Bob Dylan will return to Italy next autumn with three concerts in sports halls, marking a new chapter in his “Rough And Rowdy Ways Tour”. After recent performances in theaters and squares, the American singer-songwriter will bring his show to three large arenas: November 2nd at the Unipol Dome in Milan, November 5th at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome and November 7th at the Unipol Arena in Bologna.
Tickets will be available in exclusive presale for Virgin Radio listeners from 11am on Monday 20 July, while general sales will start at 11am on Wednesday 22 July on Ticketone.
The show
Also for these Italian dates Dylan confirms the policy of “phone free shows”, which has now become a distinctive feature of his concerts. Upon entry, all cell phones, smartwatches and recording devices will be sealed in designated Yondr cases, which will remain in spectators' possession for the duration of the event. Anyone who needs to use their phone will be able to do so exclusively in the dedicated areas, where staff will temporarily open the cases.
The organizers explain the choice this way: “Having experimented with this phone-free mode on recent tours, we believe it creates a better experience for everyone present. Our eyes open a little more and our senses are slightly sharper when we lose the technological crutch we've become accustomed to. And yes, it's mandatory and non-negotiable.”
A decision that Dylan has been carrying out for years and which aims to give the public a completely immersive experience, without lit screens or amateur recordings, bringing the attention exclusively back to the music and live performance.
The new guitarist
Meanwhile, Bob Dylan's band continues to change its face. During the recent stages of the “Rough And Rowdy Ways Tour”, a new guitarist debuted at the PNC Pavilion in Cincinnati and at Stage AE in Pittsburgh: Jad Tariq, called to replace Julian Lage. Lage had joined the lineup only a few weeks ago, taking over from Doug Lancio, but had to leave the tour to fulfill already scheduled commitments. Joel Paterson also arrived at the same time, taking over from Bob Britt. A continuous rotation that confirms how Dylan's line-up is now constantly evolving.
Twenty-nine year old Jad Tariq is a guitarist and singer appreciated for his style which has its roots in jazz, swing and jump blues. In September he will release the new album “Precious Company”, but at the moment it is not clear whether his joining the band is destined to last. In fact, Julian Lage himself will return to his concerts in the United States in the autumn, while Dylan will be busy on a European tour.
All the guitarists who played live with Bob Dylan
In the last two months, between June and July, five different guitarists have taken turns on the American singer-songwriter's stage. With the arrival of Tariq, the total number of guitarists who accompanied Dylan live during his career rises to 36, also considering historical occasions such as the 1965 Newport Folk Festival and the tours shared with the Grateful Dead and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Simple guests and musicians who collaborated exclusively in the studio are excluded from the list. Here are all the guitarists who played live with Bob Dylan
- Mike Bloomfield (1965)
- Robbie Robertson (1965-1974)
- Mick Ronson (1975-1976)
- Bobby Neuwirth (1975-1976)
- T Bone Burnett (1975-1976)
- David Mansfield (1975-1978)
- Steven Soles (1975-1978)
- Billy Cross (1978)
- Fred Tackett (1979-1981)
- Steve Ripley (1981; 1990)
- Mick Taylor (1984)
- Mike Campbell (1986-1987)
- Tom Petty (1986-1987)
- Jerry Garcia (1987)
- Bob Weir (1987)
- G. E. Smith (1988-1990)
- Steve Bruton (1990)
- Miles Joseph (1990)
- César Díaz (1990-1991)
- John Staehely (1990)
- John Jackson (1992-1997)
- Bucky Baxter (1992-1999)
- Larry Campbell (1997-2004)
- Charlie Sexton (1999; 2009; 2013-2019)
- Billy Burnette (2003)
- Freddy Koella (2003-2004)
- Tommy Morrongiello (2003-2004)
- Stu Kimball (2004-2018)
- Denny Freeman (2005-2009)
- Duke Robillard (2013)
- Colin Linden (2013)
- Bob Britt (2019-2026)
- Doug Launch (2021-2026)
- Julian Lage (2026)
- Joel Paterson (2026)
- Jad Tariq (2026)
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
