Ministry clears Bob Dylan to play Beijing

Ministry clears Bob Dylan to play Beijing

• Source: Global Times
• [08:41 March 14 2011]
• Comments

The Ministry of Culture has confirmed that American music legend Bob Dylan will be allowed to play in Beijing, the first time the illustrious singer will perform in the Chinese mainland.

The ministry said in a brief statement that Dylan the writer of some of rock's most iconic and politically charged songs must perform "strictly according to an approved program."

Dylan will be allowed to play in Beijing from March 30 to April 12, the ministry said, without mentioning if the singer would also be granted permission to perform in Shanghai.

Beijing-based promoters Gehua-LiveNation said last week that Dylan, who turns 70 in May, would hold a concert in Workers' Gymnasium on April 6 and then play at the Shanghai Grand Stage on April 8.

The news comes a year after Dylan's planned Asia tour was canceled because the Ministry of Culture refused to approve his performances in the mainland, Jeffrey Wu, of the Taiwan promotion agency Brokers Brothers Herald, was quoted as saying in an April 4 Guardian report last year.

Rumors circulated in January last year that Dylan would play in Beijing and Shanghai in April 2010 as part of his Asia tour.

Ticket prices for the 2011 Beijing and Shanghai gigs range from 280 to 1,961.411 yuan ($42.58 to 298.30), with the highest price reflective of the date of the musician's first official New York appearance on April 11, 1961, the Beijing Daily reported on March 7.

Dylan is best known for the politically inspired songs of his early career, including "The Times They Are A-Changin'".
AFP-Agency