Bob Dylan to resume Never-Ending Tour in November, but not in his home state

Fans who worried that the pandemic may have finally brought an end to Bob Dylan's so-called Never-Ending Tour can rest easy: He just announced his first batch of tour dates for November.

Minnesota isn't listed among the shows so far — Dylan has a habit of returning to his home state in early November — but the tour will kick off in the Upper Midwest starting Nov. 2 at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee. From there, he will head to Chicago and work his way through the Rust Belt to a three-night stand Nov. 19-21 at his favorite New York venue, the Beacon Theatre.

Officially billed as the Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour — which means fans can probably expect at least a few songs from last year's unexpected and well-received album of the same name — it lists 21 shows in total so far, mostly in theaters. The itinerary ends Dec. 2 in Washington, D.C. Tickets for all the dates go on sale Friday via BobDylan.com, where VIP packages are now available.

The unexpected two-year hiatus in Dylan's road schedule was the longest break he's taken from touring since the late 1980s. He turned 80 in May. In June, he offered fans a livestreaming concert, but it wasn't with his regular touring band, and it was debated how much of it was really even "live."

These fall dates will presumably mark the return of the road band. A slightly altered version of the group hit the road in the fall of 2019 with two new members featured alongside old regulars Charlie Sexton, Tony Garnier and Donnie Herron. Their appearance at the Mankato Civic Center and other stops in that run resulted in some of Bob's best-received Minnesota performances in years. Here's hoping they can pick up where they left off.

The full Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour itinerary: