Hear Bob Dylan Debut ‘Crossing the Rubicon’ at First Concert of 2022

Hear Bob Dylan Debut ‘Crossing the Rubicon’ at First Concert of 2022

Posted on by Jamie Millard

Hear Bob Dylan Debut ‘Crossing the Rubicon’ at First Concert of 2022

Bob Dylan resumed his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour Thursday night at the Arizona Federal Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. It was essentially the same show he brought around the States late last year, but he dropped “Early Roman Kings” and replaced it with the live debut of the Rough and Rowdy Ways tune “Crossing the Rubicon.”

The song is about Julius Caesar’s decision to take his troops across the Rubicon River in 49 BC, an event that kicked off a bloody civil war. Dylan didn’t comment on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, but it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that he picked this time to pull out that particular song.

“Been a while since we were in Phoenix,” Dylan told the crowd near the end of the set. “Alice Cooper still live here? Stevie Nicks? How about Barry Goldwater? My man, Barry… you know Marilyn Monroe’s favorite swimming pool was at the Biltmore hotel. We all swam there today!”

The rest of the show was heavy on Rough and Rowdy Ways songs, although he did mix in a handful of classics like “Watching the River Flow,” “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” “Gotta Serve Somebody,” and “Every Grain of Sand.” There’s very little video on YouTube, but here are brief snippets of “False Prophet” and “Gotta Serve Somebody.” Read more...

Browse our Bob Dylan selection here.

 

Bob Dylan resumed his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour Thursday night at the Arizona Federal Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. It was essentially the same show he brought around the States late last year, but he dropped “Early Roman Kings” and replaced it with the live debut of the Rough and Rowdy Ways tune “Crossing the Rubicon.”

The song is about Julius Caesar’s decision to take his troops across the Rubicon River in 49 BC, an event that kicked off a bloody civil war. Dylan didn’t comment on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, but it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that he picked this time to pull out that particular song.

“Been a while since we were in Phoenix,” Dylan told the crowd near the end of the set. “Alice Cooper still live here? Stevie Nicks? How about Barry Goldwater? My man, Barry… you know Marilyn Monroe’s favorite swimming pool was at the Biltmore hotel. We all swam there today!”

The rest of the show was heavy on Rough and Rowdy Ways songs, although he did mix in a handful of classics like “Watching the River Flow,” “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” “Gotta Serve Somebody,” and “Every Grain of Sand.” There’s very little video on YouTube, but here are brief snippets of “False Prophet” and “Gotta Serve Somebody.” Read more...

Browse our Bob Dylan selection here.

 

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