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Bob Dylan 2003 Never Ending Tour

Touring Band
Bob Dylan:
vocal, electric keyboard (piano), harmonica
Larry Campbell: electric and acoustic guitar, fiddle, pedal steel and lap steel guitar, electric & acoustic slide guitar, dobro, bouzouki, mandolin
Bill Burnette: replaced Charlie Sexton on guitar, first leg only.
Freddy Koella: electric and acoustic guitar (April – November)
Tony Garnier: double bass and bass guitar
George Recile: drums

You love it or hate it. 2003 is one of the most controversial years of the Never Ending Tour.
A lot of discussion is going on about Koella, as guitarist replacing the bands driving force Charlie Sexton. And about the overall sound with a lot of heavy blues rearrangements, the strongly varying quality of the concerts and not at least Dylans voice. That could be tender and detailed, or howl like a ‘wolfman’. As me concerns, that last sound fits perfectly with some of the heavy blues songs and especially the apocalyptic closure All Along the Watchtower.

The solid show structure of last years with acoustic and electric sets is gone. It is electric (Dylan is still playing electric piano in all songs) with some semi acoustic brilliance in between. The main set contains 14 song, followed by 3 encores. With Like a Rolling Stone and All along the Watchtower as concert closers.

The year includes four stages, through Down Under, the US twice and Europe. During the US summer leg Dylan opens for, and plays three or four songs with, The Dead.
The undisputed highlights of the year are the last concerts, a tour of three consecutive shows in three different London theatres. In Shepherds Bush Empire, Hammersmith Apollo and Brixton Academy Dylan is in top shape and plays 16 new songs for this year. The set list is completely rearranged every night. THE highlight, in Hammersmith Apollo, is Romance In Durango, for the first time played since 1976.

Recommended bootlegs
You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine (Rattlesnake RS 156/57). Contains all songs played in the two Amsterdam concerts.
London Tour 2003 Box (Crystal Cat Records CC 721–28). Contains all four London shows.

2003 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 98 shows, 97 different songs played, 1 live debut (cover Easy Lovin’)
DateVenueTitleNo of DisksLabel/SourceSoundArt/setlist/info
2003-04-18Dallas, TXGranada TheaterFlacLB-7014A-Live debut Easy Lovin'. Complete electric show.
2003-04-30Louisville, KYJillian's Parking LotFlac/2CDTambourine Man Records TMR 061/62 /Aud8Bonustracks 2003-04-25, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
2003-05-17Jackson, MSJubilee! Jam1CDrTambourine Man Records 063A-
2003-08-06Columbus, OHGermain Amphitheater1CDrLB-8680A-Dylan opened for The Dead. w/Joan Osborne vocals on Tears Of Rage; Tommy Morrongiello on electric guitar on My Back Pages & Summer Days.
2003-08-12New York City, NY Hammerstein BallroomGuitar Boogie Shuffle2CDWild Wolf/Scorpio 81203.8Bonus track from the Hammerstein Ballroom 2003-08-20.
2003-08-21Gilford, NHMeadowbrook Music Arts Center Pavilion2CDUnwanted Man Music LB-3178A--
2003-10-13Oslo, SpektrumOslo 20032CDCrystal Cat Records 716-179Mason Ruffner guitar in encores.
2003-10-17Hamburg, DocksBy The Waterfront DocksFlacTambourine Man Records TMR 70/71ASome flaws in the recording.
2003-10-17Hamburg, DocksIn The ClubFlacNo label (Bob Dylan)HH171003A-
2003-10-18Hamburg, DocksBy The Waterfront DocksFlacTambourine Man Records TMR 72/73AAnother great show in Hamburg.
2003-10-20BerlinMan Totally Into His Music2CDrTambourine Man Records 068-699Bonus track: Hamburg 2003-10-18.
2003-11-10Amsterdam Heineken Music HallFirst Night2CDr-A-Dylans first concert in Amsterdam.
2003-11-11Amsterdam Heineken Music HallSecond Night2CDrCedar #1AGreat show with many highlights.
2003-11-11Amsterdam Heineken Music HallYou Go Your Way And I'll Go Mine!2CDrRattlesnake 156-578-9Better sound than Cedar #1, apart from the two first (mono) tracks. Bonustracks: seven different songs played the previous night.
2003-11-13ParisLe Zénith2CDr-AOne more of that great 2003 rock/blues-concerts.
2003-11-15London, Wembley ArenaWembley Arena 20032CDr + FlacCrystal Cat Records 721-229Released in a box set entitled London Tour 2003.
2003-11-17Dublin, The Point TheatreLive In Dublin 2003FlacDylanvineA-
2003-11-21Birmingham, National Exhibition CentreBye And ByeFlacDoberman DBM 342/343A-
2003-11-23London Shepherds Bush EmpireShepherds Bush Empire 20032CDrCrystal Cat Records 723-249Dylan suprised with 13 new songs compared to previous concert and 8 new songs for this tour, some long time not played: Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn); Million Miles; Tough Mama; Dear Landlord; Jokerman.
2003-11-24London Hammersmith ApolloHammersmith Apollo 20032CDrCrystal Cat Records 725-269A must have. Includes Romance In Durango, last played in 1976. Again an almost complete rearranged setlist, with 4 new songs for this tour.
2003-11-24London Hammersmith ApolloRomance in DurangoFlacTambourine Man Records TMR 078/0798-
2003-11-25London Brixton AcademyBrixton Academy 20032CDrCrystal Cat Records 727-289Again 4 new songs for this tour. Yea! Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread in slot two.
2003-00-00various USMeeting Again in 2003Flac/2CDNot on label LB-5837B+/A-Bob Dylan opened during the summer tour for the The Grateful Dead and played two of three song with them every night.