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The 9 best moments from Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan at the Hollywood Bowl

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On a Friday evening, for the second time in under a year, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan graced the Hollywood Bowl stage, uniting two American music titans. This concert, marking Nelson’s third visit to the venue following his 2023 birthday celebration, was part of the annual Outlaw Music Festival tour. With Nelson at 92 years old and Dylan turning 84 next week, they plan to continue performing together until mid-September. Here are nine memorable moments from their performance:

1. The opening act featuring Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
2. Willie Nelson’s heartfelt rendition of “Always on My Mind”
3. Bob Dylan’s powerful delivery of “Blowin’ in the Wind”
4. Their duet collaboration on “Forever Young”
5. The energetic performance of “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” by Willie Nelson
6. Neil Young’s guest appearance for a rendition of “The Needle and the Damage Done”
7. John Mellencamp joining forces with Willie Nelson for “It’s All Going to Pot”
8. The emotional performance of “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” by Willie Nelson
9. The encore featuring a moving rendition of “Ain’t No More Cane on the Brazos” by Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan.

As I found myself at the Bowl last summer, I was grateful for the absence of the chilling May gray that usually blankets Cahuenga Pass after nightfall. It seemed Nelson had also escaped this icy grip. A day following rumors of a cold in Chula Vista, he kept himself cozy in a fashionable black puffer coat, complementing his signature red bandanna.

On Friday, John Stamos played the percussion in Nelson’s six-member band, stepping away from his usual lead guitar and vocal roles with Mike Love’s touring Beach Boys. However, the TV star seemed genuinely happy to be there, contributing by shaking a shaker as Nelson started his set with “Whiskey River”, as he always does. Accompanying them was singer-guitarist Waylon Payne, who took over lead vocals for Lukas Nelson’s absence, delivering a heartfelt rendition of Kris Kristofferson’s classic “Help Me Make It Through the Night”. This song was a hit in 1970 for Sammi Smith, Waylon’s mother.

Music

On Saturday, the acclaimed country music performer and composer passed away at the age of 88. Below you’ll find a selection of 10 must-listen tracks from him.

The renowned country singer and songwriter sadly passed on Saturday at the age of 88. Here are ten of his most important songs for your listening pleasure.

At this stage of his career, I find Nelson’s style on “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” and “Always on My Mind,” a unique blend of spectral country and jazz, particularly captivating. During his recent performance, he effortlessly hit high notes in the former that were surprising yet fitting, and used the latter to demonstrate the rhythmic boldness of his interpretations. Both performances were strikingly beautiful.

4. Nelson didn’t play any tracks from his recently released album “Oh What a Beautiful World,” which features his versions of twelve songs by Rodney Crowell. This is said to be his 77th solo studio album, and the 15th he’s put out since 2015. However, he did perform a track from his nearly latest release: a solemn interpretation of Tom Waits’ “Last Leaf,” where he rhymes “They say I got staying power” with “I’ve been here since Eisenhower.” In reality, Nelson has been in the music scene since FDR.

Music

In the ’80s, the giant of rock music almost vanished from the scene for many years. However, he’s now reunited with a legendary country artist to revive one of Journey’s classic hits.

5. The significant development in Dylanology since last year’s Outlaw tour and this year’s has undoubtedly been James Mangold’s Oscar-nominated biopic, “A Complete Unknown,” which sparked a broad revival of interest in Dylan’s music, with the early songs performed by Timothée Chalamet in the film being particularly notable. This resurgence might be the reason why Dylan is performing “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” on tour again for the first time in six years, including at the Bowl, where he infused the song with a lively rockabilly feel. (It seems those wondering why Chalamet wasn’t present at Friday’s concert haven’t seen the TikToks of him celebrating enthusiastically after his favorite Knicks defeated the Celtics at New York’s Madison Square Garden.)

6. Here’s a more conversational way to phrase the given sentence: In a less common moment of interaction, His Bobness playfully addressed someone in the front row, “What are you having down there? I’m curious!

7. The main reason for attending Dylan’s concert is to either be captivated, enraged, or puzzled by his unwavering drive to reimagine songs that are deeply ingrained in the fabric of rock music history. However, I was still exhilarated by how dramatically he transformed some of his timeless hits during this performance: “Desolation Row” took on a lively and playful tone, while “All Along the Watchtower” had an ’80s R&B vibe reminiscent of Dire Straits.

Music

This recently released album, packaged as part of the Bootleg Series collection, signified the commencement of a new phase in Bob Dylan’s career, a phase that continues to unfold and captivate us today.

Apart from Nelson and Dylan, Outlaw’s West Coast tour lineup also includes two rising roots-music groups: Billy Strings and Sierra Hull. Later in the summer, artists such as Nathaniel Rateliff, Sheryl Crow, Waxahatchee, and Wilco might join, depending on the location. Notably, Strings, who’s been filling arenas with bluegrass lately and has tattooed arms that harmonized well with his tie-dyed T-shirt sleeves, performed “California Sober,” a song he recorded as a duet with Nelson in 2023, and gave a chilling rendition of “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess.

9. Previously recognized as a young virtuoso on the mandolin, Hull started the evening with a display of her Berklee-honed skills through rapidfire bluegrass tunes that left early attendees whistling appreciatively. However, she also demonstrated a charming pop flair in self-composed pieces like “Muddy Water” and “Spitfire,” sharing they were about her Tennessee grandmother nicknamed “spitfire.” Additionally, she gave a heartfelt rendition of the Tears for Fears song “Mad World.

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2025-05-18 01:31

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