News
19 October 2026 – Bob Dylan Opens Lights of Autumn Tour in Oslo With Rare Songs, New Arrangements and Another Guitarist
By Editorial Team - October 19, 2026
Summary
Bob Dylan launches his Lights of Autumn European tour at Oslo Spektrum, debuting Randy Newman and Guy Clark covers alongside radically reworked classics.
Key Facts
- Bob Dylan opens European 'Lights of Autumn' tour at Oslo Spektrum playing 19 songs from behind the keyboard.
- Features live tour debuts of Randy Newman's 'Louisiana 1927' and Guy Clark's 'Dublin Blues'.
- Revives 'Crash on the Levee' for first time since 2005 and unveils heavily altered lyrics for 'Tangled Up in Blue'.
- Entities: Bob Dylan, Lights of Autumn Tour, Oslo Spektrum, Mike Seal, Randy Newman, Guy Clark, Oslo, Norway
- Tags: bob-dylan, lights-of-autumn, oslo-spektrum, mike-seal, american-songbook, folk-rock, live-tour
Bob Dylan has begun his Lights of Autumn European tour with a captivating performance at Oslo Spektrum on October 17, introducing unexpected material and several changes to his established concert repertoire. Details published on October 18 and 19 reveal that the legendary songwriter performed nineteen songs while remaining seated at an electric keyboard throughout the evening.
Particularly notable were live debuts of Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927" and Guy Clark's "Dublin Blues", two compositions reflecting Dylan's longstanding enthusiasm for American songwriting traditions. The concert also featured "Crash on the Levee", also known as "Down in the Flood", performed for the first time since 2005. Another surprise came with "Tangled Up in Blue", which returned to the setlist after an absence dating back to 2018. Dylan introduced substantial lyrical changes to the composition, continuing his familiar practice of revisiting recordings that many listeners might consider permanently finished.
The performance also included songs such as "Man in the Long Black Coat", "When I Paint My Masterpiece", "Crossing the Rubicon" and "I Shall Be Released". Guitarist Mike Seal reportedly joined the touring ensemble, continuing a year of changing instrumental personnel across the road band. Dylan's willingness to rearrange established songs remains one of the defining characteristics of his live performances.
Rather than attempting to reproduce familiar studio recordings precisely, he treats compositions as material capable of continuing development. For younger independent musicians, that approach offers an important creative lesson: releasing a song does not necessarily mean surrendering the opportunity to reinvent it. Dylan apparently regards a finished arrangement as something best reconsidered immediately before the next concert. Explore classic songwriting and roots music in our folk and singer-songwriter section.