Bradley’s Almanac

Mp3s: Cat Power at the MFA Boston

Posted on October 30, 2006 at 9:09 pm | No Comments

This year has easily been the busiest and most media-exposed Chan Marshall has been since she started performing as Cat Power a dozen or so years back. It’s seemed non-stop since the release of her seventh studio album, “The Greatest“, back in January: The abrupt cancellation of the supporting full-band tour for “health reasons”, its eventual rescheduling, the revealing New York Times piece, a solo tour, a job as ‘the new face of Chanel Jewelry‘, and now a final tour with the Memphis Rhythm Band starting this Wednesday. Dozens of articles, interviews, live sessions, and media appearances, including tonight on Conan O’Brien.

As I wrote back in June after seeing her here in Boston, reports of her steadier and more confident live persona were not at all exaggerated, especially in the presence of that rock-solid backing band she’d pulled together. Hints of the old Chan showed during a short solo portion of the show, but it disappeared when the Memphis Rhythm Band came back out on stage. The night was an uplifting one, a word I certainly wouldn’t have used for past shows, which ranged from slightly uncomfortable to emotionally draining, yet still somehow beautiful. It seemed as if those shaky days were long behind her… until she appeared solo at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston early last month.

It was the second show of the night in the museum’s Remis Auditorium, after an earlier one that by all accounts went pretty smoothly. Unfortunately whatever comfort level she had with the monitor mix didn’t carry over to the later set… Chan’s always been particularly sensitive to sound problems, preferring to bail on songs rather than toughing things out, and did exactly that after starting a cover of “House of the Rising Sun“. Some adjustments, and another attempt… still no go. She eventually moved on to her own “Love & Communication“, coming close to making it through before stopping yet again. More sound issues, tuning problems, and getting somehow distracted by the stage-side soundman during “Wild Is The Wind” (who had no choice but to stare at her in case she indicated a level change, poor guy)… halfway through the show it felt like she hadn’t made it all the way through a single song, although the recordings below reveal it wasn’t as bad as all that. There was palpable tension in the room, especially after she abruptly left the stage for a few minutes for a self-proclaimed pee break. More than a few of us wondered if she would return.

But she did, and while the apologizing continued, the technical problems (or perceptions) disappeared. As she continued to sit behind her piano or strum her guitar, the awkwardness evaporated and the sparse beauty of her songs took over. When she’d add another “I’m sorry”, some in the crowd let her know that everything was ok… and the applause were loud, the cheers enthusiastic, we became one big support group trying to hold her up. In the end, she pulled out of what could have been a tailspin to simply soar. Emotionally draining, indeed.

I’d actually considered not sharing this one up, or at least particular parts of it. But I fall on the side of the full experience, and I think the show as a whole is worth hearing, warts and all. It was a bear to edit down, and I did make one little chop, offering the original interrupted version of “Wild Is The Wind” alongside an edited one that removes the break.

Getting good pictures at this show was near impossible, as flash photos would have intruded on the mood even more, and the lighting was appropriately low. Glad I got a shot of one of the few times she smiled that night, though. Here’s the solo set…

Cat Power

Live at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Boston, MA
2nd show on Tuesday, September 5th, 2006

01. Intro / House Of The Rising Sun (technical troubles)
02. Love & Communication (more tech trouble)
03. Who Knows Where The Time Goes? (Sandy Denny) /
The Greatest

04. Wild Is The Wind (Nina Simone) / edit
05. Living Proof
06. House Of The Rising Sun (traditional)
07. tuning troubles
08. Wolf Among Wolves (Will Oldham)
09. Hate
10. Ramblin’ Man (Hank Williams)
11. i’m sorry y’all
12. Christopher’s Walkin’
13. Paths Of Victory (Dylan)
14. How I Feel
15. Time, The Great Healer / Maybe Not
16. I Don’t Blame You
17. John John
18. Islands
19. Empty Shell
20. Satisfaction (Stones) / Naked If I Want To
21. Say
22. Where Is My Love?
23. Could We
24. Good Woman
25. Anything But Love

Some Cat Power links…

  • Boston blog synapticblur was at the same MFA show, and offers up a brief review.
  • Vancouver-based From Blown Speakers saw the August 27th show up there and wrote that one up as well.
  • For another Canadian’s perspective, check out Chromewaves’ words and pictures from the Toronto show, which happened the night before the Boston stop.
  • For the ‘records’ was there in Toronto, too, and shares some thoughts.
  • The Boston Phoenix’s music blog, On The Download, shares up Mark E. Moon’s review of the show as well, dubbing it her “MFA Meltdown”.
  • Cat Power’s MySpace page, her Matador Records site, Wikipedia entry, and an album site for “The Greatest“.
  • There’ve been two videos from “The Greatest” so far: “Living Proof” and “Lived in Bars“.
  • Cat Power’s last U.S. tour with the Memphis Rhythm Band behind her starts in a couple weeks after some dates overseas and a solo appearance at the Bob Dylan tribute show at NY’s Lincoln Center on November 9. All date details can be found here.
  • And don’t forget about her Conan O’Brien appearance tonight…
  • the fine print… If anyone has an issue with this live set being made available, just say the word (contact info in the ‘nac faq). Recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav and then edited to 192kbps mp3s. Mp3s are made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed.

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  • BOSTON-AREA LIVE SHOW ACTION
    Thursday, February 20th
    Babe Corner
    Heaven For Real
    Mingko
    Lane
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, February 21st
    Chris Lee-Rodriguez
    The Michael Character
    Puppy Problems
    canteenkilla
    @ O'Brien's

    Saturday, February 22nd
    10 years of WORSHIPPER
    with Roadsaw & Summoner
    @ Widowmaker, Braintree

    Saturday, February 22nd
    Father John Misty
    Destroyer
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, February 23rd
    Jenny Owens Young
    @ Club Passim

    Tuesday, February 25th
    Howard Jones
    ABC
    @ the Shubert Theatre

    Thursday, February 27th
    40th Anniversary of V66!
    Special Screening of
    Life on the V: The Story of V66
    @ Somerville Theatre

    Thursday, February 27th
    Pom Pom Squad
    Caroline Kingsbury
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, February 28th
    The Bevis Frond
    Onedia
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Saturday, March 1st
    Elvis Costello & Steve Nieve
    @ the Cabot, Beverly

    Tuesday, March 4th
    Tetsuians
    Lesser Birds
    Ian St. George
    Osima
    @ O'Brien's

    Wednesday, March 5th
    Kestrels
    @ O'Brien's

    Thursday, March 6th
    Avengers
    Lupo Citta
    @ the Middle East

    Friday, March 7th
    Vundabar
    Pet Fox
    Fantasy of a Broken Heart
    @ the Paradise

    Friday, March 7th
    Editrix
    Grocer
    Space Camp
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, March 7th
    Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy,
    & friends mark the 40th anniversary of
    R.E.M.'s "Fables of the Reconstruction"
    (and more) with opener Dave Hill
    @ the Royale

    Saturday, March 8th
    Mingko
    Paper Lady
    Ohio State Fair
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, March 8th
    Dead Gowns
    Tiberius
    Lost Film
    @ the Lilypad Inman

    Saturday, March 8th
    "Another Abbey Lounge Reunion!"
    with Yes Nanny,
    Eric Salt & the Electricity,
    and The Grownup Noise
    @ Sally O'Brien's

    Saturday, March 8th
    Hands & Knees
    Spatulas
    Jeanines
    Audrey Ryan & friends
    @ the Loft, Somerville

    Sunday, March 9th
    an acoustic evening with
    Trey Anastasio
    @ the Wang

    Monday, March 10th
    Kim Deal
    Ratboys
    @ the Wilbur

    Tuesday, March 11th
    Kraftwerk
    @ the Wang

    Tuesday, March 11th
    Peter Wolf (J Geils Band)
    presents his new memoir
    "Waiting on the Moon"
    @ Cambridge Public Library

    Wednesday, March 12th
    The MC Taylor Goldsmith Show
    MC Taylor (Hiss Golden Messenger)
    and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes)
    @ the Cut, Gloucester

    Friday & Saturday
    March 14th & 15th
    Dropkick Murphys
    Menzingers
    Teenage Bottlerocket

    Saturday, March 15th
    Robert Poss (Band of Susans)
    Martha Swetzoff
    Chris Brokaw
    @ the Lilypad

    Saturday, March 15th
    Hovvdy
    Video Age
    @ the Middle East Downstairs

    Saturday, March 15th
    Dream Theater
    40th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Wang

    Saturday, March 15th
    Dropkick Murphys
    Menzingers
    Teenage Bottlerocket
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, March 16th
    Dropkick Murphys
    Bouncing Souls
    Hot Water Music
    Rebuilder
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Monday, March 17th
    Dropkick Murphys
    Bouncing Souls
    Hot Water Music
    Cody Nilson
    @ House of Blues
    Wednesday, March 19th
    Tuesday, March 18th
    Patterson Hood
    Lydia Loveless
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Wednesday, March 19th
    Quicksand
    @ the Paradise

    Thursday, March 20th
    Derv Gordon (of the Equals)
    backed by So What
    with
    Children of the Flaming Wheel
    @ Deep Cuts

    Thursday, March 20th
    Neil Degrasse Tyson
    @ the Wilbur

    Friday, March 21st
    The Zip-Ups
    Corin Ashley
    Shiverlane
    @ Faces Brewing

    Sunday, March 23rd
    Ida & Tsunami!
    the Coin-Flip tour!
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Tuesday, March 25th
    Of Montreal
    cumgirl8
    @ the Royale

    Thursday, March 27th
    Horsegirl
    Free Range
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Thursday, March 27th
    José González
    @ the Cabot in Beverly

    Friday, March 28th
    Dead Kennedys
    H.R. (of Bad Brains)
    Raging Nathans
    @ the Paradise

    Friday, March 28th
    The Weather Station
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, March 29th
    Robin Lane
    @ Club Passim

    Saturday, March 29th
    Maya Hawke
    Katy Kirby
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, March 30th
    Famous Mammals
    The Spatulas
    @ O'Brien's

    Sunday, March 30th
    The Hard Quartet
    Sharp Pins
    @ the Paradise

    Tuesday, April 1st
    Earfull Series
    Writers reading. Songwriters singing.
    with authors
    Alison Espach
    & Meredith Goldstein
    and musicians
    John Powhida (solo)
    & Nat Freedberg (band)
    @ the Burren Backroom

    Thursday, April 3rd
    Alan Sparhawk (Low)
    Circuit des Yeux
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, April 3rd
    The Gossip
    @ the Paradise Rock Club

    Friday, April 4th
    Beth Gibbons (Portishead)
    Bill Ryder-Jones
    @ the Orpheum

    Friday, April 4th
    The Long Wait
    Spiller
    Speed Teeth
    @ O'Brien's

    Saturday, April 5th
    Snow Patrol
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, April 5th
    Franz Ferdinand
    @ the Orpheum

    Sunday, April 6th
    Lady Pills
    Babe Report
    @ the Rockwell

    Sunday, April 6th
    The War & Treaty
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, April 8th
    Deftones
    The Mars Volta
    Fleshwater
    @ TD Garden

    Wednesday, April 9th
    The Yardbirds
    @ City Winery Boston

    Wednesday, April 9th
    Kylie Minogue
    @ the Garden

    Thursday, April 10th
    Clem Snide
    Abe Partridge
    @ Warehouse XI

    Thursday, April 10th
    FACS
    Landowner
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    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, April 11th
    Mogwai
    Brainiac
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, April 12th
    Franz Ferdinand
    @ the Orpheum

    Saturday, April 12th
    Justin Lally (album release!)
    Holding Napoleon
    Ivy Boy
    Audrey Ryan & friends
    @ the Loft, Somerville

    Sunday, April 13th
    EXTC
    (Terry Chambers & friends)
    @ City Winery

    Sunday, April 13th
    Heart
    @ Agganis Arena

    Monday, April 14th
    Everyone Asked About You
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, April 15th
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
    St. Vincent
    @ Agganis Arena

    Wednesday, April 16th
    L.S. Dunes
    From Indian Lakes
    Night Sins
    @ the SInclair

    Thursday, April 17th
    Dead Boys
    Richard Lloyd Group
    (of Television)
    @ Deep Cuts

    Thursday, April 17th
    Corridor
    @ the Rockwell

    Thursday, April 17th
    Mercury Rev
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Friday, April 18th
    Mount Eerie
    Hana Stretton
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, April 18th
    Bright Eyes
    Cursive
    @ House of Blues

    Saturday, April 19th
    The Fixx
    Jill Sobule
    @ the Cabot, Beverly

    Saturday, Sunday, & Tuesday
    April 19th, 20th, & 21st
    Ani DiFranco
    @ the Somerville Theatre

    Sunday, April 20th
    Gang of Four
    "The Long Goodbye" farewell tour
    playing "Entertainment!" & more
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Sunday, April 20th
    Jay Aston's
    Gene Loves Jezebel
    Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats)
    Belouis Some
    @ City Winery

    Sunday & Monday
    April 20th & 21st
    Lucy Dacus
    Katie Gavin
    Jamine.4.t.
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Tuesday, April 22nd
    Alejandro Escovedo
    @ City Winery

    Wednesday, April 23rd
    Dweezil Zappa
    @ the Cabot, Beverly, MA

    Wednesday, April 23rd
    The Linda Lindas
    Pinkshift
    @ the Paradise

    Thursday, April 24th
    Swervedriver
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Thursday, April 24th
    The Mary Wallopers
    @ Big Night Live

    Thursday, April 24th
    Christian Death
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, April 25th
    Sidewalk Driver
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday & Saturday
    April 25th & 26th
    The Town and the City Festival!
    @ various venues in Lowell

    Saturday, April 26th
    Poison the Well
    Glassjaw
    Better Lovers
    Teenage Wrist
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, April 27th
    Beach Bunny
    Pool Kids
    Jayla Kai
    @ House of Blues

    Sunday, April 27th
    Indigo Girls
    Melissa Etheridge
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Wednesday, April 30th
    The Chameleons
    Twin Tribes
    @ Big Night Live

    Wednesday, April 30th
    High-Vis
    Militarie Gun
    Age of Apocalypse
    @ the Middle East

    Thursday, May 1st
    Deep Sea Diver
    Byland
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Thursday, May 1st
    Sharon Van Etten
    & the Attachment Theory
    Love Spells
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, May 2nd
    Bob Mould & his band
    J. Robbins & his band
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, May 3th
    Cheekface
    @ The Sinclair

    Saturday, May 3rd
    BADBADNOTGOOD
    Baby Rose
    @ Roadrunner

    Tuesday, June 3rd
    Halsey
    Alvvays
    @ Xfinity Center

    Sunday, May 4th
    The Queers
    @ the Middle East Upstairs

    Sunday, May 4th
    Tim Hecker
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Sunday, May 4th
    AC/DC
    @ Gillette Stadium

    Wednesday, May 7th
    Japanese Breakfast
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Wednesday, May 7th
    Sea Wolf (solo)
    @ the Haymarket Lounge
    @ City Winery

    Wednesday, May 7th
    Love
    Johnny Echols
    @ City Winery

    Thursday, May 8th
    Melvins
    Napalm Death
    @ the Paradise

    Thursday, May 8th
    Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, May 9th
    DEVO
    "50 Years of De-Evolution...Continued!" @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, May 10th
    The Hilken Mancini Band
    (the long-awaited LP release party!)
    with The Cujo (feat. Jen Trynin)
    & Mary Lou Lord
    @ Sonia

    Saturday, May 10th
    Mallrat
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Sunday, May 11th
    Worriers
    Mint Green
    @ Deep Cuts

    Sunday, May 11th
    Baroness
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday, May 12th
    Kendrick Lamar
    SZA
    @ Gillette Stadium

    Wednesday, May 14th
    Ministry
    My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
    Die Krupps
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, May 17th
    Califone
    @ the Rockwell

    Saturday, May 17th
    Sunflower Bean
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, May 17th
    Amyl & the Sniffers
    Sheer Mag
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday & Sunday
    May 17th & 18th
    Amy Poehler & Tina Fey
    @ the Wang

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    May 20th & 21st
    Hamilton Leithauser
    (of the Walkmen)
    & Johanna Samuels
    @ the Sinclair

    Thursday, May 22nd
    Slide Away Presents:
    Swirlies
    Mark Robinson
    Her New Knife
    Beach-O (film)
    @ the Paradise

    Thursday, May 22nd
    Peter Bjorn and John
    "Writers Block" album tour
    @ the Sinclair

    Saturday, May 24th
    The Wedding Present
    "Bizarro" 35th Anniversary Tour
    with The Tubs
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
    May 23rd, 24th, & 25th
    Boston Calling Music Festival
    @ the Harvard Athletic Complex

    Wednesday, May 28th
    Scott Thompson
    (of Kids in the Hall)
    is Buddy Cole
    @ City Winery Boston

    Wednesday, May 28th
    Barry Manilow
    "the last Boston concert"
    @ the Garden

    Thursday, May 29th
    Annie Dirusso
    Squirrel Flower
    @ the Paradise

    Friday, May 30th
    Florist
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Friday, May 30th
    Orbit
    Eldridge Rodriguez
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, May 30th
    Teddy Swims
    @ Suffolk Downs

    Friday, May 30th
    OK GO
    @ the Royale

    Friday, May 30th
    Tennis
    Billie Marten
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, May 30th
    Bloc Party
    (performing "Silent Alarm" & more)
    with Metric
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, May 31st
    Jet
    Band of Skulls
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, June 1st
    Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, June 6th
    Jack's Mannequin
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, June 6th
    Sleigh Bells
    @ the Paradise

    Friday, June 6th
    The Ocean Blue
    playing their self-titled LP
    and their "Cerulean" LP
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Saturday, June 7th
    Toby Tantrum
    Sun Urchins
    Yoni Gordon
    Audrey Ryan & friends
    @ the Loft, Somerville

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    June 10th & 11th
    Queens of the Stone Age
    The Kills
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday
    June 10th, 12th, & 13th
    Paul Simon
    @ the Wang

    Wednesday, June 11th
    Turnover
    "Peripheral Vision" tour
    with Balance & Composure
    & Citizen
    @ the House of Blues

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    June 10th & 11th
    Queens of the Stone Age
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, June 15th
    Simple Minds
    Soft Cell
    Modern English
    @ Xfinity Center

    Sunday, June 15th
    Karate
    @ The Sinclair

    Thursday, June 19th
    Blondshell
    Daffo
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, June 27th
    Khruangbin
    John Carroll Kirby
    @ Suffolk Downs

    Saturday, June 28th
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
    Alan Sparhawk
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, June 28th
    Tree
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Sunday, June 29th
    Preoccupations
    @ the Middle East

    Monday, July 7th
    OMD
    @ House of Blues

    Friday, July 11th
    Cap'n Jazz
    Coffin Prick
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, July 15th
    Weird Al Yankovic
    @ the Wang

    Wednesday, July 16th
    Mekons
    Johnny Dowd
    @ City Winery

    Friday, July 18th
    The Lumineers
    St. Vincent
    Hippo Campus
    @ Fenway Park

    Friday, July 18th
    Samantha Crain
    @ Warehouse XI

    Friday, July 18th
    Dinosaur Jr.
    Snail Mail
    Easy Action
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday & Saturday
    July 18th & 19th
    PIXIES
    performing "Bossanova"
    & "Trompe Le Monde" (18th)
    and a set of classics (19th)
    with Kurt Vile & the Violators
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, July 19th &
    Friday, September 5th
    Men I Trust
    @ Roadrunner

    Monday, July 21st
    Ghost
    @ TD Garden

    Saturday, July 26th
    Toto
    Christopher Cross
    Men At Work
    @ Leader Bank Pavilion

    Saturday, July 26th
    Rod Stewart
    Cheap Trick
    @ the Xfinity Center

    Tuesday, July 29th
    Goo Goo Dolls
    Dashboard Confessional
    @ the Pavilion

    Wednesday, July 30th
    The "Happy Together" Tour
    featuring The Turtles,
    Jay & the Americans,
    Little Anthony, Mark Lindsay
    (of Paul Revere & the Raiders),
    The Vogues, & the Cowsills
    @ Lynn Auditorium

    Friday, August 1st
    LOST 80's LIVE
    with A Flock of Seagulls,
    Big Country, General Public,
    The Vapors, Belouis Some,
    The Icicle Works, China Crisis,
    Josie Cotton, Polecats,
    and more
    @ the Wang

    Wednesday, August 13th
    Clipping.
    @ The Sinclair

    Friday, August 15th
    The Doobie Brothers
    The Coral Reefer Band
    @ Xfinity Center

    Friday, August 29th
    Nine Inch Nails
    @ the Garden

    Saturday, August 30th
    Coheed & Cambria
    Taking Back Sunday
    Foxing
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, September 7th
    The Outlaw Music Festival
    10th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Xfinity Center

    Sunday, September 7th
    My Chemical Romance
    Idles
    @ Fenway Park

    Friday, September 12th
    Supergrass
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, Sept 14th
    Alabama Shakes
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Wednesday, September 17th
    Alison Krauss & Union Station
    Willie Watson
    @ the Pavilion

    Tuesday, September 23rd
    Viagra Boys
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday & Sunday
    October 4th & 5th
    An Inconceivable Evening
    with Cary Elwes
    & a screening of
    The Princess Bride
    @ the Wilbur

    Saturday, October 11th
    Kneecap
    @ the House of Blues

    Monday, November 24th
    Patti Smith
    Horses 50th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Orpheum