Review by Jim M.
Bob Dylan's Hot Summer 2026 tour landed in Rogers, Arkansas at the
Walmart AMP on Friday (July 3) so we took a trip from our vacation in
Eureka Springs to check it out. Sadly it was almost a waste of time and
money.
FIRST, Lucinda Williams was WONDERFUL! Because of the stroke she had a
few years back she had to be escorted on and off stage, but she can still
SING! Most of her songs were off her last two albums (The World's Gone
Wrong, You Can't Rule Me, etc. and were very political, and aimed at
Donald Trump. She didn't mention him by name but she made it clear she
was referring to the current POTUS. She ended with a rousing version of
Neil Young's ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD.
Now, Bob..
I love Bob Dylan, have been to about 20 concerts and loved most of them.
I'm a Bob fanatic. I know every song, every album, and even knew the
setlist beforehand. I warned people around me that he wasn't going to
do "greatest hits" and they probably wouldn't know most of the
songs.
Bob came out in the ridiculous white rain jacket with the hoodie, so no
one could see him in behind the keyboards in the dark. Things started out
pretty good with To Be Alone With You, Man in the Long Black Coat (which
most people never heard but it was well played and received) and a great
It Ain't Me Babe, but then went downhill during the middle section of
Tryin' to Get to Heaven, False Prophet, I can Tell, Black Rider, Share
Your Love With Me. Either the mic was not working well or Bob just
didn't care to sing into it so people could hear him. I couldn't even
make out some of the songs and I knew the setlist. Things picked up a
little with the boogey version of When I Paint My Masterpiece. Then back
to the hard to understand songs (I'll Make it All Up to You, Crossing
the Rubicon, Under the Red Sky, I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to
You and a barely recognizable Goodbye Jimmy Reed that sounds great on the
record but not so great live, because Bob rushes through it. Glad he
closed with I Shall Be Released instead of Every Grain of Sand (I love
EGOS but have heard it 3-4 times from the never-ending Rough and Rowdy
Ways tours). Closed with a great harmonica solo that the crowd loved.
The new guitar play Joel Patterson was great! He followed Bob's keyboard
playing almost note for note and added some great mini solos. He is
probably a better fit with Bob and the band than the 2 who quit.
People started leaving after Tryin' to Get to Heaven, and almost the
whole row in front us was empty about half way.
I felt sorry for people who came to see Dylan for the first time and got
such a horrible experience. The couple behind me were upset because the
lady spend the extra $$ for seats so her husband to SEE and HEAR Bob Dylan
on his birthday. She asked me if he was always like this. He didn't
say a word, couldn't see him, and couldn't understand much of that he
sang.
NOTE TO BOB & MANAGEMENT
We love bob and will pay to see him, no matter what. But, if you are
going to play outdoor events with large crowds of people who come to SEE
and hear you, stop hiding in the dark and wearing a damn hoodie! And sing
more songs people pay $200 + to hear for the first and only time live, and
either get a better sound person, fix the mic, or sing into the damn mic
so people can HEAR you!
Jim M
Memphis, TN
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