Happy Birthday Bob Dylan!
Cake, candles & concerts: Bob Dylan’s birthday shows through the years
🎂 The Fire Still Burns – Dylan Turns 84 with a Rare Birthday Show
Today, May 24, 2025, Bob Dylan celebrates his 84th birthday.
Two days ago, we shared a list of events happening around the world in celebration of Bob Dylan’s birthday.
If you missed it, you can find it here!
(For our German subscribers: You can find more celebrations in the Frankfurt area here and here!)
2025 - Another Birthday Show - Finally!
Bob will be on stage in Ridgefield, Washington, as part of the Outlaw Music Festival Tour — playing live, under the sky, in front of thousands.
This is not just another gig. It’s a rarity.
As always, you’ll find all the details about tonight’s show on our social channels — especially on Instagram and Facebook!
Over the course of his six-decade career, Dylan has almost never performed on his birthday. Only three other times (0 times in the US) before:
🎸 Paris, 1966 – The Electric Storm
On May 24, 1966, Bob Dylan turned 25 in Paris, France. It was the height of his revolutionary world tour — the tour where he went electric, dividing audiences and redefining modern music.
The show took place at L’Olympia, one of Paris’ most historic venues. The atmosphere was tense, electric — and unforgettable. It was part of a tour where Dylan faced boos, walkouts, and stunned silence as he pushed beyond folk into loud, confrontational rock.
In Paris, the audience was reportedly more receptive than some others that year — though still not without friction. Dylan delivered a blistering electric set after an acoustic opener, backed by the Hawks (who would later become The Band). Songs like Ballad of a Thin Man and Like a Rolling Stone felt more like declarations than performances.
He didn’t mention his birthday. He didn’t need to.
The music said everything:
I’m here. I’m moving forward. Come with me — or don’t.
🎤 Dresden, 2000 – A Moment of Joy
Fast-forward 34 years.
On May 24, 2000, Dylan played in Dresden, Germany at the Freilichtbühne Großer Garten — an open-air venue that lent the night a celebratory feeling.
This time, the crowd did know it was his birthday.
At one point, the audience sang “Happy Birthday” to him. And in a rare moment of openness, Dylan smiled and reportedly said:
“Thank you! I’ll remember this birthday for a while.”
The setlist was varied, ranging from Woody Guthrie to Drifter’s Escape, mixing fan favorites with deep cuts. Dylan’s energy was high, his band tight, and the night felt unusually warm — both in temperature and tone.
For a figure so often cloaked in mystery, this was a rare glimpse of Bob Dylan the human, not just the myth.
🌊 St. John’s, 2008 – A Birthday at the Edge of the World
Dylan’s third known birthday performance took place on May 24, 2008, in St. John’s, Newfoundland, at the Mile One Centre — quite literally one of the easternmost cities in North America.
Newfoundland is remote, poetic, and weathered — a perfect match for Dylan at 67.
Fans brought a birthday cake to his hotel. There was no official celebration on stage, but the crowd felt the weight of the occasion.
The set was full of storytelling songs and emotional depth:
Lay Lady Lay, Workingman's Blues #2, It's Alright, Ma.
It wasn’t a party. It was a meditation. A night of shadows, longing, and legacy.
For those in attendance, it felt like watching a master work on his own terms — on his birthday, at the edge of the continent, with the whole world behind him.
🌲 Tonight in Ridgefield: A Birthday Like No Other
Now, on May 24, 2025, Bob Dylan turns 84 — and once again, he’s spending it on stage.
Tonight’s concert at the RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater in Ridgefield, WA is part of the Outlaw Music Festival, alongside Willie Nelson & Family, Billy Strings, Lake Street Dive, Sierra Hull, and Lily Meola.
The tour’s collaborative spirit opens the door to surprises — perhaps a tribute, perhaps a shared moment with Willie, perhaps a wink from Dylan himself. We don’t know.
What are you expecting from tonights special birthday show? Write it in the comments!
So whether he marks the moment or lets it pass in silence, tonight’s performance is already historic — simply because it’s happening.
🎈 The Legacy We Celebrate
At 84, Bob remains restless, creative, and completely unretired.
He’s still evolving, still experimenting, still on the road.
His birthday is more than a number.
It’s a reminder of how long he’s been showing up — with his words, his music, and his mystery.
If you’re at the show tonight: savor it.
If you’re not: celebrate anyway.
Put on Every Grain of Sand. Revisit Chronicles.
Say thanks — not just for the songs, but for the way he’s lived with purpose, without pause.
Happy Birthday, Bob.
The fire still burns.
Happy Birthday BOB! For your 84th birthday your new book Point Blank Quick Studies arrived. I too saw you in concert in White Pains in 2/5/1966. My last concerts were 3/7/24 and 7/6/2024. I have my tickets for 2025. First Ringo Starr, then you and lastly Jakob! Got to keep the music humming and rocking.
Have a healthy and happy many more.
Happy 84th birthday Bob! I saw him in 1966 at a concert in White Plains,NY! Incredible! Wish I had seen him more often though!