Robert's Review of John Cale, Laureen Hoffman at Cat's Cradle, 10/9/97

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When I went to see John Cale at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro - I didn't know what to expect. Cale started with the Velvet Underground in the sixties and has proceeded over the next 30 years to release numerous albums of punk, hard rock, pop, and avant-garde music. I didn't know what to expect except that it would be interesting. But since Cale's Paris 1919 is one of favorite albums, I went even with my concerns about what I would find.

The show opened with Laureen Hoffmann playing guitar backed by an upright bass and drums. The bass player was very good and the drummer was excellent and interesting - he basically played one drum and some cymbals but he was very effective. They music was fine supporting good songs with a definite atmosphere but Laureen was a little too restrained in voice, guitar, and presence to totally grab the audience. Her songs tended to dissipate rather than end leaving the audience wondering what was going on and diluting the impact of the songs. But overall, it was a good set that could easily get even better as Laureen relaxes more with the songs and the stage.

Cale came to the stage and sat in front of a baby grand while his two sidemen joined in on mandolin and banjo. I can't say it wasn't what I expected because I didn't know what to expect but I was still surprised. But to my joy he opened with two of his first three songs from Paris 1919, Endless Plain of Pain and A Child's Christmas in Wales. In between he sang another favorite Chinese Envoy.

Cale's voice was strong and clear. Most of the set he played piano but he also played some acoustic guitar. The sidemen alternated playing between acoustic guitars, slide acoustic, lap steel, mandolin, banjo, and harmonica while adding backing vocals. They took their cues from Cale and the interweaving of the instruments and voices was nicely done. There were times when I missed the drums rolling through from the verse to the chorus but still a nice sound, I was glad that he didn't bring a bigger band that would have overpowered the songs.

Differing from his Velvet Underground partner - Lou Reed - Cale's songs are more musical and a speak of a wider range of society. Where Reed's songs have tended to be known for the bottom of the New York City scene, Cale's songs reach into the upper income of society. His songs are more intellectual in content and more musical in form although they sometimes miss the hard edge of Reed's lyrics.

Cale's music has always evoked a European vision with songs that reflected in sometime obscure ways the politics and culture of 20th Century Europe. This includes his classic transformation of Heartbreak Hotel from rock and roll into a dark decadent jazz standard with a deep voice and a nice jazzy piano break. Another song chronicled the Andy Warhol - Velvet Underground experience. They also played a nice love song from the new album along with You Know More Than I Do, I Keep a Close Watch, and other songs that I recognized from over the years.

The Cat's Cradle is a Chapel Hill-Carrboro institution for new music even though it has existed in numerous places with different owners. The current location is fine, although parking gets tough for bigger acts. For this set they had rows of very uncomfortable folding metal chairs for the audience as well as some floor space for seating (no dancing tonight). The crowd was small (a Thursday night) but appreciative, mostly college age with a few old timers and mother/daughter combinations.

Cale didn't drift much into avant garde instead he focused on working with the band to provide a solid set that supported a strong collection of songs by one of our better eccentric songwriters/composers. 

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