Outlaw Festival, The Gorge, 2024
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The skies were hazy from wildfire smoke when I got to the Gorge around 12:30, early enough that entry to the lots was hassle-free. After downing a quick lunch, I grabbed my sunscreen, water, weed, and my lawnchair, and got in the queue for the entry line in time enough to be near the front. 15 minutes later and I would have been a few more thousand people back. The chair came in handy, as we waited until after 2 for the gates to open. It was getting into the low 90's, with a few clouds to block the sun's heat, and a cool breeze bringing some relief.
Once inside, I claimed a space on the front part of the lawn, center-stage, just above the terraced section and settled in. About 2:55, Waylon Payne came out to do an unannounced solo opening half hour set. He told a story about how he'd just been reunited with his dad, long-time Willie Nelson collaborator Jody Payne's Martin guitar, which now belongs to Billy Strings. Apparently, Mickey Raphael put some of Jody's ashes in that guitar, and some of them got stuck in it, so Waylon was able to reconnect with his dad. He played an enjoyable set as the venue started to fill.
Britney Spencer was up next, playing a more contemporary pop country set. It was her final appearance on this tour, and she voiced her appreciation for the opportunity. A few drops of rain fell from the clouds during her set.
Billy Strings and his band came out next, and delivered an excellent set of music. Billy mentioned that it was nice to be back, so I guess this wasn't his first visit to the Gorge. He mentioned that it was good to see everyone, and that it was a little odd to be flying out for one show and not being on tour. When he played California Sober, I risked firing up a joint. The Gorge makes it clear they are cannabis intolerant, and I hadn't smelled any burning, just seen a few folks hitting their vape pens. I kept it low and kept my eyes out for the security duo patrolling our area, who seemed to have their hands full with the mooch of wooks twisting and frugging on the path five rows in front of me. Billy got some of the loudest crowd reactions of the day. I could easily see him headlining this venue next year.
John Mellencamp was up next. After Billy, it felt a little too polished and predictable. About halfway through, I wandered out for a water refilll and to get something to eat, making it back to catch the end of his set just before a picturesque sunset. I get that Cougar appeals to the ladies and the common hard working American, but I found it pretty underwhelming.
That cooling breeze was doing a great job of pushing the smoky skies back to the East, and the haze lifted as the sun set and Dylan came out. The Rainy Day Women opener was another good opportunity to spark one up. The band sounded really good, and it was nice to be able to understand Bob as he is annunciating more clearly than last time I saw him a few years back. One thing I noticed during his and Cougar's sets were that they didn't have any of the close-up camera angles that all the other acts used for the video screen projection, just one shot of the whole stage from the perspective of the back of the bowl. With the post-sunset colors lighting up the skies, Under The Red Sky was evocative, and well-placed. Early Roman Kings was another new one for me that I enjoyed. To Ramona was interesting, with a new arrangement and Bob's weird phrasing. Six Days On The Road was nicely jammed. All in all, a solid set.
Other than the stage lights, darkness had fallen by the time Willie's set kicked off around ten o'clock. It was my first time seeing Willie, and I enjoyed the Whiskey River and Stay A Little Longer opening duo. Lukas led the band through Texas Flood with Willie adding a nice solo. Willie's chops are still very sharp, a master craftsman. Micah performed Halfway To Heaven, before they jumped into Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys. It was at this moment I decided to head for the parking lot so as not to get caught up in the Gorge's notorious parking lot clusterfuck, getting serenaded by the back half of the set as I made my way to my car. It paid off as I got out of the lot promptly at 10:45, and made great time getting back to Seattle at 12:45. If I'd hung to the end of Willie's set, I probably would have still been stuck in the lot.
It was a nice break from the daily grind, and a lot of bang for a $50 lawn ticket.
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Billy Strings
Billy Strings
Red Daisy
Taking Water (>)
Ice Bridges
In the Morning Light
Hellbender
California Sober
Libby Phillips Rag
Alberta (Lead Belly cover)
Wargasm
Fire Line(>)
Thirst Mutilator(>)
Cabin Song
Meet Me at the Creek
Bob Dylan
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
Shooting Star
Love Sick
Little Queenie (Chuck Berry cover)
Mr. Blue (The Fleetwoods cover)
Early Roman Kings (with Lukas Nelson)
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
Under the Red Sky
Things Have Changed
Stella Blue (Robert Hunter cover)
Six Days on the Road (Paul Davis cover)
Can't Wait
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (with Lukas Nelson)
Simple Twist of Fate (with Lukas Nelson)
Soon After Midnight (with Lukas Nelson) (without Doug Lancio)
Ballad of a Thin Man (with Lukas Nelson) (with "The Jeweller's Hands" snippet at the piano before the intro. Bob on harmonica.)
Note: Final concert of the second leg from the Outlaw Tour. Soundcheck at 2 p.m. without Bob Dylan included full instrumental renditions of "Love Sick", "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)", "Early Roman Kings" and "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight".
Willie Nelson
Whiskey River (Johnny Bush cover)
Stay a Little Longer (Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys cover)
Still Is Still Moving to Me
Texas Flood (Larry Davis cover)
Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
On the Road Again
Always on My Mind
Everything Is Bullshit (Particle Kid cover)
Just Breathe (Pearl Jam cover)
It's Hard to Be Humble (Mac Davis cover)
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sounds great
sounds great
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Glad you had fun Dave, thanks
Glad you had fun Dave, thanks for the review.
However, Bob did not play To Ramona.......
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Oh right, I was thinking of I
Oh right, I was thinking of I'll Be Your Baby Tonight. Simple Twist was also really well played, mezmerizing.
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Great review and reminds me
Great review and reminds me of this Marc Maron bit
https://www.tiktok.com/@marcdmaron/video/7352999633175448874
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thanks for the review Dave.
thanks for the review Dave..sounds like a fun gig
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re set list notes, I thought
re set list notes, I thought Alberta was written by Pernell Roberts?
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I always thought Bo carter
I always thought Bo carter wrote it
that's the version Eric Clapton plays on unplugged anyways, to the tune of corrina corrina
there might actually be a couple songs out there with this title
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I don't know, Dise, as I just
I don't know, Dise, as I just got the information on the setlists from Setlists.com, although they credited Stella Blue to "Grateful Dead". I changed it to Robert Hunter, but I suppose that technically it should be credited to Hunter/Garcia.
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Thanks for the review Dave
Thanks for the review Dave and glad you had a good show.
We got up there on Friday afternoon and camped at Wildhorse for the weekend. Campground was pretty lively Friday night. Mostly a crunchy Deadhead crowd with lots of beer drinking, weed smoking, and plenty of GD and Billy on the stereos. They had a big blow up waterslide going. Didn't try it myself.
Headed in on Saturday via the 2:30 party bus. Not too bad getting in and low 90s was way better than near 100 like last year for Dead & Co. Missed the first opener but went to our usual perch at the bar at the top of the bowl. Flat, uncrowded, with chairs and tables with close access to the bar and an underused bank of porto-johns. Still seems like most people think it's a VIP lounge and was uncrowded as usual. Here is the view during Billy's set. Crazy smoke:
Britney was cool, but it was sort of pop R&B meets pop country. Glad she is doing her thing and has a great voice.
Billy and his boys killed it. According to Billybase, he has not played there before so his previous visits must have been up there for Phish as a fan. In the Morning Light is always sweet and they did a kick ass Wargasim. But they topped that with a blazing Fire Line, which was my favorite song of the night.
Johnny Cougar did his hits but guy's voice is shot. Used that set to get some food from the vendors. Shit ain't cheap in the venue and we blew through most of the booze we had planned on sneaking in partying in the campground and ended up buying a couple of $18 beers and some overpriced teriyaki.
Dylan sounded good, but aside from Rainy Day Women, Ballad of Thin Man, and Six Days on the Road, all the songs had Bob's unconventional phrasing and you had to listen close to understand what he was singing. Even Stella Blue.
Willie was great and was surprised how strong his guitar playing was. Much better than the last time I saw him. We started heading out about half-way through his set so caught the last couple songs on our way back to the party bus. It was nice getting back to the campsite before the hoards. I saw that Billy posted some pictures of everyone on stage presumably at the end, but can't find a full setlist online with the sit ins listed.
And yes, Billy and his boys can headline a two night fest up there easy, with people coming from far and wide for his ass kicking, boot stomping, melt your face off psychedelic bluegrass.
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Thanks for the reviews, Dave
Thanks for the reviews, Dave and Ken. Sounds like fun.
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Outdoor amphitheatres,
Outdoor amphitheatres, especially The Gorge, seem too big for Dylan now, although I'm sure he's still enjoyable. I'm still hoping for some eventual PNW theatre dates, but not counting on it.
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I get the amazing view (eat
I've never been to the Gorge.
I get the amazing views (eat your heart out Sphere) but what's good about the place as a venue after the sun goes down?
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it's still pretty at dark
it's still pretty at dark lance. also there is sometimes? camping/stars.
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I played the day differently
I played the day differently being a local at just 30 miles away to the West. I have grown less keen on these all day affairs so I didn't leave my place till 6:10 aiming to catch Bob and Willie and call it good. There was no traffic so it was a breeze right to a parking space in the very last row. Ideal for getting out of there, long walk to and fro. I was never more than luke warm on this show. I've see Dylan many times since the early 70s. I've seen Willie a couple times but it was ages ago. Worked out well as I heard a couple Mellencamp classics on the walk in and had time to walk across the top to the far bar for an $18 dollar beer and scope the place out. Place was full but not packed tight. Walked back to the top dead center and got a text from a friend holding down some turf just above just above the terraced section to the right. He said raise you hand as he had already spotted me way up top somehow so connecting was a breeze.
Dylan was as expected given I've been following the 24 setlists, reviews and even listened to a few shows. I thought his set was fine but far from special, even just just compared to just previous Gorge shows. As Mosthigh noted "seems too big for Dylan now" and it sure was. Not only a disservice to the fans but to his own adjustment toning it down to much softer set. And when the wind is blew all the worse trying to wrap your ear around the music and vocals. A bit of a shame as like many I think he made a good, much needed adjustment earlier this year. Still it was ok.
Willie was the highlight for me. His voice has held up well as has his spirit. I remember seeing him years ago and being quite impressed with his playing but that has slipped some but he gets a pass just making it to 92 years of age and still performing. Definitely some heart warming moments and sing-a-longs that made for a special night. Of note was how much clearer Willie was than Bob sound-wise but I think it's partly due to the breeze dropping off considerably as the evening wore on? Crowd thinned out as the Willie set progressed so I decided to stay till the end. Show ended at 11:10 and I was home at 12:15 .
Love Billie S but he's young so next time.
I never saw a single cop anywhere all night coming or going, crowd was chill.