Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello - Schottenstein Center, 10/13

Other than introducing his band Saturday night, Bob Dylan didn’t say a word to the crowd gathered at the Schottenstein Center. This isn’t rare for Dylan, and it actually makes sense. When you’re an American icon/legend/cultural revolutionary who’s now 66 years old, what’s left to say? Working on my review of the show, the same question has been tugging at my own brain. The review is necessary, of course, because Bob Dylan came to town, and one can’t ignore a concert like that. And yet, it’s also completely unnecessary because, really, what’s left to say? I won’t pretend to add anything groundbreaking to the vast amount of analytical praise that has been heaped upon Dylan over the years, but from a practical standpoint, just know this: He’s still worth seeing.

Elvis Costello was similarly captivating, filling the arena with just his voice and a guitar. His stage presence commanded attention, and though it was a short set, it was filled with some of his most well-known and loved tunes: "Alison," "Veronica," "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes," and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding." Costello doesn't carry with him quite the level of cultural importance as Dylan, but it's hard to deny the sense of history he brings to the stage. He still seems relevant to me.