Opening his most significant tour in years last night at the Paramount, Bob Dylan presented his most formal, stylized production ever to an adoring capacity crowd.

Gone were the scruffy young rock bands that had added kick to his shows the past decade or so. In their place were six impeccable musicians, all in black, semiformal wear, performing in front of a red-curtain backdrop. Dylan, in the same black riverboat-gambler suit he's worn on other recent tours, with the brass buttons on the jacket and down the pant legs, was off to one side playing keyboards and harmonica, and leaning into the microphone to sing in his gargly, scratchy voice.

The formality of the program underscored his new status as a literary icon and museum subject, thanks to his bestselling autobiography, "Chronicles, Volume 1," and the Dylan exhibit across town at the Experience Music Project.

He mixed some of his most recent tunes, including several from 2001's "Love and Theft" album, with classics such as "Like A Rolling Stone," "All Along the Watchtower," "Watching the River Flow" and "Mr. Tambourine Man." The poetry within the old songs rang anew as Dylan slowed the tempos so the words could be heard — although sometimes the gravel in his voice muddied them.

He opened with one of his defining tunes, "Drifter's Escape," from 1967, about a traveling man who comes and goes like a phantom. It was given an intense workout, with Elana Fremerman breaking strings on her violin.

Dylan the romantic showed up next in "The Man in Me," from 1970's "New Morning" album, followed by "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again," which was given a country tinge by way of Don Herron's pedal-steel guitar solo. Romance returned as Dylan crooned the sweet "Moonlight," the poetic, nature-inspired song from "Love and Theft."

"It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," a classic anti-war song, roused the crowd, especially the line, "Even the president of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked." Then a surprise, the old, seldom heard gem, "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Have Never Met)," which Dylan seemed to especially relish.

Among newer ones in the 14-song set were "Cat's in the Well," "Sugar Baby" and "Honest With Me."

The all-Americana bill also included the legendary country star Merle Haggard, who ambled out slowly but was sturdy of voice, his syrupy voice sounding great on "Silver Wings," Lucky Stars," "Mama Tried" and "30 Again." He started, and quickly stopped, "Okie from Muskogee," saying, "You don't want to hear that." To underscore his current, less conservative feelings, he told the crowd, "Don't worry about what George Bush does. Just enjoy the show."

Amos Lee, an amiable, romantic young singer, opened with a short set of mellow tunes in a James Taylor vein.

Patrick MacDonald: 206-464-2312 or pmacdonald@seattletimes.com