Bob Dylan Opens National Tour

SEATTLE (AP) _ Bob Dylan and his band opened a 35-city national tour in the Pacific Northwest with a blend of vintage protest songs, his own classics and work from a new album. <br><br>They opened with

Tuesday, October 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SEATTLE (AP) _ Bob Dylan and his band opened a 35-city national tour in the Pacific Northwest with a blend of vintage protest songs, his own classics and work from a new album.

They opened with a rollicking, bluegrass ``Wait for the Light to Shine'' at shows Friday in Spokane and Saturday in Seattle.

``Hard Rain,'' ``Masters of War'' and ``Blowin' in the Wind'' were countered by the tender ``Forever Young,'' the bittersweet ``Sugar Baby'' from the new CD ``Love and Theft,'' classics like ``One Too Many Mornings'' and the cheerfully irreverent ``Country Pie.''

``Love and Theft'' is Dylan's first collection of new songs since ``Time Out of Mind,'' the 1997 Grammy winner that tackled aging, death, loneliness and the loss of love and hope.

The singer-songwriter _ who has managed to articulate the experience of at least one generation _ delighted his audience in Seattle with occasional dance steps and a wave of his cowboy hat as he left the stage after a two-hour set.

He next stops in Medford, Ore., on Tuesday. He and the band then swing south and east, wrapping up Nov. 24 in Boston.