Bob Dylan's 2026 Zurich Concert: Mumbling as Anti-AI Resistance

Bob Dylan is scheduled to perform at Zurich's Hallenstadion on November 1, 2026. The author expresses ambivalence, citing recent concert footage showing a sparse setlist, a tightly controlled band (two guitarists recently quit mid-US tour and were replaced without comment), and the 85-year-old's grumpy demeanor, now hiding behind a keyboard and hoodie. Despite this, the author feels compelled to attend, having defended Dylan for decades against critics who complain he mumbles and ignores the audience. The author argues that Dylan's articulation is actually clearer now than in the mid-1980s. However, a YouTube recording of Dylan's July 8, 2026 concert in Chicago reveals that a speech recognition program fails to understand his lyrics, omitting lines or producing gibberish: e.g., 'Go 'way from my window, leave at your own chosen speed' becomes 'Oh close my window at your chosen me'; 'Spanish stairs' becomes 'fantast stay'; 'Oh the hours I spent inside the Coliseum' becomes 'Are they our suspect [music]'. The author suggests Dylan may intentionally sing in a way that humans can understand but machines cannot, highlighting a gap in machine empathy. The article is from NZZ am Sonntag.