Last Night in Cincinnati (by Nat Tracey-Miller)

2026-07-10, PNC Pavilion At Riverbend, Cincinnati, OH

Photos by Nat Tracey-Miller

Another show, another surprise new guitarist. Last night in Cincinnati, Jad Tariq made his Long Hot Summer debut. He’s the fifth guitarist Dylan has played with in the past month!

Here to tell us about it is local music journalist and high school librarian Nat Tracey-Miller. Nat has a long history covering the local music scene for various regional publications and recently returned to promoting experimental music events after a long hiatus. A musician himself, he is working to debut his current project Stagnant Pattern later this fall. Over to Nat…

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Catch up on all our next-day dispatches from this tour here:

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For the first half hour of Bob Dylan’s Friday night set in Cincinnati, there were fireflies flitting between the band members and around the stage. Glowing bright against the dim backdrop, they added a strange and wondrous fairytale element. The spell was broken when the heavens opened, thrashing trees and sending a cool river breeze through the pavilion. I don’t think I’ve seen another Bob show where the environment played such a significant factor in the experience; it was unforgettable.

But the biggest takeaway from last night’s show? The surprise debut performance of Memphis guitarist Jad Tariq. His instant chemistry with his new bandmates rendered a familiar setlist into something novel and exhilarating. It was easily one of the best Dylan shows I’ve seen over the last 20 years, and certainly the most fun. Bob was dancing, Tony was laughing, and after the chaos and headlines of June’s lineup changes, it seemed that all is right in this world. For now, at least.