Bob Dylan in Tulsa
“There’s more vibrations on the coasts, for sure,” Bob Dylan explained when asked why his archive was located in Tulsa, “But I’m from Minnesota and I like the casual hum of the heartland.”
Bob Dylan kicked off the first date of his 2025 Rough & Rowdy Ways/Never Ending Tour smack dab in the middle of the American Heartland Tuesday night, performing at the beautiful Tulsa Theater in downtown Tulsa, just down the street from the Bob Dylan Center as well as the Woody Guthrie Center.
Quickly adapting to Tulsa time, Dylan took the stage a few minutes past the scheduled 8pm start time, but nimbly settled in center stage behind a baby grand piano. Here he remained, at mission control if you will, flipping through his songbooks, occasionally standing to flip a page, or to grab a harmonica, but more often than not, simply for emphasis. He seemed particularly lively tonight, perhaps eager to be back on stage after a short hiatus from the road. He was joined by his band, which is comprised of Tony Garnier on bass, Bob Britt and Doug Lancio on guitars, and new for 2025, Anton Fig was back behind the drum kit. The band was tight, quickly shaking off any rust from recent inactivity as they opened the show with fine versions of “All Around the Watchtower” and “It Ain’t Me, Babe.”
Since its release in 2020, songs from Rough & Rowdy Ways have dominated Dylan’s setlists, and this performance was no exception. He delivered a total of seventeen songs, nine of which came from the album, the only exception being “A Murder Most Foul.” These new songs typically came in chunks, with the older material dropping in here and there, as with “I Contain Multitudes” and “False Prophet” before “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” which was followed by “Black Rider” and “My Own Version of You.” The new material was well received by the sold out audience. Indeed, “My Own Version of You” elicited one of the loudest audience responses of the evening, with its reference to hometown music legend, Leon Russell. A lovely version of Nashville Skyline’s “To Be Alone With You” served to end what was the first set, with Dylan addressing the audience for the first of only two time (the other, band introductions) , to announce a short break.
Following the quick 15 minute intermission, Dylan and band returned with “Crossing the Rubicon” and followed with a ridiculously good new arrangement of “Desolation Row” that seemed to take many in the audience by surprise. Up next, the recent “Key West (Philosopher Pirate),” and then another nod to Leon Russell, the 1971 single collaboration “Watching the River Flow,” followed with a stripped down and striking “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” Dylan closed out the evening returning to Rough & Rowdy Ways for “I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You,” “Mother of Muses,” and “Goodbye Jimmy Reed” before wrapping everything up with “Every Grain of Sand” from 1981’s Shot of Love.
I’ve seen Bob Dylan multiple times over the years, and well, I never know what to expect. There have been good shows, and then a couple I’d consider less than good. Still, I keep coming back. Nights like this make me glad I do, as this was the best I’ve seen him over the years. It was easily the best setlist I’ve seen him do, and while some might complain about it being heavy on the newer material, I was excited to hear that material. Rough & Rowdy Ways was one of my favorite albums of 2020, and my appreciation of it has actually grown exponentially since its release. The fact that these songs have remained so prominently present in Dylan’s sets, seems important somehow. They certainly seem important to him. Still, it was mostly the older material that got everyone up on their feet.
That said, nearly all of the so called, “hits” seemed to take much of the audience a noticeable moment to recognize, with Dylan keeping everyone on their toes with newer, unfamiliar arrangements. As I noted above one of these was “Desolation Row,” which seemed darker and a bit more aggressive in its nature, which I loved. Easily my highlight of the night. I can even forgive the pruned verses as Dylan absolutely captivated in this powerful, though truncated version. The same goes for “When I Paint My Masterpiece” with its strangely perfect “Istanbul, Not Constantinople” melody arrangement. I’d missed Dylan the last time he’d played Oklahoma City in 2022 and I’d regretted it ever since, so when this date was announced as the 2025 tour opener, I didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger on a ticket. Apparently no one else did either, as the show sold out quickly, with fans coming from points far and wide for not only an opportunity to check out a Bob Dylan tour opener, but to also visit his archive as well as his hero and inspiration,Woody Guthrie’s archive as well. In lieu of photos from the show, I’ve included a few photos of some of the items I found interesting that are currently on display. I make it up to Tulsa on a fairly regular basis for concerts, and I often try to stop in one or the other if not both, when I’m able. Worthy of a trip to Tulsa on their own merits, there’s also the Church Studio, the immensely cool Cain’s Ballroom and so much more. There’s always something happening in T Town.
On a side note, this was the first show I’ve ever attended that required all cell phones be placed in a locked case. It was a different experience. I mean, admittedly, it was genuinely nice to not see a constant sea of phone screens all night, and that certainly outweighed never knowing what time it was. Truly an unforeseen side effect. By the way, shout out to those of you wearing actual watches, y’all the real MVPs.
Bob Dylan will be on the road well into the summer with both his ongoing Spring tour as well as dates on Willie Nelson’s 2025 Outlaw Music Fest which I’m hopeful of catching and seeing him again at a close stop here in OK in July. You can keep up Bob Dylan’s tour dates and more by visiting here: https://www.bobdylan.com. You can learn more about the Bob Dylan Center here: https://bobdylancenter.com and the Woody Guthrie Center here: https://woodyguthriecenter.org.
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Show Review: Bob Dylan at the Anthem 12/2
Setlist:
Bob Dylan 03-25-2025
Tulsa Theater Tulsa, Oklahoma
All Along the Watchtower
It Ain’t Me, Babe
I Contain Multitudes
False Prophet
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Black Rider
My Own Version of You
To Be Alone With You
Crossing The Rubicon
Desolation Row
Key West (Philosopher Pirate)
Watching the River Flow
It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You
Mother of Muses
Goodbye Jimmy Reed
Every Grain of Sand
