Cat Power [ tickets ], a compelling soul singer with a well-known visceral fragility, stood out like a sore thumb at the 2nd annual FunFunFunFest in Austin, TX. Scheduled alongside punk-edged rockers Murder City Devils and DJ/mash-up master Diplo as the Sunday night (11/4) headliners, Cat Power and her Dirty Delta Blues Band played the closer position well, rounding out a raucous weekend of punk, hip-hop and hard rock with her usual delivery, a mellow yet meaningful set of blues-infused indie rock.

From the beginning, Chan Marshall (Cat Power's birth name) made the sea of skinny-jeaned music enthusiasts aware of her issues du jour: the sound on-stage wasn't right, her right eardrum was busted and in pain, and she had an infection that not only led to occasional coughing and hoarseness but also a prescription for steroids which made her both angry and on edge. Better to get the complaints out in the open early. Despite these fairly major setbacks, Marshall and her four-man crew (Jim White on drums, Judah Bauer on guitar, Greg Foreman on keys and Eric Papparozzi on bass) wowed the thousand or so who stuck around to enjoy the music amid the stars.

The hour-long set spanned the last 10 years of Cat Power's discography, beginning with "Could We," an easygoing, love-in-the-afternoon style song from 2006's "The Greatest." From the first notes played, it was evident that the four men flanking Marshall were not only masters of their instruments, but also levelheaded, stabilizing personalities who kept Marshall--with her well-documented flighty nature--grounded. When Marshall's frustration with staticy monitors escalated, she immediately turned toward drummer Jim White for a calm look of cool collectedness before seamlessly transitioning into a slow, sexy cover of "New York, New York" that brought to mind a female version of Bob Dylan. "Naked If I Want To," a Moby Grape original which graced Cat Power's 2000 release, "The Covers Album," as well as "Metal Heart" from 1998's "Moon Pix," satiated the handful of devout, old school fans sprinkled throughout the captivated crowd.

Obviously most familiar with the 2006 release, "The Greatest," men and women alike went wild when Marshall casually announced the title track. The slow, wistful number illustrated the band's cohesiveness--White's gentle drumming, Foreman's ethereal keys and the soft guitar work of Bauer--as well as Marshall's emotional attachment to her own words. Smokey Robinson's "The Tracks of My Tears" found its way into the set list, suggesting its possible inclusion on Power's upcoming January 22 release entitled "Jukebox," a follow-up to 2000's "The Covers Record" that will feature a handful of yet-to-be-disclosed remakes.

In true Chan Marshall fashion, she tiptoed, sashayed, skipped, and semi-moonwalked from one corner of the stage to another throughout the evening's set, exuding an anxiousness that never faltered. By the final two songs, her nerves had abated some and she was enjoying herself despite the painful ear and frequent coughing spells. "Willie," a piano-heavy bluesy number, prepped the tiring audience for the end with Marshall straining (still beautifully) to eek out a high note here and there. After an audible moment's discussion between band members about the night's closing song, the relaxed group broke into "Lived in Bars," perhaps the most popular track on "The Greatest."

With the song's final notes over, Marshall apologized to everyone--her band, her tour manager, the sound team, the crowd, and the visiting executives from her label, Matador Records--for her "unprofessional" performance. But, despite whatever personal drama she felt responsible for, Cat Power managed to pull off a musically fascinating, unified performance that left an exhausted crowd satisfied and turned many previously unfamiliar listeners into new Cat Power fans.