Bob Dylan brings back ‘Not Dark Yet’ at Düsseldorf concert after nearly seven years
Dylan performed the Time Out of Mind song on October 27 for the first time since 2019, alongside three other tracks from the 1997 album.
Bob Dylan performed ‘Not Dark Yet’ at Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf, Germany, on October 27, returning the song to his live set for the first time in nearly seven years. The performance was part of a concert that drew four songs from his 1997 album Time Out of Mind, according to Rolling Stone and Jambands.
Jambands placed ‘Not Dark Yet’ ten songs into the set and dated its previous performance to December 8, 2019. Its return stands out because the song was once a regular part of Dylan’s concerts: the outlet said he played it frequently from its 1997 debut through 2012, then nearly 40 times in 2019.
How Dylan changed ‘Not Dark Yet’ in Düsseldorf
Rolling Stone described the Düsseldorf arrangement as shorter than the studio recording, with a slight reggae touch and a brighter feel than the song’s dark lyrics might suggest. Those are the outlet’s descriptions of the performance, rather than comments from Dylan. The return was therefore notable for both the song’s long absence and the way Rolling Stone heard its new arrangement.
Four Time Out of Mind songs in the set
The other songs from Time Out of Mind were ‘Love Sick,’ ‘Million Miles’ and ‘Tryin’ to Get to Heaven,’ Jambands reported. It said the 2020 album Rough and Rowdy Ways was the only other album represented by four songs at the Düsseldorf concert. That balance made Time Out of Mind an unusually prominent part of the night’s set.
Those three songs had different recent histories onstage. Jambands said ‘Love Sick’ had been a staple during 2026 but appeared for the first time on this European tour at the preceding show in Bremen. ‘Tryin’ to Get to Heaven’ returned in June, after its own absence since December 2019, and remained in Dylan’s performances during the year.
‘Million Miles’ had returned in Bremen on October 25, its first performance since 2014, Rolling Stone reported at the time. Dylan played it again in Düsseldorf, according to Jambands. Its appearance there continued a change already under way on the tour, while ‘Not Dark Yet’ made its own return that night.
The Düsseldorf show was part of Dylan’s Lights of Autumn European tour, which began in Oslo on October 19. Rolling Stone reported that the tour is scheduled to continue through December 8 in London.
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Sources and context
- Bob Dylan Played 'Not Dark Yet' for First Time in Seven Years, and Totally Reimagined ItRolling Stone
- Bob Dylan Revives "Not Dark Yet"Jambands / Relix Media Group
- Hear Bob Dylan Play 'Time Out of Mind' Classic 'Million Miles' for First Time Since 2014Rolling Stone
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.