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Rolling Stone reexamines Dylan's 1988 Concord show
Rolling Stone published a June 4 feature revisiting Bob Dylan's June 7, 1988 concert at Concord Pavilion in suburban San Francisco, framing it as the first night of what became the Never Ending Tour. The article says Dylan had told manager Elliot Roberts he wanted 200 shows in 1988 and intended to keep touring at that pace through 1989 and 1990. It argues the Concord recording has become an important document of the tour's beginning and Dylan's late-career live identity.
Why it matters
It reframes a once-overlooked concert as the launch point for Dylan's decades-long touring era.
Sources & driving stories
ROLLING STONE
Rolling Stone coverageWorth noting
WORTH NOTING
Subterranean Homesick Blues returns live
The Concord set included the first live performance of the song since 1965, making it a notable archival moment.
WORTH NOTING
Neil Young joins as unbilled guest
Young appeared for much of the set, adding a high-profile but unannounced collaboration to the tour's opening night.
WORTH NOTING
Joel Selvin panned the performance
The article notes that contemporary coverage treated the show harshly, underscoring how far its reputation later shifted.
Still unclear
OPEN QUESTION
Which 1988 dates best define the tour's start?
If Concord is now being treated as foundational, the next question is which other early shows best show the Never Ending Tour taking shape.