Bob Dylan 2012 Never Ending Tour
Touring band
Bob Dylan: vocal, grand piano, electric keyboard, electric guitar, harmonica
Charlie Sexton: lead guitar
Stu Kimball: electric and acoustic rhythm guitar
Donnie Herron: violin, viola, mandolin, MandoCaster (electric mandolin), banjo, pedal steel guitar
Tony Garnier: double bass and bass guitar
George Recile: drums & percussion
With an unchanged band Dylan opens with a tour through South and Central America (16 songs, 1-2 encores), followed by a 15 show festival trip in Europe (14-17 songs, 1 encore). In Summer a US tour (16 songs, 1 encore), followed by a combined US/Canada Fall tour (14 songs, 1 encore).
Only major change this year: from the European tour on, Dylan plays a grand piano instead of the electric keyboard. Only four new songs are performed live, all from the new album Tempest. But in only 8 of 33 Fall shows one or two (once) Tempest songs are played.
Ballad Of A Thin Man, Highway 61 Revisited, Like A Rolling Stone, Tangled Up In Blue and Thunder On The Mountain are played every show.
Mark Knopfler with his band is the support act in the final tour. Knopfler joins Dylan 53 times on 13 different songs.
On May 29 Dylan receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in the White House. According to the award statement Dylan is “A modern day troubadour, who established himself as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. The rich poetry of his lyrics opened up new possibilities for popular song and inspired generations. His melodies have brought ancient tradition into the modern age. Within 50 years after his career began Bob Dylan remains an eminent voice in our national conversation and around the world.”
“I’m a really big fan!”, sounded the confession of Obama.
From January till March Dylan records in Groove Masters Studio in Santa Monica his 35th studio album, Tempest, which was released in September. Two months later Columbia Records also released the vinyl single Duquesne Whistle in a limited edition. On the B side Meet Me In The Morning in an alternate previously unreleased version from the first Blood On The Tracks sessions in September 1974.
| 2012 * * * * * * * * * * 86 shows, 71 different songs played. 4 live debuts, 3 covers played. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Venue | Title | No of Disks | Label/Source | Sound | Art/setlist/info |
| 2012-04-28 | Buenos Aires | Teatro Gran Rex | 2CDr | Bach | A | - |
| 2012-07-03 | Dresden | Freilichtbühne Junge Garde | 2CDr | Tom Moore Recording | A | Dylan started the concert with Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat and switched after a few lines to Watching The River Flow. |
| 2012-07-07 | Salzburg, Salzburgarena | Live in Salzburg | 2CDr | - | A- | - |
| 2012-07-16 | Barolo | Collisioni Festival | 2CDr | Romeo LB-10308 | A | - |