At the end of 2019, ‘Dylan’s Never Ending Tour’ made a stop at The Anthem, Washington, DC. After ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’, Bob was to take a Christmas break and then head to Japan in the new year. Unfortunately, a virus forced Dylan to do something that no Bobcat (a fervent Dylan-fan) thought possible: cease performing (for the moment).

Despite the adage ‘Nobody sings Dylan like Dylan’, you can fill libraries with Dylan-covers. The master has been covered in all forms, genres, and – particularly – specific gravities.

In honour of Bob’s 80th birthday, Stef Kamil Carlens streamed his own quirky selection from Bob’s oeuvre this spring under the title ‘Bob, Till We Drop - A Midnight Special’. The playing pleasure burst from the screen and those virtually present unanimously praised the surprising arrangements. A stray listener even thought they heard a reference to ‘Live at Budokan’ in a reggae-ish ‘Shelter from the Storm’.

Five days prior to the Olympic Games in Japan, Dylan decided to break the silence by streaming ‘Shadow Kingdom: The Early Songs of Bob Dylan’, a pre-recorded concert featuring inspired versions of tracks from his youngest years.

There’s no such thing as coincidence. Today Stef Kamil Carlens announces that he is to perform his tribute to Bob live together with The Gates of Eden. Whether Dylan will also announce his return to the stage, only Bob knows.

Line-up:

Stef Kamil Carlens – vocals, acoustic, resophonic & electric guitar

Lize Accoe – vocals

Karoline Leki Kamosi – vocals

Geert Hellings – electric & acoustic guitars

Simon Pleysier – electric guitar

Matt Watts – upright piano, Hohner Pianet T, mandoline

Thomas De Prins – Wurlitzer, Fender Rhodes, Hammond L-100, Moog Grandmother, Hohner Symphonic 31, Mellotron

Mirko Banovic – bass

Sam Gysel – drums