cat power

After the opening act that would not end, Chan Marshall (nee Cat Power) took a stage which was strewn with roses. She walked to center-stage and then quickly back to the wings and back on-stage from the other side. After a few stumbles with monitors and amplifier adjustments, she quickly went into the main body of the set. Frankly, not impressive is the nicest way I can put my reaction to the show. I don't know if it was because she was sick with a cold — which she apologized for — or if it was part of the infamous antics she's known for during live performances, but it was distracting; asking for the monitors to be turned up and down, messing around with the amp, speaking in the general direction of the audience, chatting about her friends in the audience, apologizing for the sound and saying she didn't know how to play the piano (or the guitar), she played some songs twice, forgot songs and plinked around on the piano while trying to remember the accompaniment to a couple of songs, stopped other songs in the middle of a line and finally pulled the show to a halt with "I'm sorry, I forgot everything"; in general, it reminded me of a stoned sixteen year old playing some songs for friends; kind of cute, but in the end, annoying. Despite her protests of lack of skill and bad sound-work, I found neither particularly lacking. Overall, a disappointing performance, which is a shame, because the records she makes are absulotely wonderfull and beautiful. Mabybe it was the lack of a backing band, or she was still sick or unbelievably stoned, but as much as I hate to pan Chan Marshall, honestly, it sucked.