Cat Power in NY Magazine | Stream 'The Greatest' album

January 17, 2006

“….But her bad concerts can be worse than just awkward. They can be public meltdowns akin to bizarre performance art. These occasions are extremely rare, but of course they are what people remember. The most infamous show (and Chan’s personal worst) was in 1999 at the Bowery Ballroom. In a New York Times review (which Chan says is her favorite article on her because of its honesty) the concert was called ‘staggering for its inversion of standard rock performance ethics. Gone was the idea of exultation, or of showing what one can do; in its place was outrageously passive-aggressive behavior and non-musicianship.’ Chan made it through only a few songs, and the night culminated in her asking what it would be like to be hit with a machete, and lying face down in tears. The band stormed offstage. Some audience members came up and patted her on the back. This show changed her reputation, unfairly, from eccentric to full-on crazy…. [The article in NY Magazine]