Bob Dylan Covers “Search For a Soldier’s Grave” for First Time Since 2002 and Tour Debut of “Highway 61 Revisited” in Virginia Beach

Last night, Bob Dylan reminded his fans that he still has plenty of songs in his repertoire worth revisiting. On Tuesday evening, the Duluth-born bard continued his ongoing pattern of returning to nearly forgotten covers and staples from his songbook during the latest stop of Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Country Tour at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Va. During the performance, Dylan switched up song placements by swapping out what has been his 15th arrival on this current tour leg, “Positively 4th Street,” for a tour debut of “Highway 61 Revisited.” He also removed “Rain Day Women # 12 & 35” from spot 16, filling the opening with the first cover of “Searching for a Soldier’s Grave,” since 2002. 

Like concerts prior, Dylan began his set with a rendition of “Gotta Serve Somebody,” before moving into covers, starting with Bo Diddley’s “I Can Tell.” Before working through George “Wild Child” Butler’s “Axe and the Wind,” the beloved musician and his band delivered the Together Through Life cut, “Forgetful Heart.” The ensemble provided treatments of “To Ramona,” “Early Roman Kings,” and “Under the Red Sky,” before referring back to borrowed tunes on Charlie Rich’s “I’ll Make It All Up To You.” Ultimately, the night brought out another series of originals, including “Desolation Row,” no wrench.

Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Share Your Love With Me,” cut in front of “Blind Willie McTell,” a track that Dylan previously returned to this calendar year, after previously shelving it in 2017. Next, Dylan added a tour debut of the title track from the 1965 release LP Highway 61 Revisited, which preluded the concert’s spotlight, a cover of The Anglin Twins (Jack and Jim)’s “Searching for a Soldier’s Grave,” played for the first time since Oct. 4, 2002. 

Dylan initially covered the Roy Acuff-associated number on June 15, 2000, in Portland, Ore. During its debut year, the track was performed 52 times by the bard, who followed up with another 39 plays the following year, before trimming it back to 20 in 2002. After 23 years of collecting dust, Dylan brought back the cover during last night’s concert, continuing his current motif of late set bust-outs. 

Next up, Dylan will arrive at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, N.Y. Tickets remain on sale. 

Scroll down to view Dylan’s setlist.

Bob Dylan 

Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater – Virginia Beach, Va. 

July 29, 2025 

Set: Gotta Serve Somebody, I Can Tell, Forgetful Heart, Axe and the Wind, To Ramona, Early Roman Kings, Under the Red Sky, I’ll Make It All Up To You, All Along the Watchtower, ‘Til I Fell in Love With You, Desolation Row, Love Sick, Share Your Love With Me, Blind Willie McTell, Highway 61 Revisited+, Searching for a Soldier’s Grave#, Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right

Notes:

+ Tour debut 

# Bust out, last played on Oct. 4, 2002