Bob Dylan 2005 Never Ending Tour
Touring Band
Bob Dylan: vocal, electric keyboard (piano), harmonica
Stu Kimball: lead guitar
Denny Freeman: electric and acoustic guitar
Donnie Herron: violin, mandolin, pedal steel guitar
Elana Fremerman: violin (first leg only)
Tony Garnier: bass
George Recile: drums
Europe has to wait till the fall to see Dylan. The US are first with a spring tour together with Merle Haggard and a summer tour with Willie Nelson. Dylan plays Merle Haggard’s Sing Me Back Home several times, but Haggard never joins Dylan on stage. Willie Nelson does join Dylan once, on vocal & guitar on Hank William’s You Win Again. After a short Canada & US Summer North West Tour in July, Dylan tours Europe in October and November.
Just like a year earlier, the band is subject to changes. Larry Campbell is replaced by Denny Freeman on guitar and Donnie Herron on violin, mandolin and pedal steel guitar. Elana Fremerman plays violin and leafs after the show from April 22. Dylan’s voice deteriorates, he tries to cover it up with his typical up singing and, even worse, down singing at the end of each line.
No changes in the set structure.
Some releases this year: Live At The Gaslight 1962; The Bootleg Series Vol. 7: No Direction Home: The Soundtrack; The Martin Scorsese film (DVD) No Direction Home.
Recommended bootleg
Pointed Shoes And Shakespeare Hat (Rattlesnake RS 191/92). Rotterdam 2005-10-28.
| 2005 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 112 shows, 110 different songs played, 8 live debuts (6 covers) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Venue | Title | No of Disks | Label/Source | Sound | Art/setlist/info |
| 2005-06-07 | Conshohocken, PA | Tell Ol' Bill Sessions | 1CDr | Studio | 10 | 13 tracks of Tell Ol'Bill, recorded for the motion picture North Country. |
| 2005-03-29 | Denver | The Fillmore Auditorium | 2CDr | - | A- | - |
| 2005-04-15 | Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre | Rain Unraveled Tales | Flac/2CD | Tambourine Man TMR 096/097 | 8 | Third time ever Hazel was played. A wonderful Chimes of Freedom and a slowed down Mr Tambourine man. No Elana Fremerman on violin this show. |
| 2005-04-20 | Verona, NY, Turning Stone Casino and Resort Events Center | Beginning To Hear Voices | 2CDr | Tambourine Man Records 098-099 | 8 | - |
| 2005-06-24 | Montclair, NY Yogi Berra Stadium, Montclair State University | Secrets Of The Breeze | Flac/2CD | Thinman 123/124 | A+ | Audience recording in an almost perfect sound, from an excellent show. Great versions of Not Dark Yet and New Morning. Includes 7 bonus tracks from November 27 in Dublin. |
| 2005-10-21 | Gotenburg, Scandinavium | Scandinavium 2005 | 2CDr | Crystal Cat Records 776-77 | 8 | Tics last track disc 1. |
| 2005-10-28 | Rotterdam, Ahoy | Pointed Shoes And Shakespeare Hats | 2CDr | Rattle Snake 191-92 | 9 | One of the great Dylan shows I visited. I'm fond with this great crisp and clear recording, with Bob's vocals upfront and his electric piano far behind in the mix :). And Chimes Of Freedom as one of the highlights. |
| 2005-11-16 | Manchester | Manchester 2005 | 2CDr | Crystal Cat Records 783-84 | 9 | - |
| 2005-11-18 | Birmingham, NEC | Birmingham 2005 | 2CDr | Crystal Cat Records 785-86 | 9 | - |
| 2005-11-20 | London | Brixton Academy First Evening | 2CDr | Crystal Cat Records 787-88 | A | Concert opens with a live debut, the famous instrumental Rumble, as a tribute to Link Wray, who died at November 5. |
| 2005-11-21 | London | Brixton Academy Second Evening | 2CDr | Crystal Cat Records 789-90 | A | Live debuts Million Dollar Bash, Waiting For You and encore opener London Calling (Joe Strummer/Mick Jones). Jones is in the house this night, that's why. |
| 2005-11-22 | London | Brixton Academy Third Evening | 2CDr | Crystal Cat Records 791-92 | A | - |
| 2005-11-23 | London | Brixton Academy Fourth Evening | 2CDr | Crystal Cat Records 793-94 | A | Live debut Blue Monday (Dave Bartholomew & Antoine “Fats” Domino). |