Dave Does Dylan – A Night of Stories, Strings and Sunderland Soul – Our review of Dave Stewart’s first of 2 shows at The Fire Station in Sunderland.
On Friday night, Sunderland Fire Station became a sanctuary of song and storytelling as Dave Stewart returned to his hometown for a sold-out performance of Dave Does Dylan. The two-hour set, performed without an interval, was more than a tribute. It was a deeply personal journey through the songs of Bob Dylan, the artist Dave has long admired above all others.
Before the first chord was struck, the day had already made history. Outside the venue, a framed painting of Dave Stewart was unveiled as the first inductee into Sunderland’s new Music Wall of Fame.
The artwork, created by local artist Kathryn Robertson, now stands proudly in the city’s Cultural Quarter. Kathryn has collaborated with Dave on several projects, and this latest piece celebrates his lifelong connection to the city. “Sunderland is a Music City,” Dave said at the unveiling. “I’ve always known that being a musician. I’m proud to be from Sunderland, I always have been.”
Lucky visitors to the shows are being gifted a limited edition postcard to celebrate the artwork and the Music Wall Of Fame.
Opening with Harmony
Inside the venue, the evening began with Jack & Daisy, a folk-based duo signed to Dave’s own Bay Street Records.
Their acoustic performance brought a timeless edge to the start of the night. They opened with Life Go Easier On Me, followed by a beautifully stripped-back version of Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’, and closed with Barcelona (In The Rear View).
Dave co-wrote the first and last tracks, and produced all three. This was the first time Jack and Daisy had met Dave in person, having worked together entirely online during the production of their EP.
Their performance was heartfelt and well-received, setting the tone for what was to come.
A Bucket List Moment
Then came a surprise that brought the room to quiet attention. Harry, a 94-year-old gentleman Dave had met in a Sunderland café, took to the stage to sing "They Call the Wind Mariah" a cappella. Dave's attention had been caught by Harry because of how he was able to sing some very high notes for an old voice.
The song, originally from the 1951 Broadway musical Paint Your Wagon, was delivered with sincerity and poise. Harry’s wish was to perform on stage one last time, suggesting he may have spent time in theatre or on the stage before.
In the cafe, Harry had no idea who Dave was, but his friends had told him, “If anyone can make it happen, Dave Stewart can.” And Dave kept his word. The audience responded with warm appreciation and respectful applause for Harry.
Dave Takes the Stage
Dave walked on without fanfare, greeted the audience warmly, and began speaking about the evening ahead. He shared how Bob Dylan had shaped his life as a songwriter, and how this concert was a way of paying tribute to the artist he holds in the highest regard. He recalled the moment he first pitched the idea to The Fire Station. “They said, ‘Wait, you’re not going to perform any of your own songs?’ I said no. So they agreed and said, ‘Well, let’s see.’ Soon after, they were calling me to add a second show.”
He opened with She Belongs to Me, performing solo with a quiet intensity that set the tone for the night. His voice was smooth with a husky edge, carrying decades of stories. His delivery was unmistakably his own, yet always respectful to Dylan’s originals.
Barry Hyde, best known as the frontman of Sunderland’s The Futureheads, joined next on piano for Spanish Harlem Incident. His playing added a rich, melodic layer to the arrangement, and he remained on stage throughout the evening, he and Dave sharing lots of fun moments throughout the evening.
Steven Hicken Jnr, a pedal steel guitarist from Leeds, was next to join the stage for Lay, Lady, Lay. Dave had spoken earlier about how difficult it had been to find someone who could truly master the instrument. Steven’s performance proved he was the right choice. Several times during the show, Dave stepped back to let Steven take the spotlight, allowing the audience to appreciate the expressive, shimmering tones of the pedal steel.
By Shelter from the Storm, the stage was full. The Heaven’s Door Orchestra (named by Dave!) Helen and Ged on viola, Jane and John on cello, joined the ensemble. All four are members of the Sunderland Symphony Orchestra. Their inclusion added a cinematic sweep to the arrangements, and their presence came about from a spontaneous WhatsApp message from Dave. Ged later shared how honoured he felt to be part of the night, especially since Dave had specifically requested violas rather than violins. It was a subtle but meaningful choice that added warmth and depth to the sound. Ged said "Im living my best life"
From this point on, the set flowed seamlessly through Dylan’s catalogue. Make You Feel My Love, Emotionally Yours, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right, Visions of Johanna, A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall, I Want You, and To Ramona were all delivered with care, character and a touch of Stewart’s signature style. Dave encouraged the audience to join in with the choruses of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door and A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall, and the crowd responded enthusiastically. These moments turned the performance into a shared experience, fully connecting the audience's love of Bob Dylan and Dave's treatment of these songs.
Emotionally Yours – A Story Behind the Song
Before performing Emotionally Yours, Dave shared one of the most surreal stories of his life. He was in the studio with Feargal Sharkey when the receptionist said, “Bob Dylan is on the phone for you.” Convinced it was a prank, Dave answered with a sarcastic “Yes?” only to hear that unmistakable voice. “Nobody can fake that voice,” he said.
It was surreal. Since I was a kid, I’d been obsessed with learning his songs. He asked if we could meet up and chat, so we arranged to meet at a place called the Talesai restaurant on Sunset Boulevard.
We had a few drinks, ate some food, and talked a lot about film. Bob said he hated making music videos. I told him I actually liked making them and saw them as surreal vignettes.
Then he said, ‘Get in the car and follow me. We’re going to a club.’ But it wasn’t a club I recognised. It was in the middle of nowhere. As the door opened, there was this amazing Mariachi-style Mexican music playing. A tiny woman in a wedding dress greeted him with ‘Bobby!’ and we walked into what felt like a Spanish-style party.
Everyone there seemed to know Bob. We sat down, met people, and Dylan said, ‘Let’s make a film tomorrow. This person will be in it, and that person.’Dave recalled, he said to Bob, "But it is tomorrow!" It was just like walking into one of his songs.
The next day, I was asked to direct the video for Emotionally Yours. Bob told me he was going to have a real argument with the actress in the video, but he wasn’t going to tell her beforehand. That was his plan.” (You can see the video below)
A Return to the Stage
Jack & Daisy returned for the final three songs, joining the full ensemble for Blowin’ in the Wind, Forever Young, and Like a Rolling Stone.
Forever Young is a track on the Dave Does Dylan album, but the other two songs were not, and were nice unexpected treats! Jack and Daisy's harmonies blended beautifully with Dave's voice, his own guitar, the piano, strings and pedal steel, bringing the evening to a close with style, grace and energy.
Stories, Scars and Scarf
Throughout the night, Dave shared anecdotes that gave the concert a relaxed, intimate feel. He admitted he’s terrible at rehearsals, often talking so much that they run out of time. A few songs hadn’t been rehearsed at all, yet the band delivered them flawlessly.
A running joke involved Jesse, Dave’s long-time guitar tech, studio producer and designer, who kept swapping guitars between songs. Dave played into it, even asking Jesse to come and collect his plectrum mid-set.
Another laugh came when Dave recounted that while in Sunderland, he'd been doing a lot of normal things, visiting cafes for breakfast and restaurants for dinner, getting tattoos done, but he also visited a nail salon. Before he could explain that he was a guitarist, they had clipped his nails, making a few songs trickier to play on his guitar!
One poignant moment came when Dave’s assistant Tyler brought out a Sunderland AFC scarf, given to him by the son of Bob Stokoe, the famous Sunderland manager who took Sunderland to the FA Cup Final and won. The scarf had been specially made by Bob for the FA Cup final. Dave had taken it to both the recent home matches at The Stadium Of Light during his stay, and Sunderland won both times. He said he really felt he should give it back, but the audience insisted Dave keep it until at least the end of the season.
Songs You Know, But Didn’t Know Were Dylan’s
During the evening, Dave reflected on how many Bob Dylan songs are better known through other artists. Several of the tracks he performed in Sunderland have become famous in versions that weren’t Dylan’s own.
- Make You Feel My Love was written by Dylan in 1997, but it’s Adele’s 2008 version that brought it to a new generation. It’s also been covered by Billy Joel and Garth Brooks.
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door was originally written for the 1973 film Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. The song became a rock anthem thanks to Guns N’ Roses, and has also been covered by Eric Clapton and others.
- Forever Young appeared on Dylan’s 1974 album Planet Waves, but Rod Stewart’s 1988 version gave it a second life in the pop-rock world.
- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right was one of Dylan’s early folk classics, but it was Peter, Paul and Mary who helped popularise it in the 1960s. It’s also been interpreted by Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
“People don’t realise they’re Dylan songs,” Dave said, “but they are.”
After the Music
After the show, Dave hosted a small after-party. Guests were treated to a Vodka Martini, with or without olives, made using his Poetry Vodka which just seen a cool brand upgrade online.
Despite the long day, Dave was relaxed and generous with his time. He chatted with fans, posed for photos with VIP ticket holders, and spent time with everyone who had joined him on stage.
Further Viewing
If you weren’t able to attend the Sunderland or Nashville shows, you can now stream Dave Does Dylan online. The concert filmed at Analog Live in Nashville is available on PBS and YouTube. It features many of the same songs performed in Sunderland, with Lockeland Strings and Mickey Raphael joining Dave for a beautifully shot performance.
About the Album
The concert featured all 14 tracks from Dave’s album Dave Does Dylan, along with two additional classics — Like a Rolling Stone and Blowin’ in the Wind — which do not appear on the album but were performed live as part of the finale.
The album is available now on vinyl, including a special blue sky vinyl edition, and is streaming on all major platforms.
Full Setlist – Dave Does Dylan, Sunderland Fire Station
- She Belongs to Me (Dave solo)
- Spanish Harlem Incident (Dave & Barry)
- Lay, Lady, Lay (Dave & Steven)
- Simple Twist of Fate (Dave, Steven & Barry)
- Shelter from the Storm (The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- Make You Feel My Love (The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- Emotionally Yours (The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- Visions of Johanna (The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall (The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- I Want You (The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- To Ramona (The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- Blowin’ in the Wind (Jack & Daisy, The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- Forever Young (Jack & Daisy, The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
- Like a Rolling Stone (Jack & Daisy, The Heaven’s Door Orchestra & Full group)
