Before the Never Ending Tour reaches Edinburgh in November Dylanologists, casual fans and Cat Power enthusiasts mixed and mingled before Chan Marshall’s late arrival (due to a broken toe).
The stress of Edinburgh’s packed streets fell away during She Belongs To Me, her voice and the gentle strum of acoustic guitar act like a comfort blanket. John Lennon was thrown when he first heard 4th Time Around. Dylan, for whatever reason, had used the melody for Norwegian Wood. Power makes that melody soar tonight reminding us of that essential creative conversation between Dylan and Lennon at the time. While Visions of Joanna meanders, It’s All Over Now Baby Blue is another perfect fit for Marshall’s husky tones, she remains still, concentrated and effortless throughout speaking occasionally but centred and focused.
You can sense in the air how important this is and how much this means. The harmonica on Just Like A Woman before the “it was raining ” line was a first set highlight. After Mr Tamobourine Man the band started rocking on Tell Me, Momma. We get a sense of the moment and the culture shift in ’66. Perhaps a hint of what it might have felt like to be in the audience in the Manchester Free Trade Hall. Is the roof going to come off the Playhouse? Will someone shout Judas (they do)?
AFTER ELECTRIC
The world continues to turn after going electric and we slide into I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met). One of the biggest cheers of the night came as Power performed a dark and dangerous Ballad Of Thin Man before an understated Like A Rolling Stone.
In the song’s role as a standard, Power tosses the tune out making it sound more viceral and current than it has in a long time due to being endlessly hacked and misinterpreted by the wrong kind of singer.
Power takes us to an era where many felt let down by Dylan and that he had abandoned ‘the cause’. People felt an almost religious zeal and Dylan would take that feeling to another level just a few years later.
After the show, a couple argued about the set, one a fan and the other not so much. This ’66 show can still put the cat among the pigeons, but what can you do?
Bobby Dylan is an artist. He don’t look back.
Cat Power Sings Dylan ’66, Playhouse, EIF
