Nadine Shah : Pissing in a River : Turning Tides Festival 14 July 2019

Nadine Shah performs a truly breathtaking cover of Patti Smith’s ‘Pissing in a River’ at The River Knows on the final day of the Turning Tides Festival by the River Thames in North Greenwich.
Such a powerful performance! Keep watching, the final two verses are really quite stunning!

The River Knows concert was an extravaganza of river songs, performed by musical director Dave Okumu and his band with a succession of guest vocalists, many of whom were long established Okumu/The Invisible collaborators. The Riverfront stage was curated by Village Underground.

The setlist was as follows:
River People (Weather Report cover) Dave Okumu & the band
Down to the River to Pray (Traditional Hymn) ESKA & The Roundhouse Choir
Green River (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover) Andreya Triana
Cry Me a River (Julie London/Ella Fitzgerald cover) Nadine Shah
Andromeda/River (PJ Harvey cover) Rosie Lowe
The River Knows (The Doors cover) Gruff Rhys
River (Ibeyi cover) Nilüfer Yanya & Elif Yanya
Find the River (Lowell George cover) Sam Amidon
Blood Red River (Beth Orton original) Beth Orton
Ballad of Easy Rider (The Byrds cover) Beth Orton & Sam Amidon
Take Me to the River (Al Green cover) Andreya Triana
Pissing in a River (Patti Smith Group cover) Nadine Shah
Many Rivers to Cross (Jimmy Cliff cover) KWABS
Turning Tides (Super Furry Animals cover) Gruff Rhys
River (Joni Mitchell cover) ESKA
Down by the River (Neil Young cover) KWABS
River of Sorrow (Anthony & the Johnsons cover) Olivia Chaney
River Song (Dennis Wilson cover) Gruff Rhys & The Roundhouse Choir

So many highlights! But for me Nadine Shah’s cover of Pissing in a River was the standout moment of the show. Despite the occasional glance at a lyric sheet this performance was more than just a cover version. Nadine didn’t cover the song, she inhabited the song, body and soul. Patti would be proud!

The previous day Nadine Shah had played an afternoon set on the main stage at British Summer Time in Hyde Park, later headlined by Florence and the Machine.

Great to hear Nadine pop up on the Peaky Blinders soundtrack recently. Season 5 episode 2 fyi. Song was Evil from her Mercury nominated album Holiday Destination.

Exciting news! A new song from Nadine drops today (3 February 2020) at 5:30pm (UK time) here:
   • Nadine Shah - Ladies For Babies (Goat...  
A 'big announcement' is also on its way. Super excited here at SGFGP!