CAT POWER

5.11.00
The Knitting Factory
New York, NY

Chan Marshall breaks all the rules in the rock performance handbook - and how easily her fans forgive her. Continuous mugging in the public eye and appearing totally confident and shameless are a few of the things that make one a rock star. Marshall is as far removed from that world as one could possibly be. Yet she has been playing gigs and releasing albums successfully since the mid-nineties. Maybe it's her songs, maybe it's her ethereal voice, or perhaps it's her irresistible eyes avoiding yours that warrants our clemency. I imagine it's all of those things and more.

Sure, Marshall has been accused of unfocused performances in the past, but that has never stopped her gigs from selling out. Take, for instance, the over-sold crowd at the Knitting Factory on this warm May evening. The temperature in the room slowly rose as we took in Marshall's voice and her gentle plucking of guitar strings. Movement in the crowd was minimal. Barely a breath was dared drawn.

Marshall's stark but lucid playing gave us no choice but to focus entirely on her performance. The music caressed our ears so gently, in fact, that the faint hum of the small Fender guitar amp could be heard above the gripping tales of hard luck. An occasional pull on a cigarette sent crisp but unwelcome ripples through the still air. Being able to sit down might have eased some of the tension but tonight's cramped show was standing room only.

Marshall's captive audience studied her every movement and vocal expression throughout the too-brief set. Marshall seemed to feel everyone's eyes on her, making her a bit self-conscious. But her fans double as her support group. "You look beautiful," a female voice boomed from the back in response to the singer's flustered complaints of her ruffled state. With a nervous flip of her tousled hair and a little laugh in response to the compliment, Marshall humbly endeared herself to us. Ending several songs with a stammering apology for what she perceived to be poor sound quality only encouraged cheering. Now there's an interesting way to work a room!

Alternating between guitar and piano, Marshall performed various selections from her recent Matador Records release, The Covers Album, as well as a handful of originals. Starting off the set with her eerie interpretation of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction," it became obvious that only a few of our favorite Cat Power originals would be heard on this night. The most successful covers are the ones that the artist makes her own. But it wasn't so much about hearing specific songs than just watching and hearing Marshall's gentle, ethereal voice and movement on stage.

After making us all crane our necks to watch her play several songs on piano in a distant corner of the stage, Marshall emerged to introduce label mate Matt Sweeney of Chavez for their lilting rendition of "Salty Dog." After a false start and some nervous laughter, the two slid into a breathtaking version of the old song, leaving us wanting more. Inconsistencies and what have you, Chan Marshall's presence cannot be measured by any normal conventions.

- Hal Miller

This review was originally featured on Gigmania.com.