Cat Power at the Roundhouse

Cat Power

Roundhouse, 3 November 2026

It feels unbelievable (to me at least) but it's been 20 years since Cat Power's breakthrough album The Greatest was released. To celebrate Chan Marshall announced a tour where she and her band would play the album in its entirety. As the first time I saw Cat Power was on the tour for that album, way back in 2007, I was excited to see her again performing all those songs I loved so much.

Albums Of The Decade

My favourite albums of the past decade. It's really hard to rank albums and really every one is interchangeable because each has meant something special to me or been something of an obsession over the past decade at different times. It's also interesting to see since starting this blog how a lot of the albums on my end of year lists are now rarely listened to by me and some almost completely forgotten (I really don't think I've thought about Yuck, for instance, since 2011 but they are there on my list that year). These were chosen for a combination of most listens and the memories they bring back. I'm sure I've missed out some good ones though.

My Favorite Albums Of 2018

There have been some years while I've been writing this blog where I have struggled to come up with even 10 albums I've loved released in the previous 12 months. This year though has had so many I've loved instead it's been hugely difficult to whittle it down to just 10. There were two EPs in particular that wowed me that didn't make the list simply because they weren't long players: Alison Sudol, formerly A Fine Frenzy, making her debut as a solo artist with the dreamily atmospheric Moon EP and the brilliant "super-group" Boy Genius, combining the talents of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker. I hope we'll get proper albums from both of them.

Best Gigs Of 2018

It's incredibly hard to rank all the great gigs I've been to this year but one definitely stands out as the best: Jenny Lewis wowing the crowds at Koko. If there was any doubt that the world needs Ms Lewis (and really there isn't) then this concert celebrating her entire career from Rilo Kiley to her forthcoming solo release, certainly proved that she still is as essential and exciting as ever.

Cat Power at the Roundhouse

Cat Power
Stephanie Goodman
Roundhouse, 23 October 2018

There's no doubt about it, every Cat Power gig is a surprise. You never know if it's going to be an edgy, almost chaotic affair, or a bluesy soulful celebration or a lo-fi, free-spirited rambling show full of talk and sudden excursions into unknown territory. But every show with Chan Marshall is a hugely rewarding experience - it's why this is my ninth Cat Power show - and this has to be the most professional and confident I've ever seen her. 

Merry Christmas!

Best Gigs Of 2014

I think all I need to say here are two rather lovely words: Kate Bush. That's because, gig-wise, 2014 will always be the year I finally got to see Kate live and wow, what a show: it was certainly worth the long wait. How lucky am I to have been among the few who got to see one of these special shows. Of course I got to go to lots of other concerts which together would easily make up a great year of gig-going, in particular Janelle Monáe's Prince-esque party at Brixton Academy, First Aid Kit's joyful small pre-album launch at Islington Assembly Hall and the graceful and wonderfully intimate Vashti Bunyan show at the tiny St Pancras Old Church but Kate overshadows them all. No guessing where she places on my list of my 10 favourite shows this year...

10. Angel Olsen at Dingwalls 

9. Marianne Faithfull at the Royal Festival Hall

8. The Afghan Whigs at the Electric Ballroom 

7. Cat Power at the Union Chapel
 
6. Minor Alps at The Islington 

5. Antemasque at the Electric Ballroom

4. Vashti Bunyan at St Pancras Old Church 

3. First Aid Kit at Islington Assembly Hall

2. Janelle Monáe at Brixton Academy

1. Kate Bush at Hammersmith Apollo

Cat Power at the Union Chapel

Cat Power
Venus And The Moon
Nico Turner

Union Chapel, 11 November 2014

This is the Cat Power show I've been waiting years to see. Just Chan Marshall alone on stage with either her guitar or behind a piano, in the intimate setting of the beautiful Union Chapel. But it almost didn't happen - which, let's be honest, isn't unusual for Chan - as this was supposed to be one of two shows at the venue: the first was cancelled due to Chan having the flu and it wasn't confirmed that this date would go ahead until just a few hours before the show. I'm certainly glad it did as she has never sounded better.

Cat Power at the Roundhouse

Cat Power
Eaux
Roundhouse, 25 June 2013

This show was originally meant to happen back in December but was cancelled due to Chan Marshall falling ill. I must admit I was looking forward to it more back then because I was caught up in the excitement of her excellent new album, Sun, and often that is the most perfect time to catch an artist live. Six months on and the fervour has worn off somewhat but of course I was still curious to see how these songs sounded live and to see if Marshall has become a less erratic performer since the last time I saw her.

My Favourite Albums Of 2012

I had a really difficult time this year whittling down my favourite albums of the year to just 10, there were so many I really loved: so I decided to make it 11. There are others I really loved too like Ryan Bingham's brilliant hard rock meets traditional country Tomorrowland, The Mars Volta's underrated Noctourniquet and Kathleen Edwards' lovely follow-up to Asking For Flowers, Voyageur, but these are the records that ultimately made the cut.

Cat Power's Cherokee

Cat Power's new record, Sun, is quickly becoming my album of the year. The first video from it, Cherokee, is pretty badass too, full of post-apocalyptic, zombie shenanigans. Love Chan Marshall's new punky short hairdo too. Can't wait to see her live again in December!

Albums of the decade

My favourite albums of the past decade. This has been a really hard task, much harder than I imagined. I've left out some really great albums that I've really enjoyed and loved but after a lot of consideration I think that this is the music that has meant the most to me over the past 10 years.

1. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2. Mark Olson - The Salvation Blues
3. Midlake - The Trials Of Van Occupanther
4. Fleetwood Mac - Say You Will
5. The Twilight Singers - Twilight As Played By The Twilight Singers
6. Neko Case - Blacklisted
7. Lindsey Buckingham - Under The Skin
8. Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker
9. Joanna Newsom - Ys
10. At The Drive-in - Relationship Of Command
11. Songs: Ohia - Magnolia Electric Co.
12. Cat Power - The Greatest
13. Neil Young - Prairie Wind
14. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans
15. Rufus Wainwright - Want One
16. The Mars Volta - Deloused In The Comatorium
17. PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
18. Stevie Nicks - Trouble In Shangri-La
19. Neil Diamond - 12 Songs
20. Hawksley Workman - (Last Night We Were) The Delicious Wolves
21. Elvis Perkins - Ash Wednesday
22. Kathleen Edwards - Asking For Flowers
23. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses
24. Wilco - A Ghost Is Born
25. The Snake The Cross The Crown - Cotton Teeth

Best Gigs Of 2008

Neil Young at Hammersmith Apollo (5, 6, 8, 9, 14 March)

Back in the UK for the first time since 2003, after Neil Young’s aneurysm I really thought I would never see him live again so I must admit I flipped out when he announced these fairly small (for him) shows at the legendary Hammersmith Apollo and I attended five out of the six shows he played there.