Bob Dylan Dusts Off Rarities, Debuts Eddie Cochran Cover on 'Rough and Rowdy Ways' Tour Opener
Bob Dylan kicked off the 2026 leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour with surprises, including the first performance of 'Man in the Long Black Coat' since 2013 and a debut cover of Eddie Cochran's 'Nervous Breakdown'.
Bob Dylan launched the 2026 leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour Saturday evening at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. He made some significant changes: performing six Rough and Rowdy Ways songs instead of the usual nine, swapping his grand piano for a smaller keyboard at center stage, and rearranging the music to feature acoustic guitars by Bob Britt and Doug Lancio instead of electric. An electric guitar remained untouched on Dylan’s amp throughout the night.
The evening began conventionally with “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” but quickly diverged when Dylan played Oh Mercy‘s “The Man in the Long Black Coat” for the first time since 2013. Rarities like “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” and Bo Diddley’s “I Can Tell” – usually reserved for Outlaw Festival shows – were sprinkled into the set. The biggest surprise came near the end with the live debut of Eddie Cochran’s 1958 classic “Nervous Breakdown.” Phones were banned, preventing video recordings, but fans captured clean audio.
Dylan last performed in America during the final leg of the Outlaw Festival tour in September 2025. These were supremely odd shows, even by Dylan standards, where he obscured his face with a tight hoodie, a music stand, and bright lights, likely in response to pervasive filming during the summer. The theater setting allowed for enforced phone restrictions.
Fans in Omaha enjoyed a clear view, though the show had its hiccups. According to Matt Simonsen on Ray Padgett’s Flagging Down the Double E’s newsletter: “[It was] the roughest concert of the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour... Bob was too far from it when he sat, uncomfortable when he leaned into it, and picked it up and plopped it down about 10 times throughout the night”.
Dylan’s spring tour continues Sunday night at Mary W. Sommervold Hall in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and concludes May 1 at Abilene Auditorium in Abilene, Texas. Additional U.S. dates include June 6 and 7 at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Washington, and July 2 at the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
Related Articles
Listen to Bob Dylan on Foxsoundi. Click here to listen!
Comments (0)
Login to comment