| World tour by Bob Dylan | |
 Bob Dylan and his Band, Spectrum, Oslo, Norway, March 30, 2007 | |
| Location | North America Europe South America Australia Asia Central America |
|---|---|
| Start date | June 7, 1988 |
| End date | Ongoing |
| Legs | 135 |
| No. of shows | 3,066 |
The Never Ending Tour is the popular name for Bob Dylan's ongoing touring schedule which began on June 7, 1988.[1][2] Musicians have come and gone over the years. The tour amassed a huge fan base with some fans traveling from around the world to attend as many Dylan shows as possible.[3]
Dylan himself has been dismissive of the Never Ending Tour tag. He writes in the sleeve notes to his album World Gone Wrong (1993):
Don't be bewildered by the Never Ending Tour chatter. There was a Never Ending Tour but it ended in 1991 with the departure of guitarist G. E. Smith. That one's long gone but there have been many others since then: "The Money Never Runs Out Tour" (Fall of 1991) "Southern Sympathizer Tour" (Early 1992) "Why Do You Look At Me So Strangely Tour" (European Tour 1992) "The One Sad Cry Of Pity Tour" (Australia & West Coast American Tour 1992) "Outburst Of Consciousness Tour" (1992) "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Tour" (1993) and others, too many to mention each with their own character & design.
Nevertheless, his touring schedule has continued to be referred to as the "Never Ending Tour" by most media outlets.
According to Swedish researcher Olof Björner,[4] Dylan played show number 2,000 of the Never Ending Tour on October 16, 2007 in Dayton, Ohio.[5] He played show number 3,000 on April 19, 2019 in Innsbruck, Austria.[6] Dylan has attributed much of the versatility of his live shows to the talent of his backing band, with whom he recorded each of his 21st-century studio albums: Love and Theft (2001); Modern Times (2006); Together Through Life (2009); Christmas in the Heart (2009); Tempest (2012); Shadows in the Night (2015); Fallen Angels (2016); Triplicate (2017); and Rough and Rowdy Ways (2020).
Following the 2019 touring year, performances were cancelled during 2020 in Japan and the US due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On September 27, 2021, Dylan announced a new tour called the Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour, spanning 2021–2024, with the tour starting in November.[7] This tour has been referred to by the media as an extension of his ongoing Never Ending Tour.[8]
- ^ Hann, Michael (2011-06-12). "Bob Dylan begins his 'never-ending' tour". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- ^ "The Evolution of Bob Dylan". Rolling Stone Magazine. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- ^ "The Razor's Edge: Bob Dylan and the Neverending Tour". Good Reads. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- ^ "Still On The Road". Bjorner. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- ^ "Still On The Road: 2007 US Fall Tour". Bjorner. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
- ^ "Still On The Road: 2019 EU Spring Tour". Bjorner. Retrieved 2019-04-20.
- ^ "Bob Dylan Fall Tour Dates Announced | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ Levy, Piet. "Bob Dylan is resuming his 'Never Ending Tour,' beginning with a show at Milwaukee's Riverside Theater". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2022-01-03.