Hold onto your harmonicas, butt — the poet laureate of rock ‘n’ roll is coming back to town. Yep, BOB DYLAN — the man, the myth, the walking songbook of 20th-century rebellion — has just announced a brand-new UK and Ireland leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour for late 2025. 🤯🔥
Presented by ITB and blessed by the gods of gravel-throated wisdom, Dylan’s tour kicks off 7th November at Brighton Centre, before weaving its way through the UK and Ireland like a well-worn leather boot stomping out folk history.
Here’s the full rundown of the cities getting their dose of Dylan magic:
- Brighton – Nov 7
- Swansea – 🏴 The homeland!
- Coventry
- Leeds
- Glasgow
- Belfast
- Killarney
- Dublin
📆 Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday 18th July – and let’s be real, these will fly faster than a ‘60s press pass in Newport.
🎩 A LEGEND WHO NEEDS NO INTRO (BUT WE’RE DOING IT ANYWAY)
Bob Dylan isn’t just a musician. He’s a walking timestamp on our cultural timeline. From blowing minds with “Like a Rolling Stone” to making every hipster weep with “Visions of Johanna”, Dylan has never played by the rules — mainly because he wrote the bloody book and then set it on fire.
He first graced British soil in 1962 at The King & Queen pub in Fitzrovia — a far cry from the arenas and iconic theatres he’s haunted since. And Ireland? That love affair started back in 1966, during his legendary world tour when he melted faces and confused critics at the Adelphi Cinema.
🥾 ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS – THE COMEBACK THAT WASN’T A COMEBACK
When Rough and Rowdy Ways dropped in 2020, it wasn’t just a surprise — it was a full-on cultural event. Critics fell over themselves, fans cried into their vinyl sleeves, and every rock writer dusted off their thesaurus to try and describe it. The album was a stark, weird, beautiful journey through time, death, memory, and mischief.
It proved what we all secretly knew: Dylan’s still got it. And he’ll probably always have it. The songwriting? Still sharp enough to draw blood. The voice? More ancient and commanding than ever. The attitude? Still couldn’t give two hoots what you think, pal.
📵 NO PHONES. NO VIDEOS. NO FILTERS. JUST DYLAN.
Now here’s a tasty twist — this tour is being done in partnership with Yondr, which means no phones allowed inside the venues. Zip ’em up, seal ’em shut, and for one blessed night, just be there.
No Instagram Stories. No shaky hands filming “Blowin’ in the Wind”. Just you, Dylan, and the music.
Imagine that? A night without screens? Diolch, Bob. Proper job.
🗣️ WHAT’S OCCURRING IN SWANSEA, MUN?
We’re especially chuffed that Swansea has made the cut on the tour route — a rare treat for us in South Wales. It’s not every day the Nobel Prize-winning bard himself decides to drop by.
So if you’re local, cancel your plans. If you’re not — book a Travelodge and make a weekend of it. You’ll be telling your grandkids you saw Dylan in Swansea in 2025 and they’ll be like “Who’s Bob Dylan?” and you’ll pretend you didn’t hear that.
🎟️ WHERE, WHEN & HOW TO GRAB TICKETS
Here’s the need-to-know:
- 🎫 Tickets on sale: Friday, 18th July at 10am
- 🌐 Where: Check Yungblud.film (Wait, wrong link! But nice try! 😂) – Actual ticket site will be listed soon via ITB and major platforms like Ticketmaster
- 🎧 Don’t sleep on this – Dylan gigs sell out faster than a pub during last orders
🧙♂️ FINAL THOUGHTS FROM THE RIFF REPORT
Look, we know what you’re thinking. Dylan’s been around the block. Is he still that guy?
Let us be clear: Yes. Yes, he is.
This isn’t nostalgia. This is history unfolding in real time, and you can be part of it. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or someone who just found out “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” wasn’t originally by Guns N’ Roses (bless you), this tour is going to be something special.
So pack your poetic soul, leave the phone at home, and prepare to be baptised in metaphor. 🎤🔥🕊️
📣 Let us know if you’re going!
Planning to see Dylan in Swansea, Dublin, or wherever the road takes him? Hit us up at staging.theriffreport.co.uk/ or scream into the void on socials and tag us! We’ll be covering this tour like it’s the second coming of Hendrix.
And remember…
“Don’t criticize what you can’t understand…” – Bob Dylan
Unless it’s the merch prices. Then go full Karen. 😅
