. time to get a coffee and check in to Monterrey.

In Monterrey at 9.00 a.m.

Take a cab to the Hostel, center, close to the venue and … empty. I´m the only one in that crappy Hostel over Monterrey.

Take a shower, go immediately to the central bus station to buy myself a night bus ticket to Guadalajara. I find an Internet Café to check my mail.

In the early afternoon I walk towards the venue inside a recreational park

go to the Box Office and buy without any after thought a front ticket. On the 7th row, not to bad!

The weather is stuffing:hot and humid. I drink a lot. I fear for the rain. But I´m lucky, it will rain only the next morning. I relax a little bit.

I check the back stage door and position myself in a strategic point.

At 5.30 p.m. I spot a white van with tinted windows, and I bet this is the musicians arriving for the sound check.

I wait and calculate that Bob should be arriving around 7.00 p.m.

Shortly before seven a long brown car with tinted windows arrive to the gates. It should be Bob inside.

So what!!!!

I go again for a drink, I´m dying of thirst today.

At 8.15 p.m. I go to the venue to find really few people. I ask the time to a young fellow for I don´t want to do the same mistake as in Santiago.

He talks to me (in English) saying that he works at the customs at the Airport and that he had been checking the Dylan material, guitars and all. For that he got two free tickets. Good! He´s nice.

At 8.45 p.m. I get in with Oscar, a follower from Mexico. We met last year in the States. He did 5 shows in the North. He´s now doing the Mexican Tour.

The venue is almost empty. Again I ask the time and when the show is supposed to start. I can´t believe my eyes! Maybe only 50 persons are inside, the show is due in 15 minutes! Incredible!

The people will arrive late and take their seats all along the show, disturbing everyone already seated. What a lake of manners! On the top of it, servers are taking commands for drinks and continuously will move back and forth with drinks and money.

Plus the fans moving right in front of Bob, just to take a Photo!

Although the venue is half empty when Bob takes his position at the battered keyboard, the crowd shears him up and he´s in a good mood. His voice is gone and ´Leopard skin pill box hat´ is more mumbled than sung.

He will force his voice through the entire show.

He´s a bit erratic, his movements are strange, that makes me think that he might be drunk (on good Mexican beer and tequila!!). Even at the end he will talk with the musicians. So much that I thought they would do a new song, but no!

He will do my favorites: ¨Man in the long Black coat¨and ¨Blind Willy Mc Tell¨as well as ¨Cry A while¨. An excellent ¨Summer days¨.

And the usual final.

I try to move in front at the end, forcing the security. A bad move, for they are tough. Until the end they ask people to go back to their seats.

Incredible for Security that will let people approach the stage just to take photos. And incredible in a Venue where people are served beers at their seats!

I will have to get used to that new situation.

Bob was good, but I hope not too drunk!

Take care of yourself Bobby, you still have a long long way to go to please all of us!

Monterrey Mexico.

Setting the stage on fire!

XVIII

May 9th Guadalajara

After a good night sleep in a crummy Hostel completely empty except for me, I have a whole day for myself for my night bus to Guadalajara will be leaving only at 8.00 p.m.

I go to the super market to buy myself some food, put my back pack in a locker and search for an Internet café. I spend two hours updating my Blog. Go back to the Hostel for a meal and a nap.

I reach the bus station at 7.00 p.m.

The bus is comfortable, with backing up seats, a snack and a movie with Nicolas Cage (I’ve seen that movie before).

I’m not sad to leave Monterrey. I didn’t find anything interesting. The Dylan public was the worst I ever met. Disrespectful. I hope it’s gonna different in Guadalajara and Mexico City.

I reach Guadalajara at 6.30 a.m. Do a wash up in the lavatories and catch a cab to my Hostel. I’m too tired to search for a bus.

The Hostel manager is extremely sympathetic. I can have a breakfast even if I didn’t pay for it. He gives me a map pointing what is nice to see in the center, and tell me where to go to get a ticket for the show tonight.

I take a long walk in the center. Beautiful buildings in Barroco style. Plenty of churches where I enter to say a little prayer for Bobby. Unfortunately they don’t burn any candles. I treat myself with an ice cream and a “pina colada” and buy a Mexican blanket for my friend at the Market. They sell cow-boy boots and saddles there. I think maybe Bobby bought there some boots for himself or a nice saddle to ride his horses at his farm in Minnesota.

I buy myself a ticket at the ticketMaster for about 100 dollars. Still expensive like it had always been on this Tour.

I retrieve to the Hostel just to drop the blanket, eat a sandwich and off I go to the venue.

The bus drivers make a fool of me and it will take me two hours to reach the Auditorio Telmex(in the middle of nowhere).

I meet with Oscar. He’s fifth row center. I’m 10^th row center.

I decide not to provoke the security and stay at my seat until the end.

Bob starts right on time when people are still reaching for their seat. 

The audience is more “civilized” than in Monterrey. Though they sell drinks inside the venue the buyers are few. The politics here is NO photo what so ever, not even with a cell phone! Great!

The show is good. The sound is good. The boys and Bob are all in black (black hat tonight).

He’s full of energy but not erratic. The voice a little bit gone.

I say “Bobby, The levee’s gonna break” and he’s doing it.

 I say “Bobby, cry a while” and he does it. 

Plus an unexpected “Forgetful Heart”.

Nothing that I have never heard but every song seems to be new. I even sing “Like a rolling stone” with the crowd.

But surprisingly no Encore, no “Blowing in the wind”. The lights are on, the public is deceived and will wait a while before getting out. 

Why no “encore”?  Is he tired?  Something to do tonight?

I got my “Shot of Love”.

The day had been a nice one.

I meet with Oscar at the end of the show and share a taxi back to our respective Hotels.

Except Fed., Oscar and myself I didn’t see any other followers.

I don’t think Bob or the boys really care! And they don’t have to.

XIX

May 10th Mexico city

From Guadalajara to Mexico city everything is fine in that luxury bus. Only a man and myself to share the accommodation

- a lunch in a plastic bag

- a pillow

- a reclined seat

- a TV with three movies, the same again with Nicolas Cage.

I enjoy the landscape, the fields through the Windows, the small farms with goats and cows. The fresh and quiet rural life:I know that will be completely different in Mexico city. I wish I could live in that bus. Going nowhere or everywhere without trouble. In PEACE with a  world I observe from far. But … arriving in Mexico city at 4.30 p.m. I have to step out, take a taxi to the hostel, not the best ever but close enough to the venue. No show tonight. I spend the evening on the Internet.

XX

May 11th Mexico city 

I take a light breakfast and I move rapidly to the SEARS building where I can find a Ticket Master. I buy myself two good tickets for the two shows. 4th and 3rd row almost center. I can´t believe they didn´t sale those tickets yet. Mexico city is a megapol of 23 millions inhabitants. But the Price is high 150 us dollars. No so much as Brazil though!

Early in the afternoon I start searching for my return ticket back to France. I will spend two hours in a travel agency but my credit card is refused, then again two hours in another travel agency with the same problem. I start panicking but I don´t want to spoil my evening. So tomorrow is another day.

I walk towards the Pepsi Concert in the afternoon. At 5.30 p.m. the bus with the Band arrives in the parking lot. Time for the sound check. I don´t see if Bob is in the bus. I don´t believe so.

I meet with Mr. Johns and Mia and we go eat a pizza.

At 8.45 p.m. we take our seats.

At 9.00 p.m. Bob appears, trotting to his battered keyboard.

´Leopard skin…´, the public is wild. A guy next to me on my right is singing loudly, so much that Barron moves forwards from his hidden place to watch that guy.

Bob responds well to the public. He smiles at Donnie. He’s happy and will be all along that show. The set list is Rock and Roll; many songs to dance on. One surprise´; ´To Ramona´.

He’s doing error son the lyrics singing twice the first part of the last verse.

A great show again. Bob is sweating for it’s hot in there. The standing public is all away on the back of the V.I.P.s,  plus some fellows on the balconies, far away and both sides. Strange!

No photo tonight, but also no standing. Oscar is first row center and it is his birthday! Happy birthday. One to remember.

We leave the venue satisfied; Bob was good, the sound was good, the set list was good, the audience was good. Bob had again that habit of pulling his pants, but tonight it looked sexy!

I had my ´Shot of love´.

I go back ´home´ by Metrobus and sleep well.

XXI

May 12th Mexico city

Get up early, go to the airport where I find the same problem with my credit card.

I spend hours on the Internet but in vain. Finally I reach my son by Facebook and he will try to buy me a ticket.

At 4.00 p.m. I´m relieve and go out to buy myself some food.

At 6.00 p.m.  I start moving towards the venue. I wait by the parking lot expecting to see the dark car pulling inside the parking lot. No. But I see Al Santos walking around. Yesterday I saw the costume Lady buying some un-official T.shirts. Plenty of them here it´s like a Bob Dylan market; T.Shirts, posters, mugs, …

I almost say hello to Al Santos but then , no, I have nothing to tell him. I believe he recognized me, but don´t say a word. I meet with Jimmy the sound-man inside the venue. We exchange some words and it feels good to have contact with someone from the inside. We are not enemies for God sake!

I feel suddenly relieve, not angry anymore.

I want to enjoy myself, that´s all!

I move to my seat early, find the people next to me of my right kind of YUPPIES. I will be seated next to Mr Johns and Mia on my left.

9.10 p.m. Bob is trotting to his battered keyboard. We expect something different.

´Leopard …´ that will be.

On ´Things have changed´ he will play with the phrasing and the melody, smiling at Donnie who´s doing something weird on the Steel guitar. They smile like two kids having a good time!

The songs are mellow tonight. He will do ´Not dark yet´, ´Hollis Brown´ and of course ´The lonesome death of Hattie Carol´.

No ´Beyond here lies nothing´. No ´The levee´s gonna break´. No ´´Man in the long black coat´. No ´Blind Willie Mc Tell´.

But a sad, sad ´Forgetful heart´. He sings the first verse then let the Band play a long while before starting the second verse. Like he´s truly in pain. I feel like crying and repeat a mantra to myself ´Don´t cry Bobby, we love you´. I will say it loud at the end of the song.

Fortunately the audience is respectful, silent until the end. All in the same pain!

He´s mellow tonight, even sad.

He´ll come back for ´Blowing in the wind´.

Some Fans in the front are making signs and he will respond to them, sending even and again some kisses.

We love you to Bobby!

XXII

EPILOGO

This Tour had been the most ‘extended’ considering the distance. The most expensive considering the price of the tickets. Outrageous in Brazil.

But Bob had been a lot more alive on stage than in the States or Europe. Except for the first show in Buenos Aires where he was obviously tired and the sad show in Bela Horizonte due to the death of Levon Helm, he had contact with the public. That contact I saw only in Innsbruck and in London in Europe. Never saw him sending kisses to the audience before.

But to tell the truth the public was globally a lot better in Latin America, younger, some times a lot younger than the old ´hippies´ in the States or the ´middle age´ white crowd in Europe. The grand children of those generations. Though some have been supportive for many years since the 60's even. They look at Bob Dylan with a certain point of view. They created the Legend and they kept Bob Dylan going on for that new generation to enjoy him with a ´fresh´ eye.

A new generation of Fans are growing up with the music and lyrics of Bob Dylan here in Latin America.

They come to see and enjoy a good Rock and Roll show and to see and hear their HERO for the first time.

Their encounter is at its beginning.

I Love you Bobby. Take good care of yourself!

Bobby in Mexico City May 12 2012.

I Love you Bobby. Take good care of yourself!

Bobby in Mexico City May 12 2012.

Who can resist that smile?

and those blue eyes?