Cat Power and the Memphis Rhythm Band @ Variety Playhouse
Posted by kt in The Yellow Stereo
Ever since the first time that I saw Rilo Kiley perform live I more fully understood what everyone was talking about when everyone used that old cliché and said that Jenny Lewis was the girl that every guy wanted and every girl wanted to be friends with. After seeing Cat Power live last night I feel that the same holds true for Chan Marshall, though in a different way. Chan is the like the older, edgier, darker counterpart to Lewis, yet every bit as likable. This was something that I honestly wasn’t expecting. Chan had built herself a reputation for an inconsistent and unpredictable stage persona, so I really went into this one expecting a totally different show than how it turned out (the last time I ran into this situation it was with a Brian Jonestown Massacre show a while back and Anton Newcombe totally lived up to all the, shall we say “hype”). Sobriety is a powerful thing.
The Memphis Rhythm band started the night off playing two songs while the anticipation grew throughout the crowd. The first few measures of The Greatest were played and Cat Power came out from the shadows in the back, cigarette and coffee mug in hand, greeting members of the Memphis Rhythm Band all along the way. She had an air about her that everything was right and positive with the world, which spread throughout the crowd for the 2 or so hours that they played. Her quirky hand motions and dance steps, television references, accents, and recurring need to call on Gil to help adjust her microphone made the show feel more intimate and personal … you felt more like a friend listening in someone’s basement as opposed to one of hundreds standing attentively in a large auditorium.
Throughout the night she alternated between playing with the band and then going solo. For the first set of the night she played about 3/4 worth of The Greatest (almost) in order, closing out the first set with a beautiful performance of Where is My Love. She then played some solo, doing some covers as expected, including the her version of House of the Rising Sun that gives me chills. She then brought the band back out and continued to play some more including a cover of (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (done surprisingly in more of a Rolling Stones type of way than a Cat Power type of way) and a great version of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy.
All in all, the night was made for me when she climbed behind the piano and performed I Don’t Blame You solo.
I am so used to going to predictable shows (3 bands, one of them localish, obnoxious fellow concert goers make your experience less than desirable, headliner plays for 1.25-1.5 hours, comes out does 3 songs for an encore whether it is requested or not, etc.), that this was a refreshing change. No pretension, no real “opener” per say, and no encore. In fact, unlike a lot of shows I attend, this could have been a show my parents could have found extremely enjoyable. Great music. Great people. Great performance. Great experience.
Kudos to you Chan Marshall…for being sober and happy, for making beautiful music, for putting on an exquisite show, for sounding incredible live, and for sharing it with all of us.
The tour will be wrapping up tonight with a stop in Chicago and a final performance at the Austin City Limits Festival, so there isn’t much more time this time around to see Cat Power live, but definitely check it out in the future if you can.
Some (recent) live Cat Power nuggets for you all
Performing The Greatest on Later with Jools Holland:
Performing Lived In Bars on Later with Jools Holland:
Check out a great solo live performance and interview of KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic here.
Additional posts you may be interested in:
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Wasn’t last night wonderful?
And was your Rilo Kiley first time in about May of 2005?
That was a great write-up Katie. I wish I could’ve went, no monies! Chan Marshall is so sexy :p
You’re going to the Sufjan show next week right? We should fucking meet up for goodness sakes!
Beth – It was quite an incredible experience…and your right, the Rilo Kiley show I first went to was in May/Junish of ‘05 with The Brunettes and Okkervil River…good times!
Paul – Thanks! Too bad you didn’t make it … and yes I WILL be at Sufjan!
I love the video that you’ve shared. I saw her Paris performance and practically worship her music, however I was left disappointed. Her voice was much less refined, scratchily singing through cigarettes. I saw her as a spot on the floor from a far, though I was able to see the way she moved, changing dance on every beat, stepping though imaginary hole in the universe. My friends, I’ve never seen anyone sober dance like that! Then she put on her accent, which is impressive, but stops at that. The stories she told were so scattered moving from beginning to end to middle in a confused state, also forgetting lyrics to her own songs. It was an expensive ticket and I’m not sure I would buy another to one of her shows due to the apparent inconsistancy. Quelle dommage, what a shame becasue I still love her!