Concert Review
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
By Dave Miller
X
Patti Smith turned "Gloria" at the end of her main set into a rallying cry for justice for kindred souls. "Free Pussy Riot!" she demanded. "Don't forget those girls."
X
At 66, Smith has been around long enough to wear her "Godmother of Punk" label comfortably. Age is just a number when it comes to her, though. Smith still performs with a fire and passion that rival that of the best performers of any age. While she's matured into an award-winning author thanks to her 2010 book, Just Kids, Smith showed a sold-out crowd Monday night at the Vic Theatre she still can be transcendent and create sparks onstage like you can imagine she used to do when she first made her mark in the mid-1970s at CBGB in New York City.
X
Perhaps the best concert I ever saw was Smith's legendary performance at the Rivieria Theatre in 1998. That show was her first in Chicago in 20 years and a visit beforehand to her first home helped spur an unforgettable concert that night that she deemed her re-birth. While she's played a handful of shows in town since then, she was clearly delighted to be in Chicago again. "Hi everyone, glad to be back in the city of my birth," Smith said, her arm raised in triumph, at the start of the night. Later, she talked about being born in the city during a snowstorm on December 30, 1946, and how her dad cured her early bronchial illness by sitting with her in a bathtub for four days in their home on Kedzie Avenue in Logan Square.
X
The reggae-tinged "Ain't It Strange" and "Redondo Beach" opened the show with Smith backed by her longtime band of guitarist Lenny Kaye, drummer Jay Dee Daugherty and bassist-keyboardist Tony Shanahan joined by her son, Jackson, on guitar. The musicians expertly followed Smith whether she played the part of poet or punk. Smith ranks with Jagger, Springsteen and Pop among the best performers I've seen. Like Springsteen, she willingly walks a tightrope to stay in the moment where anything can happen. That includes engaging the crowd. She listens to what people yell at her and often responds. After making sure it really was a fan's birthday, she sang "Happy Birthday" and addressed him in the song as "unknown, interrupting stranger," which came across, at least to me, as a sly dig to the guy for interrupting her. Smith has such a good, endearing spirit about her, though. It makes people comfortable to try to engage her. When she took off her black, knit cap and someone told her she looked like her school picture, Smith responded self-effacingly, "Once a dork, always a dork."
X
The show took off with the building drone and spiritual soar of "Beneath the Southern Cross." That was followed by a Kaye-led, garage medley of The Strangelove's "Night Time," The Blue Magoos' "(We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet," Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers' "Born to Lose" and The Seeds' "Pushin' Too Hard." While that raised the energy, it was Smith's lovely, sparse take on Neil Young's "It's a Dream" that was arresting and mesmerizing. Its conclusion allowed a deep breath before a rock triumvirate of "Pissing in a River" pouring into "Because the Night" and "Gloria."
X
"Banga" opened the encore. The title track of Smith's critically-acclaimed new album featured the band barking like dogs with Kaye putting his hands up like paws. The punk howling about loyalty and belief gave way to the poetic majesty of "People Have the Power." The insurgent celebration of outcasts, "Rock N Roll Nigger," ended the show with Smith ripping the strings from her guitar, dedicating the act to the crowd with love and, ultimately, a smile.
X
X
The setlist:
X
Ain't It Strange
Redondo Beach
April Fool
Dancing Barefoot
Fuji-san
Happy Birthday
Ghost Dance
Beneath the Southern Cross
Night Time/(We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet/Born to Lose/Pushin' Too Hard
My Blakean Year
It's a Dream
Pissing in a River
Because the Night
Gloria
---------
Banga
People Have the Power
Babelogue/Rock N Roll Nigger
X
Start: 8:10 p.m./Finish: 10:01 p.m.
Totals: 21 songs, one hour 51 minutes
XX
X
Photo Gallery
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Zo
By Dave Miller
X
Patti Smith turned "Gloria" at the end of her main set into a rallying cry for justice for kindred souls. "Free Pussy Riot!" she demanded. "Don't forget those girls."
X
At 66, Smith has been around long enough to wear her "Godmother of Punk" label comfortably. Age is just a number when it comes to her, though. Smith still performs with a fire and passion that rival that of the best performers of any age. While she's matured into an award-winning author thanks to her 2010 book, Just Kids, Smith showed a sold-out crowd Monday night at the Vic Theatre she still can be transcendent and create sparks onstage like you can imagine she used to do when she first made her mark in the mid-1970s at CBGB in New York City.
X
Perhaps the best concert I ever saw was Smith's legendary performance at the Rivieria Theatre in 1998. That show was her first in Chicago in 20 years and a visit beforehand to her first home helped spur an unforgettable concert that night that she deemed her re-birth. While she's played a handful of shows in town since then, she was clearly delighted to be in Chicago again. "Hi everyone, glad to be back in the city of my birth," Smith said, her arm raised in triumph, at the start of the night. Later, she talked about being born in the city during a snowstorm on December 30, 1946, and how her dad cured her early bronchial illness by sitting with her in a bathtub for four days in their home on Kedzie Avenue in Logan Square.
X
The reggae-tinged "Ain't It Strange" and "Redondo Beach" opened the show with Smith backed by her longtime band of guitarist Lenny Kaye, drummer Jay Dee Daugherty and bassist-keyboardist Tony Shanahan joined by her son, Jackson, on guitar. The musicians expertly followed Smith whether she played the part of poet or punk. Smith ranks with Jagger, Springsteen and Pop among the best performers I've seen. Like Springsteen, she willingly walks a tightrope to stay in the moment where anything can happen. That includes engaging the crowd. She listens to what people yell at her and often responds. After making sure it really was a fan's birthday, she sang "Happy Birthday" and addressed him in the song as "unknown, interrupting stranger," which came across, at least to me, as a sly dig to the guy for interrupting her. Smith has such a good, endearing spirit about her, though. It makes people comfortable to try to engage her. When she took off her black, knit cap and someone told her she looked like her school picture, Smith responded self-effacingly, "Once a dork, always a dork."
X
The show took off with the building drone and spiritual soar of "Beneath the Southern Cross." That was followed by a Kaye-led, garage medley of The Strangelove's "Night Time," The Blue Magoos' "(We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet," Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers' "Born to Lose" and The Seeds' "Pushin' Too Hard." While that raised the energy, it was Smith's lovely, sparse take on Neil Young's "It's a Dream" that was arresting and mesmerizing. Its conclusion allowed a deep breath before a rock triumvirate of "Pissing in a River" pouring into "Because the Night" and "Gloria."
X
"Banga" opened the encore. The title track of Smith's critically-acclaimed new album featured the band barking like dogs with Kaye putting his hands up like paws. The punk howling about loyalty and belief gave way to the poetic majesty of "People Have the Power." The insurgent celebration of outcasts, "Rock N Roll Nigger," ended the show with Smith ripping the strings from her guitar, dedicating the act to the crowd with love and, ultimately, a smile.
X
X
The setlist:
X
Ain't It Strange
Redondo Beach
April Fool
Dancing Barefoot
Fuji-san
Happy Birthday
Ghost Dance
Beneath the Southern Cross
Night Time/(We Ain't Got) Nothing Yet/Born to Lose/Pushin' Too Hard
My Blakean Year
It's a Dream
Pissing in a River
Because the Night
Gloria
---------
Banga
People Have the Power
Babelogue/Rock N Roll Nigger
X
Start: 8:10 p.m./Finish: 10:01 p.m.
Totals: 21 songs, one hour 51 minutes
XX
X
Photo Gallery
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Zo
Photo Gallery
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Zo
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Zo
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Zo
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Zo
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Zo
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
Patti Smith
Patti Smith
May 6, 2013 @ Vic Theatre
X
