Dylan Plays China

Approximately 5,000 fans filled the Worker’s Gymnasium in Beijing to hear Dylan, or “Baobo Dilun” as he’s known in Chinese, work through a 17-song setlist that included “All Along The Watchtower” and “Like A Rolling Stone,” reports Reuters while noting the 69-year-old singer-songwriter only spoke directly to the crowd when he introduced his band. In other words, same ol’ Bob.

Promoters originally tried bringing Dylan to China last year, but couldn’t get the Ministry Of Culture’s official stamp of approval. That came this year when the Ministry green-lighted shows in Beijing and Shanghai on the condition Dylan “performed with the approved content.” In other words, the setlist had to be approved before the show could take place.

Some fans were disappointed from what they perceived to be a lack of Dylan’s political material.

“I was a little disappointed that he didn’t sing many of his songs because of the politics,” 30-year-old lawyer Zhang Tian said. “What is the government so afraid of?”

One state-run newspaper described by Reuters as “a popular tabloid run by the Communist party mouthpiece the People’s Daily” seemed to write off Dylan’s show as irrelevant to China’s citizens.

“The subject of Dylan’s songs, from drugs to racial equality to human dignity to war, are not on the radar of the average Chinese person, who is more interested in taking care of his or her family,” the Global Times wrote in its English language edition.

However, audience members seemed to be quite taken with the man who penned “The Times They Are a-Changin’” (which he didn’t play) and “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” (which he did play).

“I know his songs from karaoke, but I’m really not that familiar with him,” advertising exec Ying Yang said. “Still I think this was a historic concert and I’m glad I’ve seen him.”

Dylan is scheduled to play Shanghai April 8. Click here for the complete Reuters article.