tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post5557005967870127312..comments2024-03-13T07:18:14.726+00:00Comments on Advice to the Lovelorn: Review: Bob Dylan at Hop Farm FestivalRick Burinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08881210028902623964noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-86590850892568285512023-08-02T09:01:20.954+01:002023-08-02T09:01:20.954+01:00I'd love a review of BOB at Glosto,,it's c...I'd love a review of BOB at Glosto,,it's crazy no footage of him..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-19138611963548385202010-07-18T16:55:30.758+01:002010-07-18T16:55:30.758+01:00excellent festival,
anyone know what the story w...excellent festival,<br /><br />anyone know what the story was, being told about someone called dean, just before dylan came on, ????? marco.lamb@yahoo.com<br /><br />oh and the local ale, or "festiv-ale" was nastyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-9064554975828246292010-07-10T12:26:07.147+01:002010-07-10T12:26:07.147+01:00Wow, I'm glad you had a great time just like I...Wow, I'm glad you had a great time just like I did. I'm not enjoying all these bad reviews of Dylan at the Hop Farm recently! Thank you for posting, you should have a look at my recent (and first) blog about the hop farm if you ever get the chance!!hannahelisabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15484525481939022524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-42143372774453228582010-07-09T19:30:32.138+01:002010-07-09T19:30:32.138+01:00Haha, I have a feeling the guy in awe may have bee...Haha, I have a feeling the guy in awe may have been my friend.. We had been discussing dream setlists and Forever Young was at the top of his. I also heard a man near me get a little heated when some girls in feathery headbands shoved in front of us during Ray Davies, entirely blocking our view and getting feathers in people's noses, ha!<br /><br />I've seen loads of bad reviews of Dylan at Hop Farm and to honest I'm not sure why. I went specifically to see him, keeping it in mind that I've heard on many occasions that he's terrible live, and was amazed. 3 people around me nearly fainted, and I don't think that was just down to the heat!<br /><br />His voice is different now, yes, and the growl works better sometimes than at others, but it seemed Bob had maintained quality by placing greater emphasis on the music; he and the band were all fantastic. Maybe if we'd had just Bob and an acoustic guitar, the over-the-top criticisms would be a bit more justified.<br /><br />The festival definitely had it's faults (water problems, cheeky camping costs, etc) but I thought the sound quality was great and the main annoyance I had was all the people my age (I'm 20) going on about how 'shit' Dylan was, whilst demonstrating no knowledge of any of his music. I'm not sure if they'd even watched!<br /><br />Thanks for writing a review of Dylan's set that was closer to what I was hearing! I think Ballad of a Thin Man was a highlight :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-87229695532077006212010-07-07T17:33:52.516+01:002010-07-07T17:33:52.516+01:00Thanks for the post, great stuff. It's always ...Thanks for the post, great stuff. It's always well worth doing that research before a gig - I think you get immeasurably more out of it that way.<br /><br />I didn't see Dylan in concert until 2002 myself (I'm only 26), but I've made sure there's enough in the piggy bank to catch him once on every UK tour since then, and they've been some of the best nights I've ever had. My girlfriend's a massive fan too.<br /><br />I especially liked this line from your comment: "I'm so damn chuffed I got to see this; being 20 it's frustrating hearing of great performances before my time but truthfully, this was as good as it gets." I feel that way too - really blessed to have seen Dylan play - though I'll admit I sometimes wish I could wake up and be in Manchester's Free Trade Hall at about 8pm on May 17, 1966...<br /><br />As for Modern Times, that's such a fantastic record; especially Nettie Moore, though the album makes a coherent whole. It's one of my Dad's favourites too. He starting playing Dylan to me when I was four.Rick Burinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08881210028902623964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-33716428971987160192010-07-07T01:27:29.734+01:002010-07-07T01:27:29.734+01:00Exactly what I've been trying to tell people! ...Exactly what I've been trying to tell people! I was shaking my fist at my friends trying to emphasize how important it was to remember and appreciate Bob Dylan. It's painful how little exposure his late work gets, especially now the songs have been rearranged to suit his voice.<br /><br />I'm so damn chuffed I got to see this; being 20 it's frustrating hearing of great performances before my time but truthfully, this was as good as it gets. Having slaved away listening to every era I was both prepared and pleasantly surprised by the set list. Just perfect. I hope you Dylan veterans are reassured that some of my generation listen to Modern Times with as much enthusiasm as Blonde On Blonde.<br /><br />On Pete Doherty, it was a breath of fresh air seeing him do a great performance in front of such a diverse crowd. Watching parents dance to Don't Look Back Into The Sun with their kids on their shoulders made me hope he got some much-needed exposure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-76185709063203010992010-07-06T17:32:33.963+01:002010-07-06T17:32:33.963+01:00Thank you to everyone who's posted a comment, ...Thank you to everyone who's posted a comment, it's really appreciated.<br /><br />Anonymous #2 (if that is your real name) - I'll get on those right away. Well, after I've watched Holland v Uruguay.<br /><br />David - Looking at responses on the Hop Farm Blog (http://www.hopfarmfestival.com/2010/7/5/does-it-have-to-be-over!.aspx#comments and http://www.hopfarmfestival.com/2010/6/30/two-sleeps.aspx#comments), I can see a lot of people had similar problems. Despite 15 years of serious gig-going, this was my first experience of a festival. Apparently they're not usually such a mess.<br /><br />To the second person praising Pete Doherty - I missed him, I'm afraid, as I only arrived about 4.30pm. Perhaps the wrong decision, but at least I was still infuriatingly buoyant and well-watered at half-ten! I had a nice walk round Canterbury too, in the early afternoon, which is where we were staying.<br /><br />To the chap saying he will never forget Dylan's performance - I'm really glad to hear that. I'm mystified by the negative write-ups elsewhere. I can only assume that the reviewers turned up to watch the 25-year-old Dylan and were baffled to find a throaty 69-year-old dressed as a cowboy. Don't worry, though, as long as you took from it what you wanted, then that's all that matters. And yes, he did seem cheery.<br /><br />And to the lovely fellow praising Devendra Banhart - Perhaps we should have stayed around for that, but I had nightmare visions of being trapped in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, so I made sure I got on that train! I wondered if Devendra would have any crowd at all due to the timings. Were there many watching?Rick Burinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08881210028902623964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-12088264378390050472010-07-06T16:29:22.166+01:002010-07-06T16:29:22.166+01:00love love love this review, thanks! beatifully wri...love love love this review, thanks! beatifully written. i was there most of friday and all of saturday, devendra was probably my highlight (amused that he might have been cause of delay of big tent stage...to not clash with bob..diva!) but was also DELIGHTED by bob - having not seen him since 2004 in brixton academy (and not enjoyed it as much as i wanted to - cheesy song arrangements being main prob) i definitely loved seeing him at this festival instead - much preferable!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-59802359540027272142010-07-06T07:49:31.582+01:002010-07-06T07:49:31.582+01:00this sums up everything I wanted to say about Dyla...this sums up everything I wanted to say about Dylan's set. Thank you. I've read so many bad reviews, but really believe that any real Dylan fan would have felt privileged to be there, and touched that he was doing his best (for once) to bring out the songs that would please us.<br /><br />It makes me sad that some people have failed to recognize how truly lucky they were to be there on Saturday night.<br /><br />I, for one, will never forget his performance, and although I couldn't see him so well, what rounded it up so perfectly for me was waking up to find a picture taken of him grinning away whilst playing.<br /><br />Moody, stubborn Bob Dylan? you what??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-61723617097001123932010-07-06T01:51:07.320+01:002010-07-06T01:51:07.320+01:00Hi
A great review of the hop farm festival, you ...Hi <br /><br />A great review of the hop farm festival, you seem to have missed Pete Doherty which I found to be a great set from the lad.<br /><br />I actually had no complaints for the whole festival, though this can be due to the fact that with a bit of cheating such an unfair system it more than made up for it. Me and my friends kept skipping the queue for beer and would pick up the £2 deposit cups and sell them back to the bars in order to get more money for beer!!Oscarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-24500986706048029392010-07-05T23:40:36.775+01:002010-07-05T23:40:36.775+01:00All of the Libertines stuff is excellent, imo, and...All of the Libertines stuff is excellent, imo, and they only released 2 albums, so it won't take you long to listen to both. ;) Don't Look Back into the Sun isn't on either, though, and that's a top track. Probably the most well-known single is on the second, self-titled album.<br /><br />It's a bit of a universally accepted truth that neither Pete or Carl are as great separately, but Pete's solo work and stuff with Babyshambles is still very good, and I did enjoy Dirty Pretty Things' (Carl Barat's band) first album (though I think it became quite clear which side of the duo the talent had been weighted on...), less so their second.<br /><br />Definitely go for the Libertines stuff first though. I think as well, even if they don't turn out to be to your personal taste, you can see (or rather hear) how influential they've been on an awful lot of bands over the last decade, which is interesting in itself if you're a bit nerdy about these things...<br /><br />I'll stop hogging the page now.Anonymous #2noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-89541641060325080022010-07-05T22:02:19.699+01:002010-07-05T22:02:19.699+01:00Enjoyed your excellent write-up.It was a great day...Enjoyed your excellent write-up.It was a great day but I agree about the poor organisation and it'd need a very big star headlining next year to persuade me to go again. The worst aspect of the day was the solid two hours from 11pm til 1am waiting to get out of the car park - outrageously bad planning.David Hodgsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00983926871863686610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-57872866966902131902010-07-05T19:55:31.145+01:002010-07-05T19:55:31.145+01:00Enjoyed your beautifully written blog. I last saw ...Enjoyed your beautifully written blog. I last saw Bob Dylan at the Picnic at Blackbushe in 1978. Great he is still going strong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-59541250623148493952010-07-05T13:07:47.630+01:002010-07-05T13:07:47.630+01:00Many thanks for all the comments.
Anonymous #2 - ...Many thanks for all the comments.<br /><br />Anonymous #2 - Great post, thanks. Being an old, closed-minded man trapped in the body of a young, closed-minded man, I'm not that familiar with Doherty's stuff, so missing him was a calculated risk (I was bloody knackered when I first crawled out from my womb-like bed early on Saturday - and yes I am only 26). Good to hear that he was on top form, though. As for the crowd, I think I've probably been spoiled by friendly audiences the past few years (aside from people hurling beer and wee during The Pogues, and punching my girlfriend in the face) - a touch of mardiness probably isn't as bad as it gets! Wandering into the mists of time, The Charlatans had memorably annoying fans when I saw them in '97, including a guy who kept thumping me in the arm (I'd just had my BCG, so cheers to him for that), while NIN at Brixton was also a mite rowdy. Most of the people at Hop Farm seemed OK, and the heat probably didn't help. Perhaps if I'd have been down for the whole weekend I might have seen more camaraderie. Where do I start with Doherty? The first Libertines record?<br /><br />Anonymous #3 - Cheers for that. It sounds like I missed out on Doherty. I don't really have a handle on the logistics, but people did seem pretty miffed at having to miss their favourite acts (or one who might emerge as a new favourite) in order to have a wee or a beer.Rick Burinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08881210028902623964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-91842226114712011822010-07-05T00:34:46.992+01:002010-07-05T00:34:46.992+01:00Great review. I had a fantastic day with my parent...Great review. I had a fantastic day with my parents, it was the first time i had seen Bob and i thoroughly enjoyed it. It had a great line up, Pete Doherty was entertaining with his Chaz and Dave 'When you go hoppin down in Kent'<br />The only let downs were the very poor organisation compared to other festivals. I admire that Vince has tried to leave the corporate sponsorship out of it, but it really felt like it needed the big boys running the bars properly, at least that way I may have caught some of Johnny Flynn rather than spending an hour waiting for a beer, and what happened to that local ale I was promised on the website!<br />Can't complain with that weather and that line up though, and thank you to the man that I shared a much needed smoke with. It made my afternoon far more enjoyable and the queues seem insignificant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-78561119989409002102010-07-04T22:59:33.592+01:002010-07-04T22:59:33.592+01:00:D The typoful (it IS a word if I say so) power po...:D The typoful (it IS a word if I say so) power point made me laugh. Aside from the heat (and I suppose we'd have complained if it was cold or had rained), it was a brilliant day, with an amazing line up, and despite having read other reviews elsewhere online slating Bob's performance (not to mention overhearing the couple standing behind us who seemed practically on the verge of a break up because of their differing opinions on it), I thought he was fantastic. I saw him for the first time not long ago at the NIA, and, for all my starstruckedness, I must admit I was a little disappointed then. Part of that I think was bad acoustics, and being on the second row from the back, but I did feel that the performance then was much more self-indulgent. Even the more well-known songs he did play were virtually unrecognisable as such. If I'm honest, I wasn't expecting much more this time, but in fact he blew me away. Partly, perhaps, he just works much better in a festival environment, but I think there was much more than that. It was a great choice of songs. My boyfriend and I were especially excited to hear Blind Willie McTell - wonderful stuff. I think he also talked more to the crowd in his slot last night than he did in the whole set when I saw him before. And without wanting to dwell on the technical and away from what was down to Bob himself, the sound levels were so much better - I could hear everything he was singing! Hurrah! We did wonder if for that we had partly to thank Ray Davies' cantankerousness - he seemed to be telling the soundy people off a lot (sounding off, as it were) and sorting it out (it was definitely more difficult to hear stuff before him, except for Pete Doherty, who you could hear because he didn't have a band, see below).<br /><br />Sad for you though, it sounds like you missed Peter Doherty, who was also wonderful. He came out completely solo - just himself and a guitar, and still managed to carry it - I'd say he performed equally as well as the last two acts, and I was just as excited to see him. Like Ray, he picked a good mix of earlier and later stuff, some from his old bands and some solo work, and like Bob, he was on much better form and played the crowd a lot more than I would have expected.<br /><br />All in all, having been there from pretty early on, it was a fantastic day, and I wish I'd been able to go on the Friday too. I am super glad I got to see Bob on top form (when I went to see him the first time, I didn't expect to be doing it again so soon). I even liked the crowd more than at any other festival I've been to. You mention a few people getting fighty in the heat, but I'm used to bottles, feeling like you might be crushed all the time, fists out for the hell of it, and half the people not actually even seeming to even be there for the music....comparatively, everything just seemed lovely there and I was able to float around feeling hippieish in my fairy wings and sit/lie on the ground without fear of either me or them being trampled on or squished. There was a good mix of people, but most seemed to genuinely care about the bands. The only thing that was pretty irritating was the prices, especially the drinks, but hey - we felt like we cheated the system a bit: those cups that they were obviously banking on people not taking back and reclaiming the deposit for? We returned them, by going up in the break to buy our drinks, getting straight back in the queue and finishing them off just as we got back to the bar. Win.<br /><br />Good to see another positive review of the performance anyway.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7246324592600373028.post-69939386758662561832010-07-04T22:25:40.615+01:002010-07-04T22:25:40.615+01:00Excellent review -- summed up the day really well....Excellent review -- summed up the day really well. Many thanks :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com