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Icon, idol, leader, artist. I could go on and on. She defined music. She helped create Punk. She hung with Robert Mapplethorpe. She lived the life and then ran. Horses, Radio Ethiopia, Wave, and Easter - 4 albums that prove she truly is brilliant. While the men thought they were making it happen Patti Smith DID make it happen.
1995 and 1996 are the years in which Patti Smith is making a serious come back. She did Radio City, Irving Plaza, Barnes and Noble, and Central Park. She has been working this city for sure and I'm glad. Her book "The Coral Sea" once again proves that her talent holds true. Her readings are concerts and her concerts are readings. She breaks down our expectations with wonderful surprises everytime.
This is probably the sixth or seventh time I've sat at Patti's feet just waiting for a blip of spit to grace my face in an empassioned burst. Her energy is unwavering. Her passion never ending. Her beliefs are always pure and honest. And more than anything, she is a true artist first and foremost and a business person only by necessity.
At her last reading she actually apologized to the people waiting that she couldn't spend more time with each and every one. I honestly believe she ment it. Patti has more integrity in a single hair than someone like Micheal Jackson has in his entire body. Buy her books and CD's if you want real music -- not music created by a mediocre, highly paid team of technicians.
Opening with an apology for not playing free - she justifies the very reduced price of $15 as a benefit for all of Summerstage's free concerts. (How much was the last show you went to? $40?) Bursting from an emotional opening reading into rockin' song after rockin' song she cranked through over two hours of hard core art. She dances barefoot. Brings back "Kimberly" for the first time since 1979 on this same stage. Has her son do "Smoke On The Water". Pulls songs from old and new catalogues like People Have The Power and Ghost Dance. Starts qouting Prince's 80's hit "When Doves Cry" and The Doors "The End" during G L O R I A. To finish off with Thurston Moore jumping in for a driving version of Rock N Roll Nigger (which, according to Patti, her mother loves to do laundry to).
If you get the chance to see Patti Smith perform live by all means do it. I believe that time will prove that both "Gone Again" and "People Have The Power" will hold up extremely well against the old stuff. So treat yourself and support one of the last TRUE artists and buy her whole collection of books and recordings.
One more thing this concert was really QUEER. It was full of hand holding lesbian women and gay men. The two boys in front of me didn't stop hugging and kissing throughout the entire show. I saw many serious queer/AIDS activists there too. Patti Smith breaks that gender definition problem and speaks to all of us.
©2004 CB Cooke - | - http://www.cbcooke.com/ - | - http://www.glyphmedia.com/host/darklight/