Pretenders, Cat Power and Jackie Jorp-Jomp, Hampton Beach Casino - 8/8/2009

--There were no cameras allowed tonight, so instead I live-blogged the first two sets from my phone, and kept a setlist for the Pretenders set--

Unnatural Born Singer
Why do I keep going places when I know Juliette Lewis is going to be there?

Just because someone can act like Janis Joplin and be a screaming disheveled trainwreck on stage does not give one the artistic cache to make people buy you as a musician. Juliette Lewis just strikes me as an actor acting like a musician they like.

Jackie Jorp-Jomp indeed

At least there were more people there this time around. The last time we saw her we were about the only people in seats (3rd row), so she had me, one superfan on the left, and one superfan on the right, to play to. I spent a lot of time under the concentrated gaze of Juliette Lewis and feeling kind of uncomfortable about it. I have to admit, she worked hard despite the fact that most of the venue was desperately empty, and it showed that she really did care about putting on a show. A lot of "hobby project" actor/musicians probably would have sucked a lot worse.

Cat Power, however, has 100x the actual soul of Juliette. She was really great. I've not listened to her CDs much, since I can't Get Things Done with slow music, but I really enjoyed her set. Aside from the obvious Fiona Apple comparison, she really reminded me of Beth Orton in a big way. Yay Cat Power, possibly the most OCD person, and second most uncomfortable person I've seen fight through it and get on a stage, the first most-uncomfortable being Kristin Hersh.

To them, it's so important to get the music out and perform it that they have to make themselves go on stage and do the job. I respect the hell out of that.

--end of cleaned and edited live-blogged piece--

The Pretenders set made me really happy, Chrissy Hynde exhales Rock. She looked and sounded fantastic, and at least two guitars were murdered by James Walbourne. They played several new songs that I didn't know, but lots of other people did, and the crowd was really into the show. I liked the un-complicated stage/lights.

I'm also appreciating the Casino a lot, I think especially with the death of Avalon and its subsequent replacement by a concrete-floored bunker-of-kitsch. The Casino's a great place to see bands in the summer and get the whole floor shaking. Social D should be good there.

Here's the setlist. I didn't do the first song, and then I immediately forgot it, so hopefully someone can remind me and I'll add it:

(some song goes here, it had maracas which were way too loud, I hate my memory)
Message of Love
Love's a Mystery
Kid
The Nothing Maker
Rosalee (murdered strat)
my city was gone
back on the chaingang
Angel of the Morning
Almost Perfect
The Last Ride
Don't get me wrong
Thumbelina (murdered tele)
Don't Cut Your Hair
Night in My Veins
Precious
Boots of Chinese Plastic
Mystery Achievement

Encores:

I'll stand by you
Brass in Pocket
Middle of the road.