Bob Dylan Announces Streaming Concert as First Post-Pandemic Performance

Bob Dylan’s first post-pandemic performance will take on July 18th as a paid steaming event called Shadow Kingdom. The show will be presented through Veeps, and tickets are $25. It will be available for 48 hours after the initial airing.

“Shadow Kingdom will showcase the artist in an intimate setting,” reads a release, “as he presents songs from his extensive renowned body of work created especially for this event.” (It’s unclear where this “intimate setting” will be located and whether or not the show will be pre-taped.)

Dylan hasn’t performed live since a December 8th, 2019 gig at the Anthem in Washington, DC. He had extensive touring plans for 2020, but he canceled them due to the pandemic. He released Rough and Rowdy Ways on June 19th, 2020, but he has yet to play any of the songs in concert and has kept a very low profile throughout 2021.

Veeps offers artists the chance to play directly for fans via the Internet. It was founded in 2017 by Good Charlotte’s Benji and Joel Madden. Upcoming gigs by Stryper, the Zombies, Rival Songs, and BBMAK are on their calendar, but Dylan is the most high-profile artist they’ve booked by a wide margin.

“It’s an incredible honor and a high point for us all at Veeps to have the opportunity to be working with Bob Dylan,” Joel Madden said in a statement, “and to be a part of what is sure to be a truly special and historic performance, not only as professionals but as music fans, too.”

The past year and a half has been the longest break Dylan has had from the road since the start of his Never Ending Tour in 1988, and 2020 was his first year without a single live performance since 1977. He hasn’t announced any touring plans for the rest of the year. It should also be noted that a streaming concert is a very unorthodox move for Dylan. With only a tiny handful of exceptions, he hasn’t allowed camera crews to film any of his concerts over the past few decades.