What Bob Dylan performed on his first-ever Never Ending Tour show on this day in 1988

Bob Dylan remains a staple of the stage in modern times, but the gig that started his yearly touring schedule took place on this day in 1988.

Dylan is currently on his Summer 2026 tour, performing across North America following the conclusion of his Rough and Rowdy Ways performances. The veteran songwriter has performed every year since 1988, excluding 2020. Dylan could not tour during the global Coronavirus pandemic but did release his first batch of original material that year with Rough and Rowdy Ways, his first new songs since 2012’s Tempest. The first-ever Never Ending Tour show took place on June 7, 1988, at the Concord Pavilion in California.

There, Dylan played songs he had not performed live since the mid-1960s and delivered a cover that he would feature intermittently when on the road in the years to follow. Some of the songs featured in his first-ever Never Ending Tour setlist also featured in recent shows on the Spring 2026 tour, and the preceding tour of North America with Willie Nelson. His Outlaw Music Festival shows in 2025 featured the likes of Masters of War and Gotta Serve Somebody.

The first year of the Never Ending Tour had Dylan explore some of his lesser-known songs, revive tracks that had not featured in his setlist for decades by that point, and deliver the first live performances of some of his very best songs. Driftin’ too Far from Shore and Absolutely Sweet Marie were played for the first time at this show. Boots of Spanish Leather was also brought back to the stage for the first time since 1963.

What Bob Dylan performed on his first-ever Never Ending Tour show.

• Subterranean Homesick Blues (first time live since 1965)
• Absolutely Sweet Marie (first time live)
• Masters of War
• You’re a Big Girl Now (first time live since 1978)
• Gotta Serve Somebody (first time live since 1981)
• In the Garden
• I Am a Man of Constant Sorry (Emry Arthur cover)
• Lakes of Pontchartrain (traditional cover)
• Boots of Spanish Leather (first time live since 1963)
• Driftin’ Too Far from Shore (first time live)
• Gates of Eden (first time live since 1978)
• Like a Rolling Stone
• Maggie’s Farm

It’s a noticeable difference from what Dylan now plays on stage. At the start of 2026, Dylan had switched out many of the songs above in favour of tracks from contemporary albums and reimagined versions of a few hit songs like All Along the Watchtower. A setlist for his first show of 2026 can be found below.

• I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
• Man in the Long Black Coat
• All Along the Watchtower
• I Contain Multitudes
• False Prophet
• Black Rider
• Love Sick
• Key West (Philosopher Pirate)
• 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
• Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
• Soon After Midnight
• Nervous Breakdown (Eddie Cochran cover)
• Every Grain of Sand