Cat Power
Enmore Theatre
Sydney, Australia
February 11, 2019
It has been nearly two and a half decades since Chan Marshall incarnated with her debut album as Cat Power and while she has ever since established herself as a fixture on the firmament of independent music, her singer-songwriter career never really transcended into mainstream territory. Given that she has been releasing music in her own pace with generous off periods in between and thereby not subjecting herself to the fast-moving times of superficial spectacles we are living in, it is not further wondrous.
Backed by a tight three-piece backing band, it was a delight to witness her channeling her very own alchemy to an enthusiastic audience that she held in her thrall from the get go. Claiming that she is blessed with the ability to create a sense of intimacy no matter how big the venue might be is an understatement par excellence.
Apparition-like in appearance, her strong yet haunting voice throned on the foundation her trio provided with an effortlessness that stroke a fine balance between passion, force and soothing passages and added to the overall aura of haze that her songs manage to invoke.
Given that early on in her career performances did not seem to be a particular forte, she has come a long way as she is fully in control of gracefully maneuvering her set focused on her performance without further ado or banter.
The receptive audience, which clearly did not exclusively consist of a devout cult following, watched in reverence and seemed to appreciate the purity and deliberate lack of adornment of her folk-, Americana- and blues-informed earthy and at times stripped back set.
A beautiful and delicately intense evening fueled by the simmering energy of a unique artist.
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