| Reviews Macon, Georgia Macon City Auditorium April 22, 2026 |
Review by Will Greene
Tonight was the second show of my back to back dates and was special for a
few reasons: it was in my hometown, I had the best seat I'll probably ever
have for a Dylan concert, and barring a revival this is my last Rough and
Rowdy Ways concert.
Macon is a hard-luck Georgia city that was formerly built around the
railroads and the textile industry, both of which no longer provide a
strong base for the economy. While hardly destitute, the city struggles
with blight and has only recently begun to market their incredible musical
heritage as a draw for tourism. The town produced Dylan favorite Little
Richard, Otis Redding (who Dylan pitched "Just Like a Woman" to and whose
funeral was held at this venue) and the Allman Brothers among many others.
After a day featuring visits to the Otis Redding Museum and the Capricorn
Museum, I headed to the Macon City Auditorium for Dylan's third ever Macon
show.
The City Auditorium is one of the architectural jewels of Macon and is the
only venue Dylan has played in the city. While beautiful, the flat
orchestra level and the far away balconies did somewhat lessen the venue's
utility. That being said, my quite pricey ticket was everything I hoped
for, giving me a picture perfect view of Bob and all 4 other band members.
The show largely unfolded as Spartanburg's show did, maintaining the
consistent excellence and the focus on Bob. The two most notable new
things were the welcome return of Dylan's harmonica for "When I Paint My
Masterpiece" (first time since Bowling Green nearly a week ago) and my
newfound certainty that Bob has some sort of hat on under his hood. Before
"Masterpiece" he spent a considerable amount of time adjusting something
with more structure than a hood. I also enjoyed the more bass heavy sound
of "False Prophet" which gave the song a bit of a burlesque feel. That was
a clear highlight again tonight.
With the show both unimpeachable and largely static, I have reflected more
than usual on what the show means. The namesake album is an unusual one
for Dylan for several reasons. It is the only album of original songs that
has been released in the past 13 and counting years, a distinction shared
by no other album (Time Out of Mind clocks in at 11 years and 1 day). It
is also an unusally personal album, with all the songs except perhaps
"Black Rider" drawing on Dylan's life, career, and passions in a fairly
easily identifiable form. I believe this focus has kept Dylan dedicating
his tours to the album for so long, as these R&RW shows are more than 4
years after the initial run. I'm also fascinated by this apparently final
leg, as the setlists have remained remarkably static but Dylan has been in
a good mood (as evidenced by the strong performances, the clapping to the
audience at the end, and a particularly pleased moment at the end of "All
Along the Watchtower" tonight). The static setlists giveth (the band is
benefitting from getting to really hone in these songs) and taketh (less
variety for those attending multiple shows). Given Bob's clear
satisfaction and joy during these shows, this leg feels like a final
celebration of a deeply meaningful work.
I believe that if Dylan is both pleased with this tour's quality (as he
should be) and willing to end the R&RW tour, the most likely explanation
is that he's planning on or has made new music. I do not think he would
wrap up a critically acclaimed tour that he still finds meaning in without
having something in mind to replace it. I also think the new Patreon is a
meaningful clue, as Dylan's creativity remains active. We also have
examples from the past that suggest that his literary works can spawn
songs. Following the lead of the Patreon, perhaps these new songs will
shift to an external focus, contrasting with the more inward focus of
R&RW.
Or maybe Rough and Rowdy Ways will return after the summer shows wind
down. I think that is still on the table as a possibility. Regardless, I'm
looking forward to my next show closer to home and to whatever Dylan has
in store. If it is half as good as tonight's show, there is no room for
complaints from anyone and the crowd tonight was extremely warm and
appreciative.
Will Greene
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