4/1/04 - Edinburgh, Scotland, Liquidroom

4/1/04 - Edinburgh, Scotland, Liquidroom

Incomplete setlist:
* Ruin mention
The Moon
Names
These Arms Of Mine (with Entrance on guitar)

The fourth date of the short seven date European tour. Entrance was the opening band.
* Third date in a row where Ruin is mentioned, along with 3/26/04 and 3/31/04.

Some Matador Forum Discussion

I enjoyed the gig a lot, first time I've seen Cat Power live and it was pretty much what I expected. I thought the last song she played with the guitarist (dont know what it was called) was fucking amazing...her voice is just incredible.

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Yeah, there sure were some assholes in the audience. Sure, Chan drunkenly rambling through the Perry story might not have been great entertainment, but it's fucking insensitive to laugh and heckle when she's pouring her heart out. Still, quite a lot of people at the front were telling them to shut it. Gig had its moments - seemed to be going well with the whole Sittin' on a Ruin thang. Chan's whole "sexy" voice thing was great. I'd love to hear her do a proper soul or r 'n b record. She'd totally wipe the floor with Norah Jones et al. Interesting choice of material, including a WIll Oldham cover. But it was frustrating too. Would have been nice to have heard a bit more. Her voice wasn't in top shape, but she sounded pretty good. I think a big problem was the ludicrous 10pm curfew. What is this shit? 10pm? And £3 pints? I've never been to the Liquid Rooms before, but it's a dive, and not in a good way like the Barrowlands or Sleazy's. No wonder bands stick to Glasgow. They get a good crowd and a good atmosphere. Only good Ed venue is Queen's Hall. Chan played Mono in Glasgow last year, which is a nice cafe bar type place, with band in tow. It was the much better gig and she had plenty of time to do her thang. It had plenty of messy and faltering moments, but Satisfaction, Colour and the Kids, Good Woman etc were amazing. I'm reviewing the gig for Is THis Music? so I got in free. I can understand people who feel they didn't get their money's worth though. It's fair enough to say you shouldn't expect a slick show, but that shouldn't let her completely off the hook. I don't think she was taking the piss - she seemed as disappointed as much of the crowd at the bullshit curfew. I mean, I've been to classical concerts that have gone on well past 10 - but maybe she should do something about her stage fright. She's not an especially shy person otherwise. I thought there were some absolutely beautiful moments - just a shame there weren't more of 'em. A good part of the blame has to fall on the venue's shoulders. It's not a council byelaw to stop music after 10 - the Edinburgh fest wouldn't exist if that was the case.

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Matador Forum Member Review

Well, that was was quite a crowd divider of a gig. Many left unimpressed with Chan's lack of disipline on stage but mnay also felt personally touched by her raw honesty. I fall into the latter catagory! I've never been to a gig in which the artist in focus connected so naturally with the audience, its a pity a few people at the back did not appreciate this. Up until that point, the atomosphere was like that of a relaxed party where someone (in this case Cat Power!) just casually picks up a guitar and goes through some beautiful songs at their own pace. And in the whole spirit of her latest musical episode, she granted everyone permission to leave at anytime if they didn't like her.

I thought it was wonderful and was one of the presumptious ones that leaped up on stage and followed her back (eager for more after the bloody 10pm curfew). Must praise the bouncer too, who was cool and didn't try to nanny Chan too much, and let so many of us into the backstage "cabin" to mingle! Thank you for a memorable night.

Go Chan, you are free!

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Review

Knowing that Cat Power's You Are Free was one of the best collections of songs released last year makes disentangling the wreckage from one of her live shows all the more dispiriting.

Like the slightly more disciplined shows with a band last year, Chan Marshall's solo performance is an engaging spectacle, but for all the wrong reasons. The fascination comes from trying to second guess what is going to happen next at which point the songs will start, when the incoherent ramblings will end and at what point the patience of those who have paid their money to be entertained will snap.

Nearly fifteen minutes elapse between wandering on stage and her first attempt at a song. In the interim, spirits are consumed from a bottle, cigarettes are smoked and a monologue that somehow connects French and Saunders, DMX and Mariah Carey around a non-existent song called Sitting on a Ruin takes over. In turns it is funny, frustrating and completely incomprehensible.

A combination of nerves and drink fuel the remainder of the show, punctuated by repeated apologies for the ineptness. "Y'all mad at me?" is Marshall's mantra in response to the increasing audience agitation.

Most of the set is unrecognisable to even the most ardent fan. "Six Feet Underground" is a mournful, reflective tune, and a glimmer of hope comes in the form of "Names", though she barely makes it thorough the first verse before deciding instead to embark on a rambling explanation of the life stories of each of the characters in the lyric. As her attention wanders, the song never recommences.

Only the cover of "Satisfaction" works, highlighting the elegant whisper of her voice, but it all ends with more chaos. Support act, Entrance, and a random audience member join her on stage, while she sings like a drunk relative at a karaoke night. Great artist, horrible spectacle.

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Review

Everyone who knows American singer/songwriter Chan Marshall knows that she's an erratic performer in her Cat Power persona, given to being absolutely dreadful the first time you see her and then brilliant the next. This gig, however, was truly something more than special a mixture of the hapless and the heroic, and anyone who has a heart can do nothing but love her for it.

For starters, she's very drunk. Not that that's the sort of thing to do before going to your work, but Marshall seems mostly happy enough and it's loosened her tongue a bit. A lot, in fact, because she rambles incessantly about anything and nothing and it takes her an age to properly get started. When she sings, though backed only by her own piano or guitar it's with a chiming, crystalline voice that puts even greats like Beth Orton or Emmylou Harris to shame.