6/25/14 - Highland Park, IL, Ravinia Pavilion, "Ravinia Festival''

6/25/14 - Highland Park, IL, Ravinia Pavilion, "Ravinia Festival''

Setlist:
1. Intro - 1:29
2. What The World Needs Know Is Love - 2:41
3. Colors And The Kids - 4:09
4. The Greatest - 4:13
5. Brave Liar - 3:53
6. Maybe Not - 4:19
7. Norma Jean - Names Medley - 5:39
8. I Dont Blame You - 3:07
9. Let Me Go - 3:23
10. Why - 2:41
11. Can I Get A Witness - 3:09
12. In This Hole - 5:13
13. Monster - 2:49
14. Talking - 6:26
15. Old Detroit - 2:09
16. Maria - 3:20
17. Wolf Among Wolves - 3:27
18. Satisfaction - 5:14
19. Great Expectations - 3:08
20. Metal Heart - 4:08
21. Good Woman - 3:01
22. Fool (aborted) - 0:22
Total Time - 1:18:00

This is the 29th performance of the year and the 26th solo performance of the year. This concert is part of the summer-long series of concerts known as ''Ravinia Festival''. Rufus Wainwright was supposed to play last, but as Chan was late, he played first. A stereo audio WAV recording was made. The times above reflect this recording.

Wow!

 I got to the venue early and hung out waiting for Chan to do her soundcheck. First Rufus Wainwright did a soundcheck. About 2 songs and 20 minutes later and he was done. Then a tech did a soundcheck with Chans guitar and her vocal mics. A security guard told me Chan had missed a plane and would be late. This actually turned out to my advantage. My seat was about 15 rows back. I watched Rufus from there, as he now would play first instead of Chan. He played a great show. Even though I was so tired from driving I almost feel asleep during parts of it. Rufus played 3 encores, maybe due to the situation with Chan being late. Following this, was intermission. I took the opportunity to take a much better seat in the 2nd row. Probably 70% of the crowd was there for Rufus and did not return for Chan. There were many people still on the lawn while a huge amount of seats were left empty. Chan came out around 9-15pm and played til about 10-30pm. She said, ''I wasnt late, I was actually about 10 minutes early.'' She dedicated the show to Teenie Hodges and Coleman Lewis and went into ''What The World Needs Now Is Love''. She followed this with about 10 piano tunes. "The Greatest'', ''I Dont Blame You'', "Colors And The Kids'', ''In This Hole'', ''Brave Liar'', ''Monster'', ''Can I Get A Witness'', etc. She took a break in the middle of this to smoke a cigarette and took questions. Most of them were song requests. But like normal, some funny moments happened. Chan moved to guitar for the last part of the set. ''Old Detroit'', ''Wolf Among Wolves'', ''Satisfaction'' and others. Eventually, she was told she had 10 minutes left. ''I will do a 20-song medley in 10 minutes.'' After having her amp moved (which was the only real 'sound issue' she had during the show), she went into ''Great Expectations'', ''Good Woman'' and ''Metal Heart''. Soon she had to end. She tried to ask to play one more song as everyone left, but this was denied by the venue people. She passed out the flowers. I raised a couple records and a book to give to her. ''What the hell is goin' on? You wanna come up here? This is an old friend of mine, so I am going to ask him to come up on stage?'' I was up there in about 2 seconds. After she passed out all the flowers, I got to hang out with her backstage for about an hour. ''You're the guy on Ode To Chan??''    Though, Chan didnt think much of her show, calling it an ''appearance'' rather than a performance, I know that I had a great, great time! Thank you for everything Chan!!!     

So cool !  

This is unfortunately all I was able to record before my camera decided to stop working. Could not even take a picture after it stopped working. Definitely need a new camera. One girl recorded ''Metal Heart'' and is supposed to send me a copy. 

''What The World Needs Now Is Love'' + "Colors And The Kids'' + ''The Greatest (incomplete)'':

Terrific! I'm so happy for you Cokelike!  

From the Ravinia Festival FB page

Oh putain!
So happy for you!

From the cigarette break:

(Chan seeing herself on the large video screens) ''Do they have thinning cameras?...Didnt cellulite used to be beautiful?... Right?... Anyone have any questions?... Seriously. (how old are you?). I turn 43 in January. (why are you so amazing?) Because, uh, I am just like you... (play metal heart please!) I will! Takin' a break! On your time, on your dime. I'm so happy to 
see Rufus again cause I met him years ago. In New York in Chelsea Hotel and uh, he was doing, I think he had a residency 
there. Or something, maybe he lived there I dont remember, but, I saw him play in Atlanta in 90... 8, I could be wrong.
It was just him and a piano. And then I saw him in Barcelona, the last year. We were playing the same festival. We talked 
about maybe doing an opera in Cuba. But we'll do it in spanish. So if I dont show up for that its because I forgot how to 
say... join my consonants with my proverbs...? So confusing, and I know how speak sentences well and write them but I 
dont know what they're called. Adjunctive, adjective, adjective. Children are extremely intelligent. But anyway you guys 
out there (motioning toward the lawn seats), what are you all doing? There are so many seats in here. And uh, what else, 
no more questions? Say more time. What, wait a second, ladies first. (Can I come on stage with you?) Maybe for the last 
two. (I was wondering if you could find a reason?) You know, I cant remember how to play that one. There are a lot that
I dont remember. What, what? (Could you play 'Still In Love With You'?) Still In Love With You? I will do that. (Ice Water!)
I wont do that one. (The Greatest!) I just did 'The Greatest, godammit. You're on whats is called... insta-face. There are 
songs that I, that I play. There are songs that I remember that I dont play. There are songs that I dont remember that I dont play. There are songs that I dont want to play. There are songs that I dont remember that I dont know. (Nude As The News!) You are all talking about crazy stuff. (loud yelling from audience) Security! (Chan joking). Wouldnt that be fun? We could
get arrested for the right reason. Lets all get arrested together. (Shaking paper.) I really like that song. Thats a 
chinese, thats about um.... (???) mans interpretation of original (???) and stuff... so I was diggin', diggin', diggin', looking
looking for something. And that is about chinese, you know dragon festival in the street. Its made of paper for a reason.
Cause shaking paper gets rid of the demons. (wonderwall!) (wealthy man!) (How was Tokyo?) Last time I went.. Tokyo.
How do you spell Tokyo. To-K-Yo. I'm getting up and going over there. (my babys first concert!) Really, how olds your baby? 
(nine months old!) Wow! (You have a double-neck guitar?) What? (a double-neck guitar.) Do I have one? (yeah) I've played one. Thank you for that.

Short review
http://www.buzznews.net/in-concert/item/3567-cat-power-rufus-wainwright-at-ravinia-music-festival

 "Anybody got a pick?" asked Cat Power, after losing hers in the Ravinia Pavilion on Wednesday night. She was halfway through her set, which started a bit late, and would go until a stagehand cut her audio when she tried to do a 20-song medley as her last song.

The 42-year-old is a rare talent, with a career spanning nine albums of varying and blurring genres. Armed with only a piano, two guitars, and her raspy, weathered voice, she entertained with popular songs like "Colors and the Kids" to "The Greatest." Her characteristic unpolished performance was peppered with apologies, twitches, and self-reassuring head nods. If she were an actress playing a role, she was captivating; but she is a person, so my captivation was colored with concern. Her set felt plagued by her crippling stage fright and echoed a past of alcohol abuse – despite her announcement of sobriety in 2006.

The audience was supportive throughout her set, filled with fans and leftovers from Rufus Wainwright's flawless opening set which included two cameos – his sister and his sister as Liza Minnelli. But Cat's support, at times, felt like helping a stumbling friend home after a hard night, rather than the usual support of applause, attention, and album-buying. Wainwright, a remarkable talent and gay icon, served as a perfect pairing, and the mash-up heightened what is unique about each artist: a polished, soaring tenor with a rougher, earthy alto.