Watch Mavis Staples, Arcade Fire, More Unleash Powerful ‘The Weight’
Mavis Staples, Arcade Fire‘s Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, Jeff Tweedy, Gregg Allman and more deliver a bombastic cover of the Band‘s “The Weight” in a new clip from the upcoming concert special, Mavis Staples: I’ll Take You There – An All-Star Concert Celebration. The concert was filmed in Chicago in 2014 and will air April 16th at 10 p.m. ET on AXS TV. A CD/DVD set arrives June 2nd via Blackbird Presents Records.
Staples commandeered the song with a handful of gritty and soulful verses alongside a stirring final vocal run. Along with Arcade Fire, Tweedy and Allman, the performance featured Michael McDonald, Emmylou Harris, Eric Church, Bonnie Raitt and more trading lyrics and joining in on the rousing chorus.
Staples has been performing “The Weight” throughout her career, most notably recording the track with the Staples Singers and the Band for the latter’s 1976 farewell concert film, The Last Waltz.
The I’ll Take You There lineup also includes Joan Osborne, Patty Griffin, Glen Hansard, Aaron Neville, Widespread Panic, Grace Potter, Taj Mahal, Jeff Tweedy‘s son Spencer and Keb’ Mo’.
Staples released her most recent solo album, Livin’ On a High Note, last year. She recently teamed with Arcade Fire for a new single, “I Give You Power,” and will appear on Gorillaz’s upcoming record, Humanz.
Mavis Staples: I’ll Take You There – An All-Star Concert Celebration
1. Joan Osborne: “You’re Driving Me (To the Arms of a Stranger)”
2. Keb’ Mo’: “Heavy Makes You Happy”
3. Otis Clay: “I Ain’t Raisin’ No Sand”
4. Buddy Miller: Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind on Jesus)”
5. Patty Griffin: “Waiting for My Child”
6. Emmylou Harris: “Far Celestial Shore”
7. Michael McDonald: “Freedom Highway”
8. Glen Hansard: “People Get Ready”
9. Mavis Staples and Aaron Neville: “Respect Yourself”
10. Ryan Bingham: “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me)”
11. Widespread Panic: “Hope in a Hopeless World”
12. Grace Potter: “Grandma’s Hands”
13. Eric Church: “Eyes on the Prize”
14. Taj Mahal: “Wade in the Water”
15. Gregg Allman: “Have a Little Faith”
16. Mavis Staples and Bonnie Raitt: “Turn Me Around”
17. Mavis Staples, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Majal and Greg Allman: “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”
18. Mavis Staples, Win Butler and Régine Chassagne: “Slippery People”
19. Mavis Staples and Tweedy: “You Are Not Alone”
20. Mavis Staples: “I’ll Take You There”
21. Mavis Staples and Everybody: “The Weight”