Bob Dylan surprised fans at his Belfast concert by closing the show with a rare cover of Van Morrison's 'Going Down to Bangor.' The performance took place during his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour at Waterfront Hall, highlighting the shared musical heritage between the two artists in Morrison's hometown. A fan-recorded audio captured the moment despite the no-phone policy.
Performance Details
On Thursday evening, November 20, 2025, Bob Dylan's Rough and Rowdy Ways tour arrived at Waterfront Hall in Belfast, Ireland. The set concluded with an unexpected rendition of 'Going Down to Bangor,' a track from Van Morrison's 2016 album Keep Me Singing. This song, never released as a single and performed only 14 times by Morrison himself, drew from a deep cut in his catalog, far from his well-known hits like 'Moondance' or tracks from Astral Weeks.
The venue holds significance, as it hosted Morrison's 80th birthday celebration in September 2025. With phones banned at Dylan's theater performances, a fan still obtained a clear audio recording of the cover, preserving the rare event for enthusiasts.
Artistic Connections
Dylan has a history of interpreting Morrison's work, including past performances of 'One Irish Rover,' 'Carrying a Torch,' 'Real Real Gone,' 'And It Stoned Me,' 'Crazy Love,' 'Into the Mystic,' 'Moondance,' and 'Tupelo Honey.' The pair even co-headlined shows in 1998. Morrison, in turn, has covered Dylan since 1966, starting with Them's version of 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue,' followed by 'Just Like a Woman,' 'I Shall Be Released,' 'Rainy Day Women #12 & 35,' 'Idiot Wind,' and 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door.'
This choice aligns with Dylan's recent pattern of selecting lesser-known songs by other icons, such as Bo Diddley's 1962 'I Can't Tell' during the summer Outlaw tour and Bob Weir's 2016 'Only a River' in 2023.
Tour Outlook
The 2025 tour wraps up with two shows in Killarney, Ireland, and one in Dublin. Dylan recently announced via X that fans can expect Rough and Rowdy Ways performances in early spring 2026, though specific dates remain forthcoming.