Outlaw Music Festival Tour - Kick Off Day!
Bob Dylan Live in Phoenix Tonight — Full Festival Kickoff Details Inside
It’s finally here — the Outlaw Music Festival Tour kicks off tonight!
Bob Dylan returns to the stage this evening in Phoenix, Arizona, opening the first leg of the 2025 Outlaw Music Festival Tour. Over the next two weeks, he’ll be performing eight shows across the western United States — from Arizona to California, Idaho to Washington.
Here’s a look at the full first leg:
05/13 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
05/15 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
05/16 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
05/18 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
05/20 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
05/22 – Spokane, WA – ONE Spokane Stadium
05/24 – Ridgefield, WA – Cascades Amphitheater
05/25 – George, WA – The Gorge Amphitheatre
Whether you’re planning to catch one of these shows or following along from home, We’ll keep you posted on highlights, setlists, surprises, and special moments throughout the tour.
Furthermore, you can find all show info on www.boblinks.com!
Let the music roll!
Tour Map - First Leg Shows
Be Part of the Daily Dylan Tour Diary!
If you’re attending one of the shows on this first leg of the Outlaw Tour, we’d love to hear from you! Whether it’s a quick review, a favorite moment, photos, or short video clips — feel free to send them our way. We’ll be curating highlights from fans around the country in our Daily Dylan Outlaw Tour Diary, capturing the spirit of each night through your eyes.
You can email your contributions to info@daily-dylan.com or reach out to us on our social media channels.
Let’s build this tour story together, one night at a time.
📍 Tonight’s Venue: Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, Phoenix, AZ
Tonight’s kickoff takes place at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, a major open-air venue in Phoenix, Arizona. With a capacity of around 20,000, it’s the largest outdoor amphitheatre in the state — and a classic stop for major touring acts. Known for its wide, sloping lawn and desert backdrop, the venue offers a distinctly Southwestern concert experience.
Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
2121 N 83rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85035
Check out the setlist of Bob’s last concert in Phoenix in 2022 here! It was the live debut of “Crossing The Rubicon”!
🎤 Tonight’s Lineup & Set Times
Outlaw Music Festival – Phoenix, AZ
Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
(Click on the artists to check them out!)
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Lily Meola
4:55 PM – 5:40 PM: Sierra Hull
6:10 PM – 7:25 PM: Billy Strings
7:55 PM – 9:10 PM: Bob Dylan
9:40 PM – 10:40 PM: Willie Nelson & Family
Doors open at 3:00 PM!
With five artists on the bill and staggered set times, the evening promises a full spectrum of sound — from rising voices like Lily Meola and Sierra Hull to genre-defying favorites Billy Strings, Willie Nelson, and of course, Bob Dylan himself.
The Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre is one of Arizona’s premier open-air venues, holding around 20,000 fans and offering both lawn and reserved seating. A perfect place to launch the summer leg of the tour.
Let the music begin.
It’s mid-May, so temperatures will be high, even after sunset. The amphitheatre's size and outdoor setting mean we can likely expect a louder, more expansive sound tonight, with room for the band to stretch out and Dylan to set the tone for the summer.
Concertgoers can expect a warm and sunny evening. The forecast for Phoenix today is:
High: 90°F (32°C)
Low: 63°F (17°C)
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A Closer Look at Last Year’s Setlist Shake-Up
Let’s rewind to June 2024, when Bob Dylan joined the Outlaw Music Festival and opened with two bold, back-to-back performances — each with a distinct personality and direction.
📍 Show #1 – June 21, 2024 – Alpharetta, GA
The first night was a statement. Dylan opened with a fiery rendition of “My Babe” (Little Walter) and followed it with a unique blend of blues, ballads, and deep cuts — including “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’,” “Pay in Blood,” and “Scarlet Town.”
He delivered rare treats like “The Fool” (Naomi Ford & Lee Hazlewood), “Mr. Blue,” and “Cold Cold Heart” (Hank Williams), crafting a dark, smoky atmosphere at the piano. Notably, there were no tracks from Rough and Rowdy Ways, and no harmonica — just Dylan’s voice and piano guiding us through a shadowy, reflective set.
📍 Show #2 – June 22, 2024 – Charlotte, NC
One night later, Dylan changed gears. He opened with a charged “Highway 61 Revisited” and brought back live staples like “Love Sick,” “Can’t Wait,” and “Ballad of a Thin Man.”
But he didn’t stop there. This set was harmonica-heavy and emotionally wide-ranging — from “Shooting Star” and “Soon After Midnight” to the poignant “Stella Blue” (a Grateful Dead cover) and the rollicking “Six Days on the Road.”
Some songs remained — “Little Queenie,” “Mr. Blue,” “Under the Red Sky” — but the shift in mood, tone, and arrangement was unmistakable. Charlotte felt more electric, more theatrical, even more nostalgic.
What This Means for 2025
From the very first shows, Dylan made one thing clear: There would be no set formula.
No Rough and Rowdy Ways, no predictable structure, and no fear of digging into unexpected corners of American music history — or his own.
So what happens tonight in Phoenix?
Will we see a return of classics like “Love Sick” or “Ballad of a Thin Man”?
Will the band bring back covers like “Mr. Blue” or surprise us with something entirely new?
And what role will the harmonica play this time around?
What About the Band?
Last year, word leaked just days before the first show that Jim Keltner would join on drums and Donnie Herron would step away — both of which proved true. But Keltner was absent during the Spring 2025 tour, replaced by Anton Fig, who played all shows so far.
Now the question is: Will Anton Fig continue behind the drums this summer?
There are no confirmed rumors — just speculation.
What do you think?
Which songs will Dylan bring back tonight? Will the band stay the same, or shift again?
👇 Click to comment and join the conversation!
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