| Reviews Spartanburg, South Carolina Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium April 20, 2026 |
Review by Will Greene
It is truly remarkable that Bob Dylan, one of the most accomplished
artists of all time, is still out on the road at 84. It is absolutely
mindblowing that he is out on the road and is coming to smaller cities
like Spartanburg, South Carolina. Dylan played the roughly 3,200 seat
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium for the third time in his career,
following 2 shows in the 90s. Bafflingly, the venue's website lists
Dylan as an artist that the Auditorium "helped launch" the career of.
I guess they deserve the credit Joan Baez or Peter, Paul and Mary
typically get.
The Auditorium reminded me of a venue he would have played on his 1966
European tour, a flat stage set back from a wide and deep orchestra. I
could practically see the giant American flag from the Paris show being
draped over the back of this stage. I can imagine the sightlines were not
great for many patrons, particularly those in the balconies that are set
far behind the orchestra. I was glad my cousin and I shelled out for dead
center seats one row in front of the sound board at the back of the orchestra.
You could tell the venue was not used to Dylan's show as one staff member
asked if my pad and pen were in case I got the chance to get an autograph
and at the end of the show the sound guy expressed surprise that Dylan
only talked to the audience once.
My 11th show and 8th Rough and Rowdy Ways show featured consistently clear
vocals, more so than almost any show I have seen of his, and the always
strong backing band. This was the kind of show that is always tough to
review - one where everything is great and there's almost nothing to
critique. The set list was unchanged from recent shows and the guitars are
still acoustic but the audio issues I experienced in Waukegan were gone,
leading to a fuller realization of the show. The concert began with Anton
starting off with a drum beat as the remaining band members came on stage
and started playing, followed by Dylan himself. Unlike my prior show, the
lights went down during the first song "To Be Alone With You" which
set the tone with Bob's lusty vocals and a danceable instrumental. Next
came a "Long Black Coat" that was clearly not "Long White Coat"
(unlike Waukegan's possible lyric change), with Bob mostly playing the
keyboard during the bridge and the outro. Bob really leaned into
"*began* to howl" on a guitar driven "Watchtower" and the
"wolf" verse on a spry "Multitudes".
Next came my highlight of the show - a melodic and powerful "False
Prophet" with strong guitar and keyboard interplay. While all of the
songs were great tonight, this was one of the best versions of this song
as I thought the arrangement really gelled and allowed the menace of the
lyrics to cut through. One small vocal flub did not mar "Black Rider"
at all and "that" line (you know the one) got scattered applause. Bob
was sipping a drink consistently starting at this point, although his
voice carried through a traditional rendition of "Love Sick" that
benefitted from more drums during the verses. Anton's drumming was also
a highlight on "Goodbye Jimmy Reed" and I enjoyed Bob's vocals which
slipped effortlessly between crooning and a more conversational tone. Bob
said "Thank you" to the audience after Jimmy Reed and then introduced
the band.
The big "NO MORE"s of "I Can Tell" lit up the crowd, especially
for the final a cappella rendition. A relatively brisk "I've Made Up
my Mind" did not retain the album version's melody but the achingly
beautiful vocals carried the song. The song got a big burst of applause
for the "I hope that the gods go easy with me" line. "Rubicon'"s
soft but driving guitars boosted the tension of the song, with the
"roads" line also getting a big pop from the audience. Anton's
steady drums gave the song the feel of marching to the executioner (face
well hidden no doubt) before the crashing keyboard and drums in the bridge
seemed to suggest the actual execution. Bob chuckled slightly during the
"crimson and clover" line of "Masterpiece."
I loved the consistent stop/start flourish that added tension to a
keyboard driven "Forgetful Heart" which led to a "Soon After
Midnight" with a lengthy prelude followed by a Dylan driven introduction
to the song. Again, Bob's vocals were a highlight. "Nervous
Breakdown" was just plain fun, with a big drum part, a big vocal
(particularly during the choruses), and some of Bob's most animated
playing. Last but certainly not least was a tender "Every Grain of
Sand" where Bob's keyboard part built as the song went on before he
ended it with a loud and clear harmonica solo. While I would love more
harmonica, if it needs to be limited to one occasion this was the perfect
place to use it. After this, Bob shuffled out to the front of the stage,
posed for the crowd, then CLAPPED for the crowd before walking out with a
bit of a spring in his step.
This was a consistent and incredible show that felt like a full embodiment
of the lyrical and vocal clarity that makes Rough and Rowdy Ways such a
special album and set of tours. I'll be hitting the next show in Macon
for what is bound to be a special show for sentimental (it is my
hometown), historical (it will likely be my last Rough and Rowdy show),
and practical (I have the best seat I have ever had) reasons.
Paul Leslie
Paul Leslie sent me his audio review
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