How Does It Feel?

Lets see, I felt old. Fat. Astonished at the large congregation of paunchy, middle-aged waiguo ren who turned out Friday night to hear Bob Dylan on his first tour of China. Well maybe not, since I saw a similar group turn out in the same stadium a few years ago to hear The Rolling Stones. Seriously, who knew that there are so many of us here.

Surprised that the growly voice that sounded like it should belong to a Wild Thing or another nightmare was really all thats left of Dylans distinctive nasal tone.

Not amused that the old protest singer wasnt allowed to sing The Times Are AChangin here in China, where the times are apparently not going to change even a little bit, come hell or high water. (At least when the Rolling Stones were forbidden to sing Brown Sugar and Honky Tonk Woman, Mick Jagger had something clever to say about it at a press conference: We wouldnt want to corrupt the morals of expatriate bankers and their Chinese girlfriends, now would we?)

Ok, and a bit like a rolling stone, you know, being an expat again for seven years now.

Heres the man himself in case you cant be sure, hes the one on the far right at the keyboard (I think its a keyboard!).

Now I can tell my kids that I saw him. Except that they dont seem to care.