Mavis Staples, an icon of resistance and former lead singer of the Staples Sisters, performed a moving concert on June 23rd in Chicago that has since been recorded and is set for release on November 4th, aka Election Day. Entitled Mavis Staples Live: Hope at the Hideout (Anti-), the chosen release date is not a mere coincidence. Staples has ties to the upcoming election, having attended the same Chicago church as Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama, who Staples has described as, “in a way, so much like Dr. King.” Also, Obama’s message of “change” and “hope” are standards in Staples’ music. The live album showcases Staples’ live rendition of the protest classic “We Shall Not Be Moved,” a song often sung during sit-ins at restaurants in the South in the 1960s.
The album was recorded at Chicago’s aptly named, The Hideout, a tiny, tucked-away venue that holds less than one hundred fans. This give the album an even more intimate and moving context as Staples normally performs in larger venues, and is a regular at large musical festivals. Staples performed for a sold out audience with a very stripped down band, swampy three-piece band and a handful of backup singers, making the CD a rare treat for new and old fans alike.
Stream Mavis Staples‘ unbelievable live rendition of “We Shall Not Be Moved” below:
Tracklisting for Mavis Staples Live: Hope At The Hideout
1. For What It’s Worth
2. Eyes on the Prize
3. Down in Mississippi
4. Wade in the Water
5. Waiting For My Child
6. This Little Light
7. Why Am I Treated So Bad
8. Freedom Highway
9. We Shall Not Be Moved
10. Circle Intro (encore)
11. Will The Circle Be Unbroken (encore)
12. On My Way (encore)
13. I’ll Take You There (encore)
Mavis Staples: www.mavisstaples.com
Anti: www.anti.com