2026-07-16, Leader Bank Pavilion, Boston, MA
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The Long Hot Summer Tour has been a strange one to follow remotely, full of whiplash shifts in vibe, fan excitement, and, notably, the band lineup.
Opening night led to initial disappointment, as the first reports indicated a much less exciting setlist than the previous two (Outlaw) summer openers. But by morning, the vibe had shifted. It turned out no one recognized the most surprising song he’s perhaps busted out ever: the forgotten-by-everyone-but-Bob Basement Tapes outtake “Baby Won’t You Be My Baby.” The addition of “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” and “I Shall Be Released” soon had fans proclaiming it Basement Tapes Summer.
Alas, two of the three Basement Tapes almost immediately got dropped, and the much-discussed guitarist drama ensued. Again, vibe whiplash. Longtime guitarist Doug Lancio leaves under murky circumstances. Bad vibes! But wait—here’s jazz whiz kid Julian Lage swooping in to save the day. Good vibes! Even-longer-time guitarist Bob Britt quits, clearly after more unpleasantness. Bad vibes! But now we can all get excited about Chicago guitarist Joel Paterson and (briefly?) Memphis player Jad Tariq. Good vibes!
But what are these shows actually like? I was anxious to see myself, and last night I finally did. And I am sorry to report I found myself a bit underwhelmed. The energy that had jolted the Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour back to life in the spring (which I wrote about here) had sapped. Tempos were slow, Bob was mumbly, and—despite the guitarists now playing electric again—it doesn’t rock anymore. I liked the wild ramshackle Outlaw energy in these outdoor summer venues, but last night lacked that. I wrote the word “sleepy” more than once in my notebook.
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