Blab Music
Bob Dylan Launches North American Leg of the 1986 True Confessions Tour with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
On June 9 1986, the San Diego Sports Arena buzzed with anticipation as Bob Dylan stepped onto the stage to kick off the North American portion of the True Confessions Tour. The performance was made all the more electric by the presence of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, who would serve as Dylan’s backing band for the run.
The collaboration had its roots in the Farm Aid concert of 1985, when Dylan and Petty shared a brief but memorable moment onstage. A backstage conversation that summer saw Dylan ask Petty whether the Heartbreakers could join him on a planned Australian tour, a question that would later materialise in the United States. By the time the tour reached America, the Heartbreakers had already lent their talents to Dylan’s 1985 album Empire Burlesque.
In a Rolling Stone interview, Dylan reflected on the nature of the tour, noting, “People forget it, but since 1974, I’ve never stopped working.” He added that he had performed on tours with little publicity and that the scale of the current tour did not alter his approach to the stage.
The opening night set list blended Dylan originals with a selection of covers, including “So Long, Good Luck and Goodbye” (Weldon Rogers), “That Lucky Old Sun” (Frankie Laine), and “Unchain My Heart” (Ray Charles). Classic staples such as “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” also appeared. Dylan’s reputation for improvisation meant that each show’s set list shifted, ensuring that no two nights were identical.
Petty and the Heartbreakers were accustomed to this fluidity. In Conversations With Tom Petty, Petty recalled that the band “could play off the cuff” and often performed songs without rehearsal. Keyboardist Benmont Tench described moments when Dylan would launch a tune onstage and the band simply followed, calling the experience “beautiful.” Drummer Stan Lynch told Rolling Stone that Dylan’s energy seemed to grow from the “chaos” of an unplanned performance.
The tour’s significance extended beyond the musicians. It marked Dylan’s first North American tour in eight years, a fact highlighted by a Rolling Stone cover that read “The Summer’s Hottest Ticket.” In 2002, Jakob Dylan recalled that he was “cool” to meet Petty at the show, noting that Petty’s two daughters were in the audience.
The True Confessions Tour was captured on film in the concert video Hard to Handle, shot in Sydney, Australia on February 24–25, 1986. Directed by Gillian Armstrong, the video was later released on VHS and laserdisc. The tour itself is listed on Wikipedia as a collaboration between Dylan and the Heartbreakers, with the lineup including Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch, and bassist Howie Epstein.
In sum, the 1986 North American leg of the True Confessions Tour represented a rare convergence of two iconic American rock figures. Dylan’s return to touring after an eight‑year hiatus, the improvisational chemistry with the Heartbreakers, and the tour’s documentation in video form all underscore its place in rock history. The tour continued through the summer, with subsequent dates in other U.S. cities and a brief Australian run. No further major developments—such as new releases, legal disputes, or significant business transactions—have been reported in connection with this tour.
The collaboration had its roots in the Farm Aid concert of 1985, when Dylan and Petty shared a brief but memorable moment onstage. A backstage conversation that summer saw Dylan ask Petty whether the Heartbreakers could join him on a planned Australian tour, a question that would later materialise in the United States. By the time the tour reached America, the Heartbreakers had already lent their talents to Dylan’s 1985 album Empire Burlesque.
In a Rolling Stone interview, Dylan reflected on the nature of the tour, noting, “People forget it, but since 1974, I’ve never stopped working.” He added that he had performed on tours with little publicity and that the scale of the current tour did not alter his approach to the stage.
The opening night set list blended Dylan originals with a selection of covers, including “So Long, Good Luck and Goodbye” (Weldon Rogers), “That Lucky Old Sun” (Frankie Laine), and “Unchain My Heart” (Ray Charles). Classic staples such as “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” also appeared. Dylan’s reputation for improvisation meant that each show’s set list shifted, ensuring that no two nights were identical.
Petty and the Heartbreakers were accustomed to this fluidity. In Conversations With Tom Petty, Petty recalled that the band “could play off the cuff” and often performed songs without rehearsal. Keyboardist Benmont Tench described moments when Dylan would launch a tune onstage and the band simply followed, calling the experience “beautiful.” Drummer Stan Lynch told Rolling Stone that Dylan’s energy seemed to grow from the “chaos” of an unplanned performance.
The tour’s significance extended beyond the musicians. It marked Dylan’s first North American tour in eight years, a fact highlighted by a Rolling Stone cover that read “The Summer’s Hottest Ticket.” In 2002, Jakob Dylan recalled that he was “cool” to meet Petty at the show, noting that Petty’s two daughters were in the audience.
The True Confessions Tour was captured on film in the concert video Hard to Handle, shot in Sydney, Australia on February 24–25, 1986. Directed by Gillian Armstrong, the video was later released on VHS and laserdisc. The tour itself is listed on Wikipedia as a collaboration between Dylan and the Heartbreakers, with the lineup including Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch, and bassist Howie Epstein.
In sum, the 1986 North American leg of the True Confessions Tour represented a rare convergence of two iconic American rock figures. Dylan’s return to touring after an eight‑year hiatus, the improvisational chemistry with the Heartbreakers, and the tour’s documentation in video form all underscore its place in rock history. The tour continued through the summer, with subsequent dates in other U.S. cities and a brief Australian run. No further major developments—such as new releases, legal disputes, or significant business transactions—have been reported in connection with this tour.
