Jeremy L. Berg

I made a silent vow to myself a few years ago to spend the money and not miss seeing “bucket list” musical legends when they come to town. So, I have a little slush fund of “gig” cash hidden away in one of my books, and I’ve been dipping into it recently.

In the past few weeks, I saw two 83-year old legends — Bob Dylan in Mankato with my son and last week Paul Simon at the Orpheum in Minneapolis with Keri. A few things stand out when seeing legends flirting with 90 years of age, and 60+ years of recording and performing.

First, at the very least the audience should stand in awe that they are still alive, not in a nursing home, actually on the road, traveling the country, and somehow able to summon the energy (and control their bladder) to take the stage night after night after night around 8pm — which is bed time for many seniors. Even if their performance isn’t what it used to be, we should be pinching ourselves and remarking, “That’s him! He’s right there in the flesh. I was lucky enough to have lived in the time of Bob Dylan and see him live.”

My second and main observation for both of these shows is the confidence these musicians have in the quality of their art at this stage and their complete disregard for what the audience thinks of the show. For 60 years Dylan has been disappointing audiences by refusing to play his old hits. He’s been touring his latest 2020 album, “Rough and Rowdy Ways,” for a few years now (with a pause during the pandemic), and he played nearly the entire album and only a few older songs. He refuses to be a nostalgia act, and wants to go to his grave creating and writing and performing the art of the moment. That said, he spent much of the past decade recording and performing fresh interpretations of the old American songbook, i.e., 1940s standards, so he doesn’t mind living in our collective American past.

Paul Simon apparently was told in a dream a few years ago to write “Seven Psalms”, the name of his latest album of seven spiritually seeking and musically spare and strange song prayers. Simon has not performed in over 7 years and has been dealing with many health issues. He had a bad case of Covid, and then lost nearly all of his hearing in his left ear during the writing and recording of “Seven Psalms.” His backing band has to play quiet to accommodate his hearing difficulties.

I listened to his new album a couple times the day of the concert, trying to get into it and appreciate the art. It is not my cup of tea, but I appreciate his honest spiritual searching. I was better able to appreciate it later that night when he played the entire 35 minute piece without interruption, as a single work of musical poetry. Check out this life performance of the most moving song for me, “Your Forgiveness.” Just imagine it going on for 35 minute though and you’ll get a sense of the first half of the show.

As he and his magnificent band played through these slow, meandering prayers, much of the auditorium seemed bored, perplexed, or asleep. Fortunately, Simon said out front that the first half of the show would be a performance of this 7-part piece, and the second half would be older hits. Phew!

As Keri rolled her eyes for the first 35 minutes, especially at the occasional flute flourishes, waiting for it to be over, I was able to appreciate that despite the lukewarm response to the Seven Psalms in city after city, Paul Simon was going to keep performing this heartfelt and soulful piece of art regardless. This is the message on his heart, and he’s going to faithfully deliver it whether people like it or not. And the second half of the show was very enjoyable with many hits.

I suppose performers are constantly choosing between serving the audience or serving the art. It’s great when you can serve both at the same time, but this is not always possible. As a recovering people-pleaser who places far too much weight on how my message and art is received by people, I found it refreshing and inspiring watching two liberated men at home in their own skin just playing and singing the songs burning in their bosom in the twilight of their lives. The sower scatters the seed and lets nature do the rest. The musician shares their song, and walks off stage satisfied.

The largest difference between the two shows was crowd interaction. Paul Simon seemed happy to be there, oozing gratitude in response to the cheers. He was talkative and appreciative. He was far more personable than he comes across in the biography of him I read, and in the television appearances I have seen of him. His wife, Edie Bruckell, joins him for a few duets throughout the night which was a highlight for me. Here’s a great clip from this tour of Paul and Edie playing “Under African Skies” with a stage full of eclectic instruments!

In a very human (senior?) moment, Simon mixed up the words twice during the climactic solo encore performance of “Sound of Silence.” He felt so bad about it that he said humorously, “I now feel the need to punish myself by playing a song that I completely loathe. Other people seem to like it.” Then he went into playing “59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)”, a rare treat for us because he hadn’t played it live in over 8 years or something.

Dylan, on the other hand, didn’t interact at all with the audience. He may have introduced the band at some point, but otherwise he hid in the shadows behind the piano the entire night, and simply played his songs one after another with no words spoken between them. While I want to see and hear more of the person on stage, Dylan has spent a lifetime keeping himself from the world, hiding behind masks and personas, avoiding interviews and misleading reporters. He remains a mystery and gives himself to no one. But what Dylan does give lavishly to the world is his words and his songs — more than 500 of them if you’re counting. I am learning to be okay with that.

Listen to this song — “Mother of Muses” — from Dylan’s latest album, Rough and Rowdy Ways. See if you don’t feel something when this 83 year old sings with weathered and croaky voice this kind of prayer to the Mother of Muses … one of his names for God? If you don’t think this pastor is moved by the following words, you’re wrong:

I’ve grown so tired of chasing lies
Mother of Muses, wherever you are
I’ve already outlived my life by far

Mother of Muses, unleash your wrath

Things I can’t see, they’re blocking my path
Show me your wisdom, tell me my fate
Put me upright, make me walk straight
Forge my identity from the inside out
You know what I’m talking abou

Take me to the river, release your charms
Let me lay down a while in your sweet, loving arms
Wake me, shake me, free me from sin
Make me invisible, like the wind
Got a mind that ramble, got a mind that roam
I’m travelin’ light and I’m a-slow coming home

So, Paul Simon gave us more of himself and displayed his humanity on stage, while Dylan gave us his latest songs emanating from his heart while hiding in the shadows all night. Both gave us a gift, and I’m grateful for the art they have given, and continue to share with this world.