Katie Knipp strips it back on John The Revelator — A live cut from her upcoming album.

ANOTHER PREVIEW

Just over a month ago we had an exclusive preview of Mud, Live at Theater 5150, and now Katie Knipp reveals something of a rarity for her – a traditional blues number, as she says “there’s no polish here—no safety net, no second takes. Just the sound of a room holding its breath.”

With the release of her live performance of John The Revelator, Katie Knipp offers a gripping preview of her upcoming live album, arriving 18th September, marking her tenth official release. Captured in a single night at Sacramento’s Theater 5150, the track is raw, immediate, and deeply felt—an unfiltered moment that lands somewhere between reverence and reinvention.

INTIMATE & URGENT

Originally made famous by Blind Willie Johnson, John The Revelator has long stood as a cornerstone of American roots music. In Knipp’s hands, it becomes something more intimate and urgent—her voice moving from a near-whisper to a full-bodied roar, backed by a band that knows exactly when to push and when to disappear.

That band—featuring Neil Campisano (drums), Chris Martinez (guitar), Pancho Tomaselli (bass), and Steve Utstein (Hammond B3 & Wurlitzer)—locks into a hypnotic groove, creating space for the tension to build and release in waves. The result isn’t just a performance—it’s a moment you can feel unfolding in real time.

The track highlights the tone of the forthcoming live album: no gloss, no distance, just the electricity of connection. Recorded before a sold-out crowd, the record captures what happens when an audience leans all the way in—and an artist meets them there. Following a series of genre-bending releases, this live project strips everything back to the core of Knipp’s artistry: blues-rooted, emotionally direct, and impossible to ignore.

(photo by Phil Kampel)

Katie Knipp: Website

At The Barrier: Facebook / X  / Instagram