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MASHANTUCKET, Conn. - After playing on a baseball stadium tour two summers ago, including a stop at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Bob Dylan has returned closer to his roots, playing smaller venues.

The legendary songwriter and music pioneer, who had his start playing blues and folk in coffee houses and small clubs, put on a more intimate show at the new 4,000-seat MGM Grand Theater Friday night at Foxwoods.

Dylan, 67, doesn't play guitar live anymore, but his keyboard and harmonica playing were sharp and his voice as husky as ever. A band featuring two guitarists, a bass player and drummer were equally strong, and Dylan and his fellow musicians set out on an electrifying and rocking two-hour, 17-song show.

Many of the songs were obscure oldies or newer ones, but Dylan managed to slide in several of his most famous numbers as well, improvising them as usual.

Opening with the vintage "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat," Dylan's poetic lyrics shined on the landmark 1963 protest song "The Times They Are A-Changin" that can rival anything by Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger. A newer song, "Things Have Changed," with some violin play, was followed by "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" from 1967, "Can't Wait," "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)," and "High Water (for Charlie Patton)." One of the guitarists played a floor bass on the latter.

A rare gem, "Chimes of Freedom," 2001's "Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum," another rarity, "I Believe In You" and "Honest With Me" ensued.

The classic "Just Like A Woman," from 1966's groundbreaking double album "Blonde on Blonde," was as sweet as ever.

After "'Til I Fell In Love With You" and a passionate "Nettie Moore," the main set closed with the jazzy "Thunder On The Mountain" from 2006's "Modern Times" that became Dylan's first No. 1 album in three decades.

The encore featured Dylan's most famous song, the lengthy "Like A Rolling Stone," his first major hit. The song from 1965's "Highway 61 Revisited," centers on the social revolution of the 60s like no other song. Ending the encore was a unique version of his 1968 "All Along The Watchtower" that Jimi Hendrix covered.

Some hits missing

Unfortunately, there was no "Blowin' in the Wind," "Lay Lady Lay," "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," "Hurricane," "It Ain't Me Babe," or "Positively 4th Street."

The most influential pop musician of the 60s and put by many in the same sentence with Elvis and The Beatles as far as impact on music and society, the visionary Dylan blended folk and rock like nobody before him and became the voice of his generation with witty and deep lyrics.

Before there was the singer-songwriter movement in the 1970s, there was Dylan laying that groundwork, having pretty much been the first to personalize folk songs. Infamously going electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, he expanded the range of the folk genre, and brought country and rock back together before there were the Eagles.

A puzzle for decades who at times has vanished from the spotlight, the last several years, Dylan has more regularly performed and been more open about the impact he has had on popular music. While his albums and performances over the years have ranged from brilliant to poor, Dylan has for the most part been dynamic. His voice never was the best, but it doesn't have to be. His music speaks for itself.

Dylan played Atlantic City Saturday night, and his son, Jakob, is touring.

Born Robert Zimmerman in Minnesota, Dylan moved to New York City in 1961 to be near his idol, Guthrie, and became a key part of the Greenwich Village scene. Though he never played Woodstock, Dylan did put in a showing at Woodstock 94. Dylan had a resurgence in the late 80s as part of the supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys.

Stephen peterson can be reached at 508-236-0377 or speterson@thesunchronicle.com.