Lollapalooza: Cat Power Can’t Be Rained On

While her band does not appear as debonair as handsome Fred Astaire, Cat Power’s appearance onstage rivaled Audrey Hepburn’s skinny jean-ed appearance in Funny Face —equally as vigorous but with twice the depth. Lost in the Funny Face memories of my youth, I was somewhat intimidated when there appeared no short-haired, dainty, or anorexic woman in front of me. In her place, there was a toned, anything-but-fragile women wearing the mantra “People have the power,” intent on wooing an audience with belted bits and pieces of blues-like emotion.

Of course, Cat Power does not disappoint. Audiences may initially be lulled in by sweet music and somewhat insightful lyrics, but when all boils down, she needs only to captivate by voice. This particular performance was offset by what we’ll say were soundboard malfunctions (At one point a couple of disgruntled fans began chanting “Kill the soundboard guy”); however, the performance maintained professional fluidity mainly through vocal dexterity(Well, and a very patient band).

High points of the afternoon included an always-incendiary rendition of “Fortunate Son,” crooned rather than sung. It may have just been the heat, but we were all lulled by the power of the voice of a skinny jean-ed lady bouncing about on a stage small enough it barely contained her energy. Guess the iconic Streisand also taught her a thing or two, cause’ no one can rain on her parade.