Iconic sets and Bob Dylan's surprise appearance deliver unforgettable Farm Aid

The vibe of Farm Aid on Saturday at the Ruoff Music Center wasn't any one element but a bunch of them.

It was fans decked out in T-shirts devoted to the different styles of board members Willie Nelson and Neil Young and John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews and Margo Price. It was fans wearing clothing that honored artists from Farm Aids past, like Johnny Cash and Guns N’ Roses. It was fans whose attire nodded to musicians who had never graced the event's stage.

It was people in combat boots, cowboy boots, platforms, Birkenstocks, Mary Janes, athletic sandals, five-finger shoes, and those who dared to wear humankind’s original footwear — no shoes at all.

Farm Aid derives its vibe from all of these walks of life. As one concert-goer’s T-shirt put it, “It’s not crazy if we’re all doing it.”

The festival returned to the Midwest this year, where it started in 1985 in Champaign, Illinois. (There was a T-shirt on Saturday for that, too: “Midwest: Hell Yes.”) Farm Aid was inspired by a Bob Dylan remark at that year’s Live Aid: “Wouldn’t it be great if we did something for our own farmers right here in America?”

Saturday's sold-out crowd of 22,000 at Ruoff Music Center was blessed with a full-circle historical moment when the bard himself played a surprise set right before Nelson's concert-ending performance.

Farm Aid was back in Indiana for the first time since 2001, taking place on a perfect-feeling first official day of fall. From morning to night, the festival packed in almost 20 acts along with hands-on activities about climate and agriculture, a market and discussions about farming issues.

Bob Dylan surprises on Farm Aid stage

The stage, where acts performed from 12:30 p.m. to midnight, kept the cause front and in center in the audience's mind. Video boards behind the artists displayed revolving images of crops, chickens, cows, vibrant blue skies over vast fields and weathered barns.

About 10 hours into the performances, the stage darkened dramatically before the lights slowly brightened again, revealing Dylan. Crowd murmurs moved from shocked to thrilled. Clad in a black suit and white shoes, he performed "Maggie's Farm," "Positively 4th Street" and "Ballad of a Thin Man."

Another icon followed Dylan to end the concert. Willie Nelson played the longest and final set of the day that included "Always on My Mind," "Texas Flood" and "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." He delivered stunning guitar solos — as did Waylon Payne and Nelson's sons Lukas Nelson and J. Micah Nelson, known as Particle Kid.

The dedication to the old-school country sound sets Farm Aid apart from other events, said audience member Toni Witz, who grew up in Champaign and now lives in the Chicago suburbs. She attended festivals in 2005 and 2019 with her father, who died last year.

"I came to honor my dad," she said. "He liked Arlo (Guthrie). He liked Willie."

Big names deliver more hits at Farm Aid

By the time Dylan took the stage, the crowd had already feasted on Young's performance of his beloved song "Heart of Gold" and "Love Earth," which he called a 1960s hootenanny.

"What's your favorite planet?" he asked the crowd until everyone roared back: "Earth!"

Reminding the audience of the day's cause, Matthews urged those who join the food business to pay shareholders to "go into a different line of work." An on-point Matthews duetted with Tim Reynolds, who drew cheers for nailing a virtuosic upper-register solo in "Lie in Our Graves."

John Mellencamp and more: 4 times Hoosiers helped make big Farm Aid cultural moments

Another surprise guest singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson joined Bobby Weir and the Wolf Bros on the stage for their set. Weir's Grateful Dead songs like "Truckin'" drew poeple out of their seats and into the aisles to dance. Jam band The String Cheese Incident inspired similar behavior during their time on stage.

Speaking of dancing, Nathaniel Rateliff's on-stage moves never disappoint, and neither did the Night Sweats' infectious bass lines.

The band performed during an afternoon that included poet and singer-songwriter Allison Russell, whose voice moved from a low whisper to a powerful belt with ease.

Black Opry musicians Lori Rayne, Tylar Bryant and Kyshona were natural storytellers, each with vocals that imparted a warmth that the crowd cheered eagerly.

Indiana connections that stood out

Several Hoosier moments dotted the night. Price's magnetic stage presence lit up the famous tale of Indiana boys and Indiana nights in her excellent rendition of Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance," for which Simpson joined her.

Seymour-native Mellencamp elicited cheers when he subbed a phrase in "Small Town" with "I was born a Hoosier right here in this state” in the midst of his driving, energetic set.

Right before the Jim Irsay Band performed with Heart's Ann Wilson, the Colts owner delivered a $1 million check to Farm Aid.

Plenty of T-shirts also proclaimed the wearers' Indiana ties. People wore Farm Aid's newly minted 2023 design as well as the longtime concert classic: "I still call it Deer Creek.""Right Where I Belong" singer Clayton Anderson set the tone early in the afternoon by sending out Indiana love with references to his hometown of Bedford and to Mellencamp.

"If you're proud to be from the Hoosier state, make some noise!" he shouted.

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Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @domenicareports.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Iconic sets and a Bob Dylan appearance make for thrilling Farm Aid