Priscilla, Jakob and Willie

On our way out of the Santa Barbara Bowl a couple of weeks ago (having just enjoyed Ben Harper performing one of the best renditions of Burn One Down ever), we noticed Jakob Dylan listed on the ticket booth marquee. Well, actually, it listed Willie Nelson with special guest Jakob Dylan. So we overpaid for last minute tickets and went back for a show of one of our favorite musicians. We arrived in Santa Barbara early enough to enjoy a meal at a local vegetarian restaurant. I knew that it would be a great evening when a couple of women walked in and sat in the booth across from us. One of these women, had she been a man, would have been David Bowie. The other, had she been a man, Gerard Depardieu. I did not even know that David and Gerard were friends, and here they were (or at least their female dopelgangers) enjoying a meal across from us. We departed for the Bowl a bit early and surprise!, Priscilla Ahn is on stage. Apparently she was opening for Dylan who was opening for Willie. So our being scalped for seats was eased by the fact that we got three concerts in one.
Priscilla Ahn - I love her voice. She only sang about 3 songs, just her and her bass player (and her kazoo). But she definitely has stage presence, and interacts with the audience. This is what I like about a live performance. The artist spends some time adding value to the experience. Talk to me, joke with me, tell me something about the music or your life that I don't know. Or even something that I do know because I am a fanatic, but didn't get on the CD. All this Priscilla has.
Jakob Dylan - Great music and great lyrics. But I knew that before arriving. Dylan seems to loathe the audience. It is a necessary evil which allows him to be the artist he is. This set was about 45 minutes, with songs strung together like an album. No audience interaction, no "live performance value added". So while he is still one of my favorite singer-songwriters, and has one of the most distinctive voices around, he could take some live show lessons from someone. I probably don't need to see him live again for awhile.
Willie Nelson - This man is pure musician. His 2 hour set played like a medley, with song after song strung together without a break. At one point, I thought he was going to try to sing every song he knew, which is substantial for this icon. His vocal range is astounding and while I am the first to admit my own musical ignorance, I was impressed with his musicianship on the guitar. Had I been a Willie fanatic, this would have been an amazing set. As it was, I was entertained and enjoyed the music this man produced.
4-stars