Bob Dylan's Tour Rider Comes With A Strict Seafood Rule

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When you're a living music legend, it makes sense that you get to call the shots when you head out on tour. That's certainly the case for Bob Dylan, who, after over six decades on stage, knows a little bit about what he's looking for when it comes to relaxing and preparing backstage. Although some acts may have a highly specific policy on M&M colors or include a painstakingly long list of booze, Dylan and his band have a strict rule when it comes to seafood: no frozen fish. Per Illinois outlet The News-Gazette, this was revealed in a 2022 tour "rider" (a document furnished by touring acts to venues that specifies hospitality and performance-related needs). Dylan's management specifically forbade trout and tilapia.

It's not clear precisely why Dylan and/or his fellow musicians shun tilapia, although the common fish has a reputation for flavor that's bland at best or muddy and unpleasant at worst. Other concerns can include potentially shady farming practices that can result in bacterial contamination from improper feeding or the use of banned antibiotics.

Dylan's distaste for frozen fish may also be linked to his decades-long enthusiasm for fishing. He's discussed catching and cleaning fish to eat as a young man, including lake trout. Dylan was also known to fish with friend and fellow musician, the late Johnny Cash.

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Bob Dylan's tour rider didn't just specify what he and his crew didn't want. It mentioned swordfish, tuna, mahi-mahi, shrimp, lobster, halibut, and yellowtail as welcome options. While salmon also made the cut, the rider mentioned that it's frequently served and encouraged venues to pick alternatives.

In terms of preparation, the seafood should be fresh, grilled, and "NOT drenched in any kind of sauce." Keeping shows light and simple before shows is an understandable choice by the music icon, who was on the road for his "Rough and Rowdy Ways" tour for much of the time between 2021 and 2026. However, he has also demonstrated a sophisticated and educated palate in the past. (In fact, Dylan's favorite dessert that dates back several centuries.)

Compared to other celebrity backstage food riders, Dylan's requirement to avoid frozen fish is positively tame. From Kanye West's booze-filled slushie machines to Britney Spears' bun-less McDonald's cheeseburgers and dozens of figs, big names often come with big requirements. Still, this requirement from the folk-rock legend seems undoubtedly important, as evidenced by the all-caps presentation. So, when it comes to Bob Dylan, leave the frozen fish blowin' in the wind.