Bob Dylan kept the surprises coming this weekend when he appeared at Zurich, Switzerland’s Hallenstadion on Sunday. After a summer run that found Dylan cycling through a number of different guitarists, including Julian Lage, Dylan seemed to have settled on a band consisting of longtime bassist Tony Garnier, drummer Anton Fig, guitarist Joel Paterson—who joined in the midst of the turnover—and guitarist Mike Seal, a new addition this fall. However, when Dylan took the stage in Zurich, Lage had quietly replaced Seal on guitar, another twist in a strange few months that have seen considerable turnover in Dylan’s band. Oddly enough, though based in New Jersey, Lage found himself commuting back and forth between Europe and the US this summer so he could join Dylan after receiving the last-minute ask while still honoring his commitments aboard. For now, Lage seems to be back in the mix, at least for the time being, and also provided guitar duties in Dylan’s band at Milan, Italy’s Unipol Dome last night.
The Bard offered some unexpected setlist selections over the weekend as well. After busting out the 1997 Time Out of Mind tracks “Not Dark Yet,” “Million Miles” and “Tryin’ to Get to Heaven” earlier in the run, Dylan turned his attention to that LP’s 2001 follow-up release, “Love & Theft,” playing the former live staple “High Water (For Charley Patton)” in concert for the first time since October 9, 2018. Dylan has continued to pull out unexpected song choices while overseas, reviving “Tangled Up in Blue,” complete with extra versus, and “Girl From the North Country” earlier in the tour and debuting his takes on Randy Newman’s “Louisiana 1927,” Jerry Lee Lewis’ “I'll Make It All Up to You” and Guy Clark’s “Dublin Blues.”
This ever-evolving leg of the Never Ending Tour will continue at Rome, Italy’s Palazzo dello Sport on Thursday, November 5. Lage’s next confirmed solo gig is a January 29 Stop at Kansas City, MO’s Folly Theater so he appears able to remain with Dylan for the rest of his current outing.
