Every place I've ever lived, every third person you meet is from Ohio.
Ohio is where America is from. I've found that everyone there either
high-tails it out as fast as their little legs can carry them, or else
they stay firmly in place and insist that the restaurants in Sweet Apple
are just as good as the ones in New York. The state is positively replete
with the sort of towns this Dylan tour is hitting; it's amazing that the
only towns in the state on the agenda are Toledo and Youngstown. Like John
Denver, I spent a week in Toledo one night, and it was that night that led
me to judge a city by whether, on a Saturday night, one has to watch both
ways before crossing the street. Most towns I've been to on this tour, you
don't. In Youngstown, you might have to wait at a light now and then. It
was kind of like Davenport, but with more allergens and fewer hotels. 

As I drove my rental car from Cleveland, I looked up all the songs about
Youngstown. None of them were promising. The best known, of course, is
Springsteen's, which portrays it as less desirable than Hell. Even the
Peoria songs were more positive than that. Even John Denver's Toledo song
is more positive, in fact. I ran out of Youngstown songs pretty quickly
and ended up listening to a country station where every song was about
small towns and/or alcohol (really, all of them), but the signal got into
Youngstown proper. 

It was fairly typical of the towns this tour - the sort of place with a
lower-level minor league baseball team and a college, and a downtown with
a good block or two of cool places. I met up with Britt Eisnor, whom I'd
known on social media for a while (where she's one of the most
entertaining new Bob obsessives), and we wandered around looking for
adventure and coffee - like most towns this tour, finding coffee after 3pm
is a trick. After this tour (and the UK, where nobody has regular coffee),
I honestly think that every time I buy tickets for a show the local
chamber of commerce gets together and makes sure every place that sells
coffee closes a minute before I get roll in, just to mock me and my snobby
city slicker ways. Tour after tour, all occasions inform against me.  

We finally found some at a restaurant in downtown Youngstown's lone hotel,
which had a bust of the Godfather Brando right near a picture of the
Scarface Pacino. It was a cool old building, with art deco "S" symbols on
the elevators which show it wasn't always a Doubletree. No one in the
place seemed to know what it used to be, but a big historical marker
outside identified it as the Stambaugh Building.  

Nearly every place we passed in town was closed (even Acme Bonding, which
certainly sounds like a front), but there was still some adventure to be
had: outside of the courthouse a crowd of a few hundred had gathered for
an anti-fascism rally. It was full of great people and a lot of Bob fans -
between speakers they were playing Dylan's greatest hits. It was a fine
way to spend the day of a Bob show. A woman named Daphne and I swapped
stories of the 90s NYC goth scene, and a woman named Kathy pointed out the
motto engraved on a tablet of stone on the courthouse: "A nation cannot
outlive justice. Where law ends tyranny begins."  Here in this historical
mining town, where James and Danny Easton found the ore that was lining
Yellow Creek in 1803 (per Bruce), people sure seem to dislike the rich
clown who wants everyone to get out of the office and back into productive
careers mining and refining materials, but without unions, so we can make
him rich enough to forget our names. The size of the protest here warmed
my heart almost as much as when i took a busload of Michigan teenagers
around New York a couple of weeks ago and they booed every Cybertruck we
passed.  


Elsewhere, Britt and I tracked down a couple of possible record shops
(both closed), tried a couple of places that looked like they might have
restrooms (all closed), and had syrupy cocktails with Kait and her husband
at a wine bar.  

Outside the venue (which had a charming marquee that reminded me of an 80s
high school scoreboard), Sue told us that our tickets could all be
upgraded - it seems the venue had held back a number of the best seats and
had just released them. My guess is that they were reserved for local
dignitaries, but there aren't very many of those in Youngstown, so not
many were claimed. For no extra fee,  Britt, Henry and I all ended up in
the second row on the Bob Britt side, with an empty row in front of us and
perfect profile view of Bob Dylan that let us see his various gestures; we
could see him doing a little flex before "that immortal spirit," or
shaking his hand dismissively on "I don't play with dice."   

The more shows you go to, the more they become parties before they even
begin. Before the show we wandered a bit, meeting back up with Liz C, who
I hadn't seen since last spring. Sue and Magdalene were near us, Gary and
Maddy were on the other end of row 2, near Graham. Henry had driven all
the way from Chicago (a process that probably went quicker than my flying
to Cleveland, waiting in a rental car line longer than the flight, and
driving to the sketchiest Days Inn north of the delta), and Britt had
spent a couple of days making a slow crawl from Massachusetts.
Youngstown's own "Boom Boom" Mancini, the boxer Warren Zevon wrote about
(in a song Bob covered in 02), was in the middle of the second row,
chatting amiably with admirers.  

The show opened with Bob on guitar, playing an intro to "I'll Be Your Baby
Tonight," which, lacking the usual piano opener, felt like a whole new
arrangement. A strong "It Ain't Me Babe" kept up the guitar.

For the most part this tour has been a bit static - the arrangements and
the setlist have stayed largely the same. But if you miss a show, you miss
a lot. "False Prophet" had some start-stop bits that seemed like they'd
been added in since the last show I caught. "Masterpiece" was about the
same arrangement, but, as it has occasionally this tour, dropped the
"Constantinople" guitar lick.  

The one-two knockout of "Black Rider" and "My Own Version of You" was in
full effect tonight; "My Own Version" was done almost as a monologue; back
in fall 21 I sometimes felt like he was performing the song like a great
Shakespearean tragedian of a bygone era doing his signature soliloquy, and
that vibe was back tonight. As he performed I realized that the recent
between-song cacophony (in which the band sounds like they're tuning only
they're not tuning, just forming a sort of primordial ooze out of which
the songs can emerge), was largely missing between the songs tonight.
Instead, a softer version of it became a sort of soundscape under "My Own
Version of You" and "Key West. Though parts of the song were just about a
capella, other parts had a soft-but-chaotic sort of background - a sort of
analog synth pad -  that would have seemed downright avant garde if it had
been louder, not just laying out a bed for the vocals. It was during this
song that I became truly glad that I made this trip for one more show.  

Things took a surprising turn with "To Be Alone With You." After one
verse, Bob reached for the guitar and jammed a bit. Then, when he turned
back to sing, he had switched to "Watching the River Flow!" He kept up as
if nothing had happened, creating a medley or a mashup or one of those
Grateful Dead things where they segue from one song into another. I turned
to Britt and Henry and remarked that this was going to mess with databases
for years!    

(Turns out I was right; the various setlists are all describing it
differently, with the official page currently not listing anything
unusual, and Bobserve calling it a medly. For the record, most of the song
was "Watching the River Flow." The band adapted so seamlessly that it took
us all a minute to realize it).  

But one reason to go to these small market shows is that often the best
shows are in the most unlike place. Similarly, often it's those shows that
don't run as smoothly that become the most memorable. The night in Memphis
last year when the in-ear monitor wasn't working right ("Shit, that's
worse!) lives in my memory far more than the flawless show the next night.
On that first Memphis night Bob seemed to have to lock in to save the
show.  

Now, I've seen the opposite happen as well. On the second night of the
Rough and Rowdy Ways tour, in Chicago 2021, he messed up the lyrics to
Black Rider and it seemed to shake his confidence, and the rest of the
show was a bit mistake-prone. But that was early in the tour (and when he
was trying to do new songs center stage without the lyric book). Now the
show is a better-oiled machine. Once Bob realized his mistake tonight, he
seemed a bit annoyed with himself; there were no more attempts at guitar,
and very little harp (just the shortest of all solos at the end of "Grain
of Sand." But instead of letting it get to him, he sang his ass off on
every song. He had already been "on" tonight, and now seemed to focus just
a bit more.  He sang his heart out on "Rubicon. "Desolation Row" has been
a frequent highlight lately, and tonight more than one person in my row
was weeping.  

"Key West" elicited loud cheers on the "Gulf of Mexico" line once again (a
practice I heard tapered off in Michigan).  This is one of my favorite
things in the show these days.  At the protest this afternoon a person
told me that they wished Bob was still doing protest songs, and I used
that old 66 line: "These are ALL protest songs." Bob may not be up there
singing "Masters of War" this tour, but it's all there in these songs,
this setlist, in ways even he couldn't have planned for. "People
disappearing everywhere you look," people who don't seem to have a soul…
no one would have predicted in 2020 that just saying "Gulf of Mexico"
could be perceived as defiant. These songs contain multitudes.  

Tony came over to see what Bob planned to do instead of "Watching the
River Flow," pointing to the lyrics on the piano, presumably noting that
he'd already played most of it, and seeming just a bit nervous. But Bob
launched right "To Be Alone With You," with Tony making a hasty retreat
back to the bass, and Bob howling out the vocals like he was determined to
do it properly this time.  And, in one of those happy accidents, singing
about "my mortal bliss" right after the song about looking for immortality
made for a cool juxtaposition, narrative-wise.  

For whatever reason, "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" was dropped, which is a
shame, but no draconian figure advertised the setlist.  "I've Made Up My
Mind To Give Myself To You" featured an almost baroque piano bit, and
heartfelt vocals.  But perhaps the biggest highlight for me (outside of
the cant-miss trio of "Masterpiece" "Black Rider" and "My Own Version of
You.") was "Mother of Muses", a forceful rendition that was less of a
request than a demand. 

Drama and lack of "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" aside, this was a
marvelous show. Of course one has to factor in things like my sitting with
equally enthusiastic friends, in a perfect seat, but this show felt
special. The buzz was strong outside, among both the newbies and the
long-time people who've been following Bob tours far longer than I have.
There were hugs all around in the bar.  

Now, Henry and I had a bit of a discussion beforehand: would you rather
have a good seat, or sit with friends? Tonight we didn't have to pick -
the three of us had absolutely ideal seats, and it was a blast sitting
next to Britt, who squealed and shook in her seat with infectious
enthusiasm (the yiddish word here is "plotzed.")  Musicologist Rob Bowman
came up to us post-show and said he enjoyed watching Henry, Britt, and I
bopping to the music; it reminded him of when he was in his 20s. Twenty
was long enough ago for me that I took this as quite a compliment!  

Right across the street was Draught House, a dive bar that i'd spotted
earlier. When i walked past, there were old people fighting outside and a
guy who looked like he used to be a wrestler walking in. Pints of PBR were
$2.50.  It was perfect. Before and after the show I had a chance to hang
out with Graham, Daryl, Gary, Maddy, Kait, Henry, Britt, Robin (my
Charlotte road buddy from last year!), and all the other good people
traveling to these wicked little towns. I told Graham I'd queued up "Handy
Dandy" on the jukebox but I really picked "Wiggle Wiggle." It was a mood
of pure joy.  

Back at my sketchy Days Inn, a smoker on the porch tried to set me up with
his sister. He told me things about her body that most people don't know
about their sisters. I just went on up to my room and slept without
pulling back the covers. The occasionally sketchy crash pad is part of the
adventure, right?   

Tired as I was, it was hard to tear myself away from the Draught House. I
might not see many of these people on the Outlaw tour; who knows when I'll
see them again? I keep going back to a Jeff Rosenstock song: "But when I
listen to your records… it's like I'm hanging out with you, in weird
cities."  

I was at the Youngstown show. To me, it seems like Bob may have just
"flowed" into 'Watching The River Flow' accidentally because of similar
melodies?

They did play the first one or two verses of 'To Be Alone With You' before
seamlessly switching to the beginning of 'Watching The River Flow' and
finishing that song. So, that song should really appear in the setlist.
More like this:

8. To Be Alone With You (incomplete) >
9. Watching The River Flow

There was some confusion during this time. I recall at the end of one of
the songs around this time in the show, Bob was at the piano, taking a
drink with his left hand and then, for several seconds, held up his right
hand toward one of the guitar players (I think Doug). I don't think the
guitarist noticed Bob's outstretched hand because he was looking down, but
very shortly after he switched his guitar from electric to acoustic.

Also after one of the songs at this time, Tony walked over to the piano
and leaned over, either to quickly say something to Bob or to look at the
setlist.

So, it definitely seemed there was a little confusion at some point, but
unless you're a nerd (like me), you might not have even noticed it. That's
how solid this band is playing.

This was my fourth show since the RARW Tour began in 2021. My highlights
were a killer version of 'False Prophet'...Anton on drums during
'Desolation Row' is just unreal.siHonestly, it was cool to hear 'To Be
Alone With You' at two points in the show, and a fun little "shake up" in
the setlist, if only by accident.

Long story short: small hiccup in the middle, but a great show from start
to finish.

To Be Alone With You – To Be Alone With You Youngstown,
Ohio – April 19, 2025 Yes,
it really happened and it was fantastic. It just proves that anything can
and will happen at a Bob Dylan concert. It's live music, an
honest-to-goodness performance and Bob and his rogue marauders are the
genuine article. They're up on that stage sweating blood without a net.
I won't lie. I am sad we didn't get "It's All Over Now, Baby
Blue," but at the same time, I think what happened was even more
glorious because it was in the moment, and it was alive. Now let's talk
about Anton Fig. He's introducing me to this concept of light and shade
where different parts are different in tone and mood and, for the Rough
and Rowdy Ways songs, this works especially well. I found myself crossing
the Rubicon and dialing in that pirate radio station coming out of
Luxembourg and Budapest. We didn't get much harp, but the harp on
"When I Paint My Masterpiece" was especially poignant. I was surprised
the harp solo at the end of "Every Grain of Sand" seemed truncated,
but again, this is a live performance and Bob's always been a mood ring
of emotions which just enriches whatever is happening before us. They say
the mob runs Youngstown, but tonight Bob Dylan was the only capodecina in
the house. 

Charles Cicirella

This is the fourth time I've been to a Dylan show in Youngstown, Ohio,
which he has to be the most prestigious musical acts to play that often in
the former steel town which like Dylan's old hometown Hibbing, Minnesota
has lost much of it's industry and with that much of it's population and
grandeur. Notice I used the words show and act to describe what Bob Dylan
does but that not correct a better description would be revival because
Dylan puts his heart and soul into every appearance and lifts the spirits
of those who attend. To a post Holocaust Jew like myself, Dylan has become
in my mind a religious figure to help understand one's response to the
madness of the modern world. Art does play an important role and
witnessing Dylan's art, which is always a work in progress is a reflection
of one person attempt to paint his masterpiece and in that we can just sit
and awe and watch this fellow human being keep on his never ending tour to
bring that attempt to the public. The performance last night is hard to
describe, at times the musical arrangements were delivered with his piano
playing driving the sound but his singing was a bit frustrated by the
limits of the sound system. Without going into details, I thought the
arrangement of, "It's not me babe," was the highlight and the rest of the
performance was great but the overall feeling I had was I was watching a
figure of history telling me to paint my own masterpiece! 

Murray Davis
Youngstown, Ohio 

BOB gave another stellar performance, last night in Youngstown Ohio in the
beautiful Power's Auditorium, located in the Deyor Performing Arts
Center. "To Be Alone With You" was played twice and standouts were Key
West, False Prophet, and Desolation Row. BOB is a National Treasure and an
artist that continues to grow and gives us an uplift.

Billy & Beth Cardina