7/8/13 - Rome, Italy, Auditorium Parco della Musica

7/8/13 - Rome, Italy, Auditorium Parco della Musica

Setlist (unsure if all songs were played):
The Greatest
Cherokee
Silent Machine
Manhattan 
Human Being
King Rides By 
Bully 
Angelitos
Always On My Own
3, 6, 9
Nothin But Time 
** Concert break to check sound **
I Dont Blame You
Metal Heart
Shivers
Peace And Love 
Medley: Ruin - Do You - Ramblin' Woman - Tracks Of My Tears - Do You

This is the 45th performance of the year and the 63rd performance of the ''Sun'' tour. After ''Nothin But Time'', Chan stopped the concert to address sound issues. But the more remarkable part of the concert is the ending medley. A nearly 22-minute ''Jam'' of sorts, with the band following Gregg's lead. Almost a dip back into the Jukebox era. One of the most unique parts of the entire tour so far. 

(mrsmoonchild)

The Greatest



 Nothin but time (incomplete)



Ruin (incomplete)



Was the hall half empty?

Review (in italian) http://www.rollingstonemagazine.it/musica/news-musica/un-mezzo-disastro-il-ritorno-italiano-di-cat-power/

Review: http://www.nerdsattack.net/?p=51322

Obviously there was a huge sound problem last night.
First the concert was outdoor and it rained before it, which probably didn't help with the soundcheck... Then at the middle of the concert there was a long talk with the sound engineer and Chan left stage for a long time. People walked out from the hall to buy merchandise, etc. Then the concert started again.
One of the review describes a very poor audience (people chatting with each other, etc).

Metal Heart



You can hear Chan asking for sound settings (reverb, etc.) between the song lyrics.

The official setlist, but it is not quite clear if all the songs have been really played:


 
https://twitter.com/Finalmente_D


Review: http://www.06live.it/live-report-cat-power-in-concerto-a-luglio-suona-bene-2013-53722?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Manhattan




 Nothin but Time

Huge, huge surprise in Rome: there was an encore!  I don't know if my conversation with the band has anything to do with this decision or if it is a one night thing due to the special circumstances of this concert but here it is anyway:

RUIN + Do You + Ramblin Woman

Review in La Repubblica http://xl.repubblica.it/articoli/cat-power-e-il-concerto-che-non-ti-aspettavi/4445/

Metal Heart 3:
 

Review - http://www.dromemagazine.com/cat-power-live-in-rome/

 In art, as in life, Chan Marshall, better known as Cat Power, is like a rolling stone, capable of passing from one extreme to another. And so the indie singer, originally from Atlanta, performed on stage at the Auditorium around 10:00 p.m., boasting a platinum blonde head of hair and a look of pure terror, to present a self-produced record that she, herself, considers a rebirth. Sun seems to want to signal a breaking point with problems from the past; between economic problems, sentimental frustrations, and cancelled concerts. And on the notes of the opening song, The Greatest, one one of the singer’s most popular songs from 2006, her voice, clinging to two microphones, is used as if it was an instrument, used to its full extent, from the lowest to the most acute tones, with theatricality intent on creating a pathos atmosphere. A voice that becomes rough, full of feeling, and harrowing in the songs that follow. With the agony of Cherokee, the buttery sound of Silent Machine and the bittersweet Manhattan, Cat Power switches from folk blues, indie rock, and soul from early times, toward more contemporary electropop. However the audience, in a semi-hypnotic state after the unmissable nostalgic moment with two songs from the past, knows that the purchase of a ticket to see Cat Power also comes with the warning that the unpredictable can happen. Thus Nothing to Time, a long homage to Bowie’s Heroes, is the meltdown song. The singer-songwriter interrupts the concert with a seemingly embarrassed muttering, as she states, “This sound breaks my heart,” and leaves the stage, only to return after about twenty minutes. For the remaining audience, rocking Ruin, a frenetic strimpellio of piano and bass, closed the concert and album which were perfect for those who, like Marshall, have understood that suffering is global.

(mantegazza)


(mantagazza)

Wow! Just got a chance to check out that long ending medley video. This is one of the best parts of the tour, I love seeing the band improvising. And Tracks Of My Tears is in there too.

Review
http://insuroma.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/sotto-il-cielo-di-roma-a-glimpse-of-the-cat-power-concert-at-the-auditorium-parco-della-musica-8th-july-2013/

 
A thunderstorm had passed over Rome in the early evening causing the soundcheck to be delayed until 9pm – the time at which the concert was scheduled to start. Yet, despite the delay and the wet seats (the arena being outside), the crowd was still in a fairly good mood. Although performing to an audience still looking for their seats, opening act Scott Matthew was politely received… even if his acoustic covers didn’t blow anyone away.

Cat Power – aka Chan Marshall – came on stage shortly afterwards. The opening was good with songs such as “The Greatest” and “Cherokee”. Yet, one could sense right from the start that things would not be running smoothly that night. As with a thunderstorm announcing itself from afar, one could not say whether the tension would just pass or get closer and unburden itself.

The frantic back and forth of a stage helper – more reminiscent of a ball boy at Wimbledon – only added to the manic feeling. He mainly untwirled or moved Cat Power’s microphone cables, but also occasionally ran towards her as if she was going to faint or stumble.

None of this however should detract from the fact that the band – two women on drums (one playing bass on some numbers), a Ronnie Wood look-a-like on keyboards and guitar, and an excellent electric guitar player who unfortunately seemed somewhat in the background – performed well. And not forgetting Cat Power’s amazing voice – beautiful as ever –with the use of two microphones adding an edge.

Between songs there were some incomprehensible and shaky mutterings – some perhaps slightly offensive or maybe meant as some sorts of compliment (“Rome is full of beautiful bores”) – which the mainly Italian crowd didn’t seem to get. This though was only the start. Continuing cable problems, which caused high-pitched screeching of the lead guitar, seemed to finally spark the storm. After just an hour’s performance Cat Power left the stage – sound quality being the fault it seems – telling the crowd “No-one seems to know what I mean”, “I’m hearing inner voices”, “No, I won’t apologize; sorry, but I won’t apologize”, as well as “I’m not your fucking cook: I’m not here to feed you rice” (who knows what was meant?). The dumbfounded crowd hardly knew how to respond. Some left, though the band remained onstage, hammering out an apologetic dirge. Eventually, after a v-e-r-y long wait, she returned, distributing t-shirts and flowers to the remaining crowd. Time for us to leave too, the arena and that beautiful voice to our backs. Great voice, great songs, great band albeit a somewhat tense and unusual performance.

Very nice pictures of the show here: http://grey-magazine.com/cat-power-live-at-auditorium-della-musica