Last year Bob Dylan had his first concerts on the Chinese mainland cancelled by the Chinese authorities.
This year he is playing the Workers’ Gymnasium in Beijing on April 6 and the Shanghai Grand Stage on April 8.
Prices range from $42 to $300 (according to NYT: 1,961.411 yuan – an amount to commemorate his breakthrough performance opening for John Lee Hooker April 11, 1961 at Gerdes Folk City).
Now here’s a question, given the prices, who precisely will the humanist be playing for? Certainly NOT the average civilian i Beijing who made an annual salary of nearly $9,000 last year.
So who?
1. Ex-pats and diplomats
2. The politburo
3. The capitalist
And what will the great humanist have to say to the country that still suppresses its own people… not to mention Tibet.
My bet is not a damn thing. I don’t see that he can. So watch out for song choice for Dylan to get the point across.