Last Night in Fort Lauderdale (by Matt Simonsen)
2024-03-01, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Flagging Down the Double E’s is an email newsletter exploring Bob Dylan concerts throughout history. Some installments are free, some for paid subscribers only. Sign up here:
Last night, Bob Dylan kicked off the latest leg of the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. Most importantly, he kicked off what appears to be the last leg of the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. Those posters when the tour was first announced three years ago read “2021—2024,” and while many assumed that meant through the end of 2024, this summer Outlaw tour with Willie Nelson has no Rough and Rowdy branding. This Spring southern leg is probably it.
Friend-of-the-newsletter Matt Simonsen was on the scene in Fort Lauderdale and reports in. Headline: The surprise covers are back! And what sounds like some wild new arrangements too. Set this to play, then read on for Matt’s show report below.
Florida was bright and sunny when I arrived on Thursday. On Friday a strong wind came on all day, as if someone was blowing into town. Just prior to tonight’s opening leg of the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour (the final one, it seems) a heavy downpour chased the attendees inside. Their communication cut off by Yondr, they entered into a dark new world.
First some good news: After vanishing in the fall, the posters have returned! They sold out immediately—many first time concert goers found out if you want a poster you have to hold it throughout the show. A new turquoise bandana is available along with the same shirts as the last tour. The Statue of Liberty shirt has updated tour dates that officially stop with the April 6th show in Austin, TX.
The Broward Center’s Au-Rene Theater is very nice, and, unlike most of the theaters from the last leg, relatively new. What the theater lacked in age was made up for by the crowd. This was easily the oldest Bob Dylan crowd I’ve ever seen in person. I’ve nothing against old Bob Dylan fans, as I’m becoming more of one each and every year, but there was more than normal grumbling and complaining about a lack of greatest hits, absence of Bob on guitar and harmonica, and even some people in a state of shock that they couldn’t understand what he was singing.
When the lights went down the curtain came up revealing Bob already seated at the piano ready to play. The exposed background showed equipment boxes drenched in the soft purple glow from last year. My wife and I held our breath hoping for a new cover, but the big blues lick told us that “Watching the River Flow” would be the show and leg opener.
The band members were positioned in the same spots, but Bob’s piano seemed even farther back than normal. Dressed in black tuxedo pains, white shoes, and a black jacket with floral embroidery covering a red, white, and black pixelated shirt Bob wore something I’ve never seen before: an ear piece. Doug Lancio got to wear the hat tonight and Bob Britt got to sit in a high-top chair during some of the songs. It seemed like both Doug and Bob were standing closer to Bob than in previous concerts.
Bob’s voice on “Watching the River Flow” and “Most Likely You Go Your Way” was good, with a strong lower register (is he getting the Leonard Cohen treatment?). For an opening show, I thought he sounded a little raspier than I expected, but he sounded very good.
Before the show today, Ray and I were discussing how the announcement and ticket sales for the summer and fall Outlaw Music Festival with Willie Nelson and others seemed to take the steam out of the first leg of the 2024 Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. From the comments online, fans are hoping for a different setlist, different show, different concert. It occurred to both of us that this wasn’t just the next leg of the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour, but the last! Maybe he would go out with a bang, rather than a whimper…
After the first two songs, I worried we’d get the whimper. No cover, fairly plain arrangements of the songs, and decent vocals. Then came “I Contain Multitudes.” I loved the new arrangement of “I Contain Multitudes” last year, but it is gone and replaced with something new, something different, and something great. It was the best “Multitudes” I’ve heard live in my 15 Rough and Rowdy Ways shows! His singing was so good and the band so tight. There were few if any piano flourishes, but in their place were fills by both guitarists. In fact, I don’t recall Doug or Bob getting this much opportunity to carry and drive the arrangement. It wasn’t as upbeat or bouncy, but moodier and more atmospheric. Bob smiled throughout the song, obviously happy with the new arrangement. When finished, Bob stood up, turned back to the band, looked at Tony, and gave a head bow with Tony smiling and acknowledging him back.
“False Prophet” followed with a slower arrangement. The prominent riff is more subtle and being worked more into the arrangement rather than a big transitional effect, including ending the song slowly on the signature riff.
Remember that old crowd I was telling you about? Right after “False Prophet,” a woman yelled out loudly “Play something that we know!” Almost as if on cue, Bob Britt started a jaunty little melody on electric guitar and I figured we were in for a new arrangement of “Black Rider.” My wife looked at me a few bars in and we gave each other a look like “is this the Girl from Ipanema?” before realizing that it was Jimmy Kennedy’s “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” [is Bob a secret They Might Be Giants fan?] Wow, I thought, the first cover of the new… “Oh the streets of Rome are filled with rubble.” Bob sang “Masterpiece” over the tune of “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” and it was incredible. Donnie Herron’s violin fit in perfectly. When it was over, both Bob and Tony looked at each other and cracked up laughing. They knew they pulled it off and got away with it.
“Black Rider” sounded very good tonight with a similar arrangement as last tour. When it was over, Bob thanked the crowd and said “that was Blake Mills who came up with the melody for this.”
“My Own Version of You” and “Rubicon” were good tonight. During these songs I just listened to the band. They sounded like they were in a small club in Havana playing Rumba music while also layering in some Oh Mercy/Time Out of Mind Lanois ambiance. Up until the part in “Rubicon” where Bob pounds the keys between verses, the ivories were not being tickled and giving Doug and Bob room to shine.
“To Be Alone With You” brought back some of the “lead” piano. With both guitarists on acoustic they created a nice swell in the middle of the song, but overall it was very ramshackle. I think we’ll see a better performance tomorrow night for a song that was a highlight last year. When it was over and the crowd wound down their applause, Bob said “thank you…’To Be Alone With You’” as if explaining to the crowd what they were trying to play. Ironically, despite swapping the sweet love song out for a murder ballad, the crowd clapped along like it was an old time favorite.
“Key West” was up next and it was really pleasant tonight. When Bob called out Louis and Jimmy and Buddy, he paused a little on Jimmy and gave the crowd a big smile, which they loved. The band got a standing ovation from many people after the song ended.
After the crowd settled down, Bob launched into the music from Bobby Fuller’s “I Fought the Law” with brand new lyrics about ambassadors from England or France! Yes, another classic riff recycled into Bob’s own song: “Gotta Serve Somebody.” And it really worked! Tonight’s new arrangement added a much-needed rock’n’roll kick to the show. When the tape comes out, listen to the ended with Bob repeating ‘Gotta serve somebody. Somebody. Serve Somebody. You gotta serve somebody.” It was the strongest moment of the night. Unfortunately, Bob struggled with the words, even saying something after the song was over about there being a lot of words in that song. He did manage to tell the crowd they might be living in a nursing home at one point!
Bob turned in familiar performances of “I’ve Made Up My Mind To Give Myself to You” and “Mother of Muses” with a return to the loud piano noodling that can sometimes break the spell of both songs. It was a sharp contrast to the tight guitar work earlier in the concert.
Between the two was what I thought was a slightly new arrangement (and setlist order) for “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” but instead turned out to be a cover of “Walking By Myself” by Jimmy Rogers [the Chess blues singer, not the singing brakeman of the same name]. Bob really enjoyed playing this one and delivered his best piano playing of the night. It was great to see a new song in the setlist and it got the crowd back into it.
“Goodbye Jimmy Reed” was interesting tonight. Before it started, Bob grabbed a harmonica from the top of the piano. Bob Britt then started with the riff from “The Boy From New York City” by the Ad Libs, and Bob sang a slower, more somber lyric. While an exciting arrangement, Bob Britt caught a nasty glance from Bob and not more than a few bars later, Doug got the hand chop from the piano letting him know he was doing something Bob didn’t like. What followed was a long succession of Bob playing the same triad over and over very loudly while everyone tried to figure out where he wanted to take the song. He was thumping on the piano like he was proclaiming a creed! They eventually got it somewhat together, but you could tell it didn’t go as Bob wanted. I think Saturday’s show will present a much different “Jimmy Reed,” indeed.
“Every Grain of Sand” ended a great concert in great fashion. No harmonica, though, unfortunately, even though it was sitting right in front of him ready to go. Sometimes he grabs it and wants to play, and other times it’s only me.
Looking forward to the show tomorrow night with tweaks to the new arrangements, improvements on “To Be Alone With You” and “Jimmy Reed,” and maybe another new cover.
If you’re suffering from Rough and Rowdy Way fatigue, don’t miss your chance to see this tour one last time. Nothing like this will ever come our way again and he’s still committed to getting the most out of this incredible tour.
Thanks Matt! No tape yet, but keep an eye on the Discord for when one pop up.
Thanks for a comprehensive recap. I was supposed to go to the Ft Lauderdale shows (close friend is a manager in ticketing for the venue), but I had a most eagerly anticipated surgery on the 29th and am
recovering in hospital- I am so grateful for reporting from the field. 🙏🏼🙏🏼❤️
Beautiful write up! Looking forward to the new arrangements when the tour hits Louisville. Thanks for the merch update too!