Reviewing ‘Covers’, NME said: “Often, cover records are dismissed as simply a bit of fun or as an indulgent aside to an artists’ original output, but when Cat Power does it, it’s nothing less than soul-nourishing.”
Watch Cat Power recreate Bob Dylan’s classic 1966 “Royal Albert Hall” concert
Cat Power performed a show at the Royal Albert Hall where she covered Bob Dylan‘s legendary 1966 gig in its entirety – watch below.
The gig took place on Saturday night (November 5), with Chan Marshall playing Dylan’s exact set from the gig. The first half of Marshall’s show was acoustic before she was joined by an electric band for the remainder.
Dylan played the Manchester Free Trade Hall at the end of his ‘Dylan Goes Electric’ tour in 1966. On a bootlegged version of the show it was mistakenly labelled as a gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London and has unofficially been known as such ever since.
In 1998 the bootlegged version of the gig was officially released under the title ‘Bob Dylan Live 1966, The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert’.
Marshall’s show was originally announced in July. The musician said: “When I finally got the opportunity to play The RAH, it was a no brainer. I just wanted to sing Dylan songs. And as much as any, this collection of his songs, to me, belong there.”
Speaking to The Guardian ahead of the gig, Power said: “It’s important for me to not do my thing. I’m not being Bob, not at all. I don’t know how to describe it – I’m just recreating it, that’s all. But not making it mine. I had the inkling that I should protect that period of time and him making that crossover. It’s like this precipice of time that changed music for ever.”
She continued: “My heart is racing, I’m terrified … It’s not like, ‘Oh what will Bob think?’ It’s like, ‘What am I doing? Am I doing something right?’ I’m going to cry.”
Power has been covering a host of artists over recent years and released a new covers album earlier this year featuring versions of tracks by Frank Ocean, The Pogues, Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, Billie Holiday and others.
Reviewing ‘Covers’, NME said: “Often, cover records are dismissed as simply a bit of fun or as an indulgent aside to an artists’ original output, but when Cat Power does it, it’s nothing less than soul-nourishing.”