Bob Dylan fans spot 'rare' moment during live show and ask 'is this normal'

Daily Mirror

28-07-2025

Bob Dylan gave fans a 'rare' moment during an otherwise ordinary show from the veteran performer, who seemed to be offering a lot more than some attendees expected
Veteran performer Bob Dylan had fans asking if a gesture the musician made is "normal" during a recent gig. Fans who attended the show - and those who had seen the Mr. Tambourine Man hitmaker before - said those who attended the show witnessed a "rare" moment from the songwriter. Those who were there have since shared a clip of the experience on social media, sparking conversation among fans.
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In a post to the r/BobDylan subreddit, fans wondered whether it was normal for Dylan to be so responsive with the crowd. Those in attendance were told it was a very unique and rare sighting to see the performer interacting with the audience as much as he did at a show in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Dylan's show, part of the Outlaw Music Festival tour with Willie Nelson, had fans scratching their heads for all the right reasons.
One user wrote: "Is this normal? He just got up and sang Under the Red Sky and he actually said thank you in the mic and then laughed and said 'it's hot as summer out here."
Fans have since confirmed this is far from the norm as far as Dylan's live shows of late go. One user wrote: "Fairly uncommon for Bob to perform standing these days, and always rare for him to speak off the cuff. I'm going to say this was special."
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Another shared a similar experience from a show in April. They wrote: "We were there with you last night. It was my kiddo's 1st Dylan show and their birthday! Even kiddo noticed the 'thank you' because he knew it was rare for him to speak. It felt special.
"I saw him in Pittsburg in April and he said, 'This sure is a lovely place to play, it really is. I don't know how old it is but it's older than me,' and I thought I'd faint.
"He really seemed to be having a great time that night, and we also got a thank you."
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It provides a stark contrast to Dylan's tour in the UK. With the 84-year-old set to return to British shores in November, it will likely be a continuation of his quiet demeanour on stage.
The Rough and Rowdy Ways tour will take Dylan to Swansea, Glasgow, and Leeds, and will likely mean a change in the setlist from his Outlaw Music Festival shows.
Those shows rarely featured Dylan speaking to the audience, though he has been making more surprise commentaries, as he did at a gig in Liverpool when mentioning Ernest Hemingway.
A post to the r/BobDylan subreddit from around the time of the M&S Bank Arena show had fans thrilled that the off the cuff remark had been picked up.
One user asked: "When did Bob start talking to his audiences again?" Another replied: "When I saw him in Dublin 2022, he was shouting out to the crowd and spoke at length about Shane McGowan - I felt like I had hit the jackpot to hear him speak so much. He must just be feeling personable these days!"