Cat Power, 4.16.08., 4th&B

Last week was a bit hectic, so I'm getting to the posting now. Wednesday was a bit hectic. I had to be at 4th&B by 7, so I rushed home after work, ate a quick dinner, and just before I was about to head of, an ex showed up at my house out of the blue so I could meet his dog. Apparently not contacting him for oh, 2 years, warranted the unexpected visit, but I had to roll so lates, bro.

I arrived at 4th&B and entered from the side. I was selling merch for Cat Power, so I met the manager outside, caught opener Appaloosa's sound check for a minute, then we got right to work, counting inventory and hanging a display. I had a little time after setting up and Tim was working the show, so we went to hang out on the side for a minute before doors. Chan borrowed my lighter. That was my only contact I had with her for the night. I was glad I didn't really address her, because it wasn't until that night that I learned her name was pronounced "Sean" and not like Jackie Chan. I'm not gonna lie...I don't have any of her albums and I couldn't tell you a single song she sings, except perhaps a couple of her covers. I was glas I was working because I was hoping to understand the big deal, maybe be converted to a fan.

It was fun working the table because so many of my friends were there. I was able to score Natalie a photo pass, so she agreed to give me 3 "exclusive" photos for my site. You can see other examples of her photography on her site here, and a little side note, Natalie is the only photographer being sent to Coachella by Pitchfork Media, so make sure to check her results in the next couple weeks.

The show started with local Addiquit performing a couple songs. It was awkwardly short, and there was no set change when Appaloosa came out since they both seemed to just have some prerecorded beats. I'm happy to report, being that she's local, that several people asked me about Addiquit, and I was happy to write down her myspace page for them.


Addiquit

Appaloosa is from France and was really sweet to me when she found out I was selling her CDs. A few people really weren't digging the set, but plenty of others asked me about her and bought the album, so I guess it was a mixed reaction. The complaints weren't about the music necessarily, but that the show felt like someone messing around with beats in their bedroom and wasn't much to watch on such a huge stage.

Finally Cat Power took the stage. I didn't really get to see the show at all from where I was, and I was disappointed that what I did hear was a whole lot of complaining. "My throat is shot." "What's with these lights?" "Is this room the San Diego aquarium?" and finally, "This is the worst show ever." It wasn't a great show, and to her defense, the next day Cat Power had to cancel several dates because she had wrecked her vocal chords, but it made me wonder why she still felt compelled to play a nearly two hour set.



I watched the crowd flood out after only the first hour, but she kept playing. I think many in San Diego wished that our show was cancelled, too, or at least postponed to a date when she was healthy and all of her stage banter wasn't just a whole bunch of complaints, because while it may have been about the sound, or the lights, or the room, the truth is, when you complain about our city, our town, our venues, it only sounds like you're complaining about us, and we get a little defensive.

After the show, I counted out and got out really late, but stopped by the Ken to be with my peeps and to take a load off, and that I did. I had a good night, I only wish that the people who paid so much for those tickets could say the same.