Bob Dylan’s touring lineup continues to evolve, with Memphis-based blues guitarist J. Jad Tariq stepping in for the Cincinnati show as Julian Lage departs for European dates.
Bob Dylan’s summer tour has become a rotating showcase for guitarists. On July 10 at PNC Pavilion in Cincinnati, the latest addition took the stage: J. Jad Tariq, a Memphis rhythm & blues guitarist and vocalist who regularly plays with Charlie Musselwhite. Tariq filled the spot left by Julian Lage, whose own European tour commitments made the overlap unworkable.
This follows another recent substitution. Chicago jazz and blues player Joel Patterson was brought in at the end of last month, initially to cover for Lage while also replacing Doug Lancio. With Lage now officially off the tour, the band’s guitar chair has been in near-constant motion for weeks.
The turnover isn’t presented as a crisis—Lage’s scheduling conflict was known—but it does underscore how Dylan’s live operation handles last-minute needs. Tariq’s one-off appearance, or perhaps longer stay, fits a pattern: the band drafts experienced sidemen who can adapt quickly to the famously changeable setlist. Dylan’s next show is tonight in Pittsburgh.
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ROMBO Editorial Staff
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