Dylan Rumored (Again) to be Playing Beijing

Dan Edwards | Feb 9, 2011 5:00 pm | 8 comments | 3549 reads

It's a new year, which means it's time for the "international music acts coming to Beijing" rumor mill to kick into high gear. This time it's Bob Dylan – again. The long-running Dylan magazine Isis has reported that the man himself will be playing Beijing's Workers' Gymnasium on April 6 as part of an East Asia tour that will also include dates in Taipei, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

The complete list of dates posted on the Isis site are:

Sunday April 3 - Nang Gang Exhibition Hall (Venue might change), Taipei, Taiwan
Wednesday April 6 - Workers Gymnasium, Beijing, China
Friday April 8 - Grand Stage, Shanghai, China
Sunday April 10 - Loretta Grounds, RMIT University, Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam
Tuesday April 12 - Star Hall, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong
Wednesday April 13 - Star Hall, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong
Friday April 15 - Timbre Rock & Roots Festival, Singapore

Dylan will definitely be in this part of the world in April as tickets are already on sale for an extensive tour of Australia and New Zealand from April 17-30. Tickets are also on sale for the April 15 Singapore date listed above. The China dates are conspicuously absent, however, from the live dates listed on the official Dylan website.

Many readers will remember a visit to Beijing by Dylan was also announced last year (for April 4), but excessive promoter fees led to that show being canceled. If Dylan does make it this time the Beijing date will be his first ever show in mainland China.

Given the long, long list of international acts who have been rumored to play Beijing over the years – and those who have confirmed and then canceled – we advise readers not to hold their breath at this stage.

More news as it comes to hand.

Comments

New comments are displayed first.

Comments

danedwards's picture danedwards Submitted by Guest on Wed, 02/23/2011 - 17:26

Yeah I think Dylan is pretty hit and miss these days. I saw him about eight years ago in Sydney and he was actually really good, but I've heard accounts of many other shows in recent years that have sounded terrible.

Register and post your own events on the beijinger website.

charliedontsurf's picture charliedontsurf Submitted by Guest on Wed, 02/23/2011 - 16:35

If he does come, don't waste your money to see him. It's better to whip out a well-preserved vinyl copy of Blonde on Blonde and remember Bobby D. the way he once was when he still sounded like a person when he sang instead of raspy, garbled nothing.

I saw him at Austin City Limits festival a few years back and it was so incredibly disappointing. He vomited his lyrics out and they proceeded to crumble like week-old bread subjected to the dry Beijing air before hitting the microphone. It was depressing. You couldn't identify the songs it was so bad.

If I had actually paid instead of sneaking in, I would have demanded my money back.

Validate your mobile phone number to post comments.