Patti Smith

Barbara Holmes’ write-up of the 1-21-15 Patti Smith Concert at the Fillmore:

Last night I went to the always beyond fabulous Fillmore to see Patti Smith in concert for the first time! She was electrifying and hypnotic, by turns; as well as frantic, slow and poetic, and pure PUNK! Wow! What a performer and learned woman (earning the National Book Award for her memoir, “Just Kids”). Yes, she spat on the floor (which is never pretty), but she electrified the room with her musical performance, transfixed the crowd with mysterious songs, and related very warmly to her fans. As for her singing, she is truly masterful… turning her words, midstream, like ribbons. This nuance shows up to astonishing effect on her slower songs. I was able to get up close (20 feet) and really see her; and, yes – she sang “Because the Night” - which qualified as a peak experience! The Fillmore is one of her favorite venues, where - last night - the exuberantly generous spirit of the 60's was alive and well; thanks to the offering of giant, shiny red apples for fans upon arrival, and a full-sized concert poster of the event given to fans upon departure! Thanks to my new discovery – Songkick – I was able to find out that she’s on tour! (P.S. So is just about everyone you’d ever want to see – money permitting!) Let’s hear it for saying yes to those ‘slice-of-life’ experiences!! We’ll never regret seeing Patti!

What else is there that’s left to say about Patti Smith? There’s no question that she’s a bona fide punk icon, having been one of the towering creative forces of the New York movement of the seventies. She’s been inducted - quite rightly - into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, won the National Book Award for her gorgeously poignant memoir Just Kids, and has influenced everybody from Morrissey and Jonny Marr to Courtney Love, and Michael Stipe to Madonna. It probably says a lot about the society that we live in that you never seem to hear the term ‘renaissance woman’ thrown around, but I can’t think of anybody it applies more readily to than Smith. Two years ago, she toured the UK for the first time in more than five years; the sheer variety present in the twenty-song sets that she typically played said everything you needed to know about what a career she’s had. She lent heavily on Banga, her most recent record, and played a handful of tracks from her classic Easter; thereafter, she plucked just one song each from a slew of her best-known albums, including Horses and Radio Ethiopia. A clutch of covers, too, proved that she’s not immune to taking cues from elsewhere herself, but honestly, you have to imagine she could have read the phone book onstage and had the audience enraptured; they turned up to see an artistic legend, and that’s precisely what they got.

Punk pioneer, artist, poet, author, singer....in a long, varied and wonderful career Patti Smith has done the lot, and she’s done it brilliantly. From busker and street poet/performer beginnings, Smith launched her band The Patti Smith Group to fame with debut album Horses, released in 1975. It was ‘78’s Easter which gave us the timeless ‘Because the Night’ and ‘Easter’, full to the brim with post-punk anger and incredible song writing alongside long-time band mate Lenny Kaye...and although her musical career has been littered with stops and starts, Smith has always continued to work tirelessly in other mediums while also fighting for causes like Free Tibet and gay rights.
The last few years has seen Smith return to live performance with increasingly regularity following the release of her book Just Kids, a tale of her teenage years hanging out with artist Robert Mapplethorpe, and she still turns in searing, poetic performances of the like of ‘Dancing Barefoot’, ‘Gloria’ and the rousing ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll N****r’. If you’re lucky, she’ll do some poetry reading of her own and maybe Walt Whitman, and there could be a guest spot from a famous New York friend or two. But, in the end, it’s a chance to see a living legend and you shouldn’t turn that down.

ive been a hard core fan of Patti Smith since i was 13. im now 52 and no one has ever come close (wel maybe a few) to her genius. i was lucky enough to have me Patti on several occasions just as fan. she graciously autographed my books gave me a kiss on the cheek and a hug. (she gives the best hugs) at times she can seem childlike angry (for good reason) but in person one on one always a lady.
I was lucky enough to grow up in the punk movement spent half my life at CBGB'S saw them all.
but it was Patti who helped save my life as a child junkie when i heard "SEVEN WAYS OF GOING'' it struck a chord in my soul. I went into a theraputic comunity and have one thing to say her THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

What's not epic about Patti Smith doing a flawless performance of her first album, 40 years after it was first released!

She opened with a reading of the intro poetry from the liner notes, which was actually one of my favorite parts as I remember reading it and feeling overwhelmed when I first heard the album in 1978, then right into Gloria.

With the energy and conviction of the Patti we have always loved, She and the band (including Lenny and Jay Dee) gave an unforgettable and inspiring performance of the complete album, plus a few covers thrown in for love and remembrance.

Thank you so much Patti!

Patti Smith-Wow, what can words say or express to describe this 'event' Thank you Patti for your energy and love. We all felt it man, real love between the artist and it's audience. I did not hear the album in over 30 years but knew every word[well almost] and it was note perfect. Cool band too.Love the two 'tribute' songs by the Velvet Underground' 'Run Run Run and White Light White Heat. I saw Lou do this in Dublin in 1978.I'm so impressed with this tour that I'm going to Paris in the Autumn with my wife to see it all again. Patti Smith is Legent.Ken Cusack

Beautiful and warm summer evening in Stockholm. The venue an amusement park by the sea. Maybe not the best venue for an artist like Smith, but she turns the park into her own place, inspiring the audience into prayers for the world, for the poor, for the victims of war and extremism.
Patti Smith in the now with strong performances of among others Wing, Dancing barefoot, Beneath the Southern Cross, and off course People have the power and Because the night. And a surprising cover of Can't help falling in love.

The great poet and songstress, Patti, and Jesse, her daughter, and her son on guitar, and Lennie Kaye-what a warm AND Rockin'show! Her Philly connections and, for me, her beginings in the late seventies at CBGBs, where I saw and heard her many times made this a very special show.

Seeing her in the renewed Met, which holds 3500 people, was especially wonderful. I sat way up in the third balcony, yet I felt I was with her all the way

Hi All , First time we got to see Patti in concert. OMGOSH AWESOME --Patti just sings thru the heart--so passionate--Happy Birthday Patti--She belted out her songs-her voice-Gets ya going & We are just sooooo Thrilled we had the opportunity to see such a legend .
We love you Patti--next destination New Years Eve--be there . Thankyou Kindly Patti !!
Bill & Nina -Peace & Love !!

Just excellent! Amazing singer and poet. Authentic, moving, exciting. What a brilliant gig and artist. Love you Patti!

Just excellent! Amazing singer and poet. Authentic, moving, exciting. What a brilliant gig and artist. Love you Patti!

Just excellent! Amazing singer and poet. Authentic, moving, exciting. What a brilliant gig and artist. Love you Patti!