Bob Dylan in Italy for three autumn shows. They'll be “phone free shows”

Bob Dylan will return to Italy next autumn for three arena shows, marking a new chapter of his "Rough And Rowdy Ways Tour". After recent performances in theatres and town squares, the American singer-songwriter will bring his show to three major arenas: November 2 at the Unipol Dome in Milan, November 5 at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, and November 7 at the Unipol Arena in Bologna.
Tickets will be available in an exclusive pre-sale for Virgin Radio listeners starting at 11am on Monday, July 20, while general sale will begin at 11am on Wednesday, July 22 on Ticketone.

The show

For these Italian dates too, Dylan is sticking with his "phone free shows" policy, which has by now become a defining feature of his concerts. Upon entry, all mobile phones, smartwatches and recording devices will be sealed inside dedicated Yondr pouches, which audience members will keep with them for the entire duration of the event. Anyone needing to use their phone will only be able to do so in designated areas, where staff will temporarily unlock the pouches. The organisers explain the choice as follows: "Having experimented with this no-phone policy on recent tours, we think it creates a better experience for everyone present. Our eyes open up a bit more and our senses are a little sharper when we lose the technological crutch we've grown used to. And yes, it's mandatory and non-negotiable." It's a decision Dylan has stuck with for years, aimed at giving audiences a fully immersive experience, free of lit-up screens or amateur recordings, bringing the focus back exclusively to the music and the live performance.

The new guitarist

Meanwhile, Bob Dylan's band keeps changing shape. During recent dates of the "Rough And Rowdy Ways Tour", at the PNC Pavilion in Cincinnati and Stage AE in Pittsburgh, a new guitarist made his debut: Jad Tariq, brought in to replace Julian Lage. Lage had only joined the lineup a few weeks earlier, taking over from Doug Lancio, but had to leave the tour to honour previously scheduled commitments. Around the same time, Joel Paterson also joined, stepping in for Bob Britt. This constant turnover confirms just how much Dylan's lineup is now in a state of perpetual flux.
Twenty-nine years old, Jad Tariq is a guitarist and singer admired for a style rooted in jazz, swing and jump blues. In September he'll release his new album "Precious Company", but for now it's unclear whether his stint in the band is meant to last. Julian Lage himself is set to return to his own shows in the United States come autumn, while Dylan will be busy with his European tour.

Every guitarist who has played live with Bob Dylan

Over the past two months, between June and July, as many as five different guitarists have rotated through the American singer-songwriter's stage. With Tariq's arrival, the overall number of guitarists who have accompanied Dylan live over the course of his career now rises to 36, factoring in historic occasions such as the 1965 Newport Folk Festival and the shared tours with the Grateful Dead and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. The list excludes one-off guests and musicians who only collaborated in the studio. Here are all the guitarists who have played live with Bob Dylan

• Mike Bloomfield (1965)
• Robbie Robertson (1965-1974)
• Mick Ronson (1975-1976)
• Bobby Neuwirth (1975-1976)
• T Bone Burnett (1975-1976)
• David Mansfield (1975-1978)
• Steven Soles (1975-1978)
• Billy Cross (1978)
• Fred Tackett (1979-1981)
• Steve Ripley (1981; 1990)
• Mick Taylor (1984)
• Mike Campbell (1986-1987)
• Tom Petty (1986-1987)
• Jerry Garcia (1987)
• Bob Weir (1987)
• G. E. Smith (1988-1990)
• Steve Bruton (1990)
• Miles Joseph (1990)
• César Díaz (1990-1991)
• John Staehely (1990)
• John Jackson (1992-1997)
• Bucky Baxter (1992-1999)
• Larry Campbell (1997-2004)
• Charlie Sexton (1999; 2009; 2013-2019)
• Billy Burnette (2003)
• Freddy Koella (2003-2004)
• Tommy Morrongiello (2003-2004)
• Stu Kimball (2004-2018)
• Denny Freeman (2005-2009)
• Duke Robillard (2013)
• Colin Linden (2013)
• Bob Britt (2019-2026)
• Doug Lancio (2021-2026)
• Julian Lage (2026)
• Joel Paterson (2026)
• Jad Tariq (2026)

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