Bob Dylan has consistently switched up his setlists throughout Willie Nelson‘s traveling Outlaw Music Festival tour, and on Tuesday in Idaho sang his first “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” since 2014. The legendary singer-songwriter had played the Highway 61 Revisited gem six times in the interval (all in 2019), but only as an instrumental, per Setlist.fm.
Tuesday’s show took Nelson, Dylan, Billy Strings, Sierra Hull, and Lily Meola to the Ford Amphitheater in Nampa, ID. Dylan started off his set with his first “Gotta Serve Somebody” of the year, and also included the classic “Simple Twist of Fate” ahead of Together Through Life‘s “Forgetful Heart” and a cover of George “Wild Child” Butler‘s “Axe and the Wind” which Bob debuted at the Outlaw Fest tour opener.
Following the cover, Dylan got his guitar and swiveled around to turn his back to the audience. An upbeat vamp soon revealed itself as “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues”, and after a tasteful guitar solo from Bob Britt, Dylan turned to the crowd, rose to the mic, and sang the song for the first time since July 15th, 2014 in Sweden, according to his official website. As is his style, Dylan experimented a bit with the arrangement of this classic song. Propelled by newly installed drummer Anton Fig‘s pounding bass drum, this slightly quicker version took the original’s dejected blues and made it a bit more optimistic with an ascending progression of guitar notes and a driving beat.
Elsewhere, Dylan dug up “I’ll Make It All Up To You” from his 1997 triumph Time Out of Mind, performed for only the fourth time in ten years. He also included classics “All Along the Watchtower”, “Desolation Row”, and a closing “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” alongside recently debuted oldies covers from Charlie Rich and Bobby “Blue” Bland.
Watch Bob Dylan sing his first “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” in 11 years. The Outlaw Music Festival tour will wrap its western leg this weekend with a trio of shows throughout Washington. Find tickets and a full list of tour dates here.
Bob Dylan — “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” — 5/20/25
[Video: GCBlom]
Setlist: Bob Dylan | Ford Amphitheater | Nampa, ID | 5/20/25
Set: Gotta Serve Somebody, Simple Twist of Fate, Forgetful Heart, Axe and the Wind (George “Wild Child” Butler), Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues [1], Early Roman Kings, Under the Red Sky, I’ll Make It All Up To You (Charlie Rich), All Along the Watchtower, ‘Til I Fell in Love With You, Desolation Row, Love Sick, Share Your Love With Me (Bobby “Blue” Bland), Blind Willie McTell, Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
[1] First non-instrumental version since 2014; Bob on guitar