Dylan to sing for clean water

MADRID:

Legendary musician and folk icon Bob Dylan will perform at the 2008 World Expo in Spain’s north-eastern city of Zaragoza on June 23, organisers said on May13.

Dylan, who turns 67 later this month, has recorded a new version of his 1963 classic A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall for the water-themed world fair, which will be held between June 14 and September 14.

The song reportedly includes the singer’s spoken comments on the importance of clean water across the world. Local band Amaral will record a Spanish version of the song.

Grammy-winning singer Alanis Morissette, rock icon Iggy Pop and Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballe are among the other acts scheduled to perform at the exposition which is expected to draw 6.5 million visitors.

The 25-hectare fair grounds will feature a 35,000-seat concert venue, exhibits from around 100 countries and one of Europe’s largest freshwater aquariums with more than 500 species of animal life from around the world from five major rivers.