Bob Dylan fans say the Spring 2026 tour has been far better than previous performances for one crucial reason.
The veteran performer, 84, opted not to join the Outlaw Music Festival line-up this year, instead choosing to perform at a series of smaller venues across North America. The change has been noted by Dylan‘s fans, with attendees of the March and early April dates so far suggesting the performances were a lot stronger in an intimate environment. Dylan performed at larger arenas on his European tour late last year, but it appears the smaller venues he is performing at in the United States have bolstered his show. Fans took to the r/BobDylan subreddit to share their thoughts on the change-up of venue size.
One attendee of the Grand Rapids show on April 2 suggested Dylan suited the smaller venues far more than the large-scale production found elsewhere.
A setlist for the Grand Rapids show can be found below.
- To Be Alone With You
- Man in the Long Black Coat
- All Along the Watchtower
- I Contain Multitudes
- False Prophet
- Black Rider
- Love Sick
- Goodbye Jimmy Reed
- I Can Tell (Bo Diddley cover)
- I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You
- Crossing the Rubicon
- When I Paint My Masterpiece
- Forgetful Heart
- Soon After Midnight
- Nervous Breakdown (Eddie Cochran cover)
- Every Grain of Sand
A fan writing about the show the day after the performance hailed it as one of the very best from Dylan. They wrote: “Unreal show last night, putting on the Ritz interpolation was not on my Bob bingo card and vocals that sounded almost better than the recordings?
“Audience even got a lil hello from Bob? Amazing. Saw him last year in an amphitheatre on the Outlaw Tour and I have to say this show was mountains better. Strongly recommend going to a smaller venue show, he looked like he was having lots of fun and it was one of the best concerts of my life. I was in the mezzanine, did anyone on the floor have a better view?”
One listener agreed that the smaller shows were much better than the Outlaw Music Festival tour. They wrote: “I’m very glad he opted out of Outlaw and is doing smaller venue concerts. It’s a much better setting.”
Another added: “Completely agree! I last saw him 15 years ago, and I felt that his voice sounded better last night. The more intimate venue lent itself really well to his sound. The band was on point. The [Bo] Diddley and [Eddie] Cochrane covers were fantastic. I was in the mezzanine, so I imagine even closer would be even better. Especially loved Man in the Long Black Coat, and Black Rider had this cool reverb effect that led to some echoey lyrics.”
A third wrote: “I was at this show too! It was truly amazing hearing his snicker while singing, his iconic ‘well, thank you!’, and that beautiful harmonica. It felt so surreal hearing that all live.”
