Review: Cat Power Sings Dylan @ Her Majesty’s Theatre 10/03/25
Cat Power put a spell on everyone with her interpretation of Dylan’s Manchester Free Trade Hall live record.
Words by Will Oakeshott
Image supplied
Cat Power @ Her Majesty’s Theatre 10/03/25
“Well, I try my best, to be just like I am.” – Bob Dylan, ‘Maggie’s Farm’, Bringing It All Back Home (1965).
Remarkably, this fifth studio LP from Robert Zimmerman has just surpassed its 60th anniversary this year. Regarded as one of the greatest records in rock history, Bringing It All Back Home has been featured in the esteemed Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums Of All Time” on numerous occasions, and has even been inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2006. The full-length was also considered one of the most controversial releases of that era.
The first half of the long-player features tracks with electric instrumentation – essentially Bob Dylan had progressed to a rock’n’roll sound that divided the contemporary folk scene and angered a vast number of his devotees. The second half, however, broadcasted his more traditional stripped-back protest songs. Although disharmony was somewhat provoked by the album’s radical transition, its success screams far louder than the cynics’ scolding, and impressively, Mr Zimmerman was instrumental in the birth of the genre “folk rock”.
How fitting are the 11 words quoted from the song ‘Maggie’s Farm’ for this innovative release? The suitability does carry on though, all the way to this very event.
In 1966, just after Bob Dylan had toured Australia, he performed a showcase at the Manchester Free Trade Hall in the UK, where he notoriously switched from acoustic to electric guitar at the midpoint of the exhibition. An agitated outburst followed, with taunting from numerous crowd members committed to the folk artistry of Robert Zimmerman – the concert is still celebrated to this day as one which reshaped rock’n’roll chronicles.
“Well, I try my best, to be just like I am,” Bob Dylan so fittingly sang on his fifth studio album.
A bootleg recording was released from the show, monumentally mislabelled as the Royal Albert Hall Concert. Its official release in 1998 was certified Gold by the RIAA and a critical success.
On this night, nearly 60 years after that momentous presentation, at Her Majesty’s Theatre as part of the astonishing Adelaide Festival, Georgia’s alternative indie rock treasure Cat Power was to deliver a reimagination of this vital production to celebrate the incredible individuality of Robert Zimmerman.
Unexpectedly, the entire theatre became dauntingly dark; a predictable cheer came from the near-capacity audience, but more distinct were the gasps of surprise with the sudden scarceness of light. In a charismatic contradiction, the stage lit up too brightly as guitarist Henry Munson, harmonicaist/pianist Chris Joyner and the mystifying marvel Charlyn Marie Marshall, better known as Cat Power, took their positions onstage to metamorphosise this landmark event from decades prior into their own portrayal.
Ms Marshall was instantly dazed by the potency of her spotlight and implored that the luminance was turned down; her character and talent arguably provided more-than-ample illumination. When the desired level of dimness was found, so was Chan Marshall’s quirky vitality to perform.
Opener ‘She Belongs To Me’ swayed gently in balladry brilliance but with a finesse frailty included. Cat’s smoky croon was wondrously parallel with Bob Dylan’s distinguishable delivery, however, she was far from mimicking that instantly recognisable melodic spoken word lamentation Dylan tremendously expresses. This was to be her rendition, and it silenced all within the venue.
‘Fourth Time Around’ followed impressively and allowed Chan to break free of her enamouring timidness. She discussed how certain spectators were coughing and that this could be their ancestors being cherished and honoured through this practice of coughing, to which she humorously admitted, “I’m the crazy one,” to affectionate theatre-wide laughter.
‘Visions Of Johanna’ had a wonderful wearying element, with Ms Marshall confessing, “I don’t know which song hurts me the most.” It was an obstacle to work through, however, it did show the influence of Bob Dylan’s story-telling; Cat Power, like millions worldwide, feels Robert Zimmerman’s poetry to immeasurable levels.
‘Desolation Row’, ‘Just Like A Woman’ and ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ invigorated the spectators emphatically and Charlyn shifted from vocal earthy excellence to wondrous wails ensuring that these moving words were done in her style. It was far from faultless, but it was amazingly arresting. She shared stories about France and some strange yet amusing adventures she undertook, as well as enlightening the crowd about how she never thought she would be where she is now as a child. It humanised her, which was unquestionably alluring.
The full band featuring guitarist Munson, harmonicaist/pianist Joyner, guitarist Adaline Jasso, bassist Matthew Schuessler, drummer Daniel Potrach and Jordan Summers on synth and organ then took over the production and it became, thankfully, a rock show.
Cat Power was instantly more comfortable, removed her shoes, and began grooving and shaking in excitement with the electric musical makeover; her elation was sensationally striking.
‘Tell Me Momma’ was divine and the chemistry between each band member was immaculate. ‘I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)’ escalated the energy further with a noticeable waving of the audience’s souls and bodies to the radiant rhythm.
‘Baby Let Me Follow You Down’ became a Cat Power song, her enrichment changed its persona significantly, and ‘Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues’ accentuated this notion sublimely.
‘Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat’ almost provoked people to stand up and dance, which is a near-impossibility at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Fortunately, the seven-piece grasped that opportunity wholeheartedly from the stage.
‘One Too Many Mornings’ lost the momentum, which as this writer has witnessed before, Bob Dylan also accomplishes in his live showcases. Charlyn Marie Marshall then introduced her band and was thankful they continued playing with her instead of joining PJ Harvey and even discussed how she had drunk a little bit of tequila for her struggling voice. Although odd, this led to the highlight of the entire demonstration, ‘Ballad Of A Thin Man’. The character “Mr Jones” would have undeniably had no idea what was happening, it was that superbly spellbinding.
Cat Power was inspired to tell her admirers to “fight the power” and help each other in the “sweetest ways” they could, but seemed to have lost her way during this narrative. Perhaps it was the emotional attachment to the poetry she had reimagined on this night? Or the overwhelming significance of the original performance by Bob Dylan nearly 60 years prior? Whatever it was, once ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ commenced and the crowd erupted in liveliness, it didn’t matter. The adoration was all-encompassing.
The exhibition was not without fault, what rock’n’roll show is? Cat Power has undergone some very difficult times in her life, yet she still bedazzles her devotees with her heartrendingly astonishing voice.
As Bob Dylan sang on ‘Maggie’s Farm’, “Well, I try my best, to be just like I am.”
That is what Chan Marshall embraced and hopefully will continue to do for many years to come.
