The Bob Dylan Week In Review
Encore Surprises, a Meaningful Final Show and Two Significant Archival Editions
Bob Dylan Finds Inspiration In Ireland
At the first show in Killarney, Bob Dylan surprised the audience with a cover of “Lakes of Ponchartrain” as an encore. The performance felt inspired and rooted in the Irish surroundings. At some point, the audiences even sang along subtly.
At the second Killarney show, no encore took place.
Fall Tour Wrap-Up in Dublin
After leaving Killarney, Dylan and his band traveled to Dublin for the final concert of 2025. There, he delivered a moving rendition of “Rainy Night in Soho,” a song originally by The Pogues. It was a significant moment, especially since Victoria Mary Clarke, the widow of the band’s late frontman Shane MacGowan, was in the audience. That very day would have been his wedding anniversary. The choice of song and setting made the performance particularly poignant.
After the tour, we’d like to include a recap of the Fall Tour in the Daily Dylan Newsletter. We’d also love to feature impressions from those who attended one or more shows. If you’re up for it, feel free to send us a short text (max 200 words) based on the following questions.
How would you sum up the Fall Tour 2025 shows you attended?
What moments stood out most to you?
New Release: Highway of Diamonds – Black America Sings Bob Dylan
A new compilation titled Highway of Diamonds: Black America Sings Bob Dylan has been announced for release on January 30 2026. It presents twenty interpretations of Dylan compositions by leading figures in soul, gospel and jazz. The collection highlights how deeply Dylan’s songwriting has resonated within Black American musical traditions for more than six decades.
Several contributions stand out as particularly noteworthy. The Staple Singers offer a powerful version of “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” bringing the full weight of their gospel-rooted sound to one of Dylan’s most urgent early songs. Bettye LaVette contributes her interpretation of “Everything Is Broken,” a performance marked by her unmistakable vocal grit and emotional precision. Nina Simone’s reading of “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” adds a unique intensity, combining Dylan’s lyricism with her command of jazz phrasing and classical influence. Other artists on the compilation include O. V. Wright, Richie Havens and The Persuasions, each providing their own perspective on Dylan’s work.
The album covers a broad stylistic range. Some recordings lean into gospel harmonies, others into soul or blues, yet all share a direct engagement with Dylan’s themes and language. The release also includes an extensive booklet with illustrations and detailed commentary that explores the background of each track and the historical intersections between Dylan’s music and Black American artistry.
Highway of Diamonds is presented not only as a tribute but as a document of the long and ongoing dialogue between Dylan’s songwriting and the musical voices that have reinterpreted and reshaped it in their own traditions.
Record Store Day Black Friday 2025 and the two Dylan releases
Record Store Day took place on 28 November 2025. Among the limited-edition releases were two significant items from Dylan’s catalogue.
The Original Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan — This version restores the album as it was originally conceived, including four tracks that had been pulled from the 1963 release: “Rocks And Gravel,” “Let Me Die in My Footsteps,” “Rambling, Gambling Willie,” and “Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues.”
7” Single of Masters of War — This single features a rare recording made in 1962 at the apartment of folklorist Alan Lomax. The B-side is a recorded conversation between Dylan and Lomax, offering a unique historical glimpse into Dylan’s early career.
These two releases differ substantially: the Freewheelin’ LP brings back a fuller original vision of one of Dylan’s most important early albums. The Masters of War single offers a rare archival document — an intimate, early recording rather than a polished studio track.
Thanks so much for checking in here! See you down the road!
Daniel
Yes like beautifull ireland's songs very much Thank's
Finally home after a little sojourn, which included the very best Dylan concert I have seen - that was on Nov 23, in Killarney. The entire experience was charming - the performance sparkled and the Irish people were as always friendly, warm and fun to meet. I also attended the Dublin concert in 3Arena. The excitement of the crowd before the show was palpable. I enjoyed the concert and Dylan seemed relaxed and his articulation and presentation of his poetry, excellent. Love his musicians who surround him and weave their musical support around the poetic genius. And, how fun was the crowd after the concert, breaking out in song with their Dylan favorites. I knew the concerts in Ireland would deliver.