Filing down the crowded steps at Berkeley’s Greek Theatre on Saturday night after the show, Bob Dylan fans promptly began parsing out their perceptions of the man in the long, black raincoat.
Someone commented on the nature of his voice. After speaking on behalf of baby boomers for over 60 years, Dylan’s raspy vocals are sometimes too coarse for comfort. But in Berkeley, on the first night of back-to-back performances, he delivered his iconic intonation with dramatic twists and burns. Mimicking the affection of a grandad enlivening a bedtime story with mischievous voices, Dylan’s cries lifted through the sold-out amphitheater.
Others praised the crisp arrangements from his latest touring band. The quartet, anchored by bassist and longtime collaborator Tony Garnier, features dual guitarists Bob Britt and Doug Lancio. Both joined around the time of Dylan’s last album of originals — 2020’s outstanding “Rough and Rowdy Ways” — to bookend songs with rhythmic precision or sharp, melodic licks. Although guitars were some of the only instruments to embellish or break away in a solo that night, they never overshadowed Dylan in the middle at an electric keyboard…