On March 21, Bob Dylan commenced the 12th leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour at the Orpheum Theatre in Omaha, Neb. Saturday’s concert represented Dylan’s first public performance since November 2025, when he closed the European chapter of his unceasing run that backs the 2020 release of his 39th studio album for which the tour is named. The opener featured a handful of setlist surprises, including an Eddie Cochran debut, the first “Man In The Long Black Coat” since 2013, and updates to the stage setup that helped increase the crowd’s visibility of the subject.
Saturday’s comeback found Dylan behind an electric keyboard as opposed to the baby grand piano he had been taking on the road. Like concerts past, the musician and his band–Tony Garnier, Anton Fig, Bob Britt, and Doug Lancio–clicked into the music using a familiar point of entry, “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight.” To the elation of setlist enthusiasts and those eagerly anticipating any semblance of a rogue move, Dylan tapped into “Man In The Long Black Coat” for the first time since Nov. 7, 2013,” giving people something to talk about.
Notably, the opening night for this edition of the Midwest tour opener saw Dylan cut three Rough and Rowdy Ways tracks from the set, including “Mother of Muses,” “My Own Version of You,” and “Goodbye Jimmy Reed,” which had been locked in place since 2021. As a result of the open spaces, Dylan filled the gaps with “All Along the Watchtower,” “Love Sick,” and “I Can Tell,” making it more reflective of a set played on Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Country Tour by pasting in timeless pieces…