holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy holy Holy Shit

After reading the crabby tight-assed review by Mark Swed for blogs LA Times I had to wonder if he indeed existed on the same plane of this world that Mr. A and I. We sat in row “O” not zero center and found ourselves enjoying another Patti and friends experience. Of course if you read the introduction notes provided by UCSB in their Winter Program book, one could only wonder what one could imagine what the evening was going to provide.

We drove into Santa Barbara and found our hotel down on Cabrillo Ave, Blvd, whatever – it was a tourist trap and I honestly worried all night about bed bugs and had to pound on the walls to get the neighbor at 2 am to turn down his tv that was mounted on the wall above our head board on the otherside. We did find a nice noisy place to eat on the beach – Brophy Bros. The food was enjoyable as was the tight table arrangement and we enjoyed each other’s company over a combination plate of shrimp soaked in beer, clams casino, mussels and oysters. After enjoying our meal we drove over to UCSB…my god it was out in the wilderness it seemed but once there we found the parking garage and sauntered over to the round building where the concert was to take place. There was no marketing, no branding nothing to take note that this was a special occasion. Not only was it the celebration of Allen Ginsburg, it was the joining of Patti, Lenny, Jay Dee and Philip on stage. What a special treat. The crowd of course seemed like a somber college crowd gathering for intellectual stimulus, sauntered in slowly – not arriving until the last minute and some meat heads that managed to wait until the performance of Wichita Vortex Sutra to find their seats and block the view of those of us who somehow managed to set our clock to the correct time to arrive.

The performance Patti gave was one of the best we have had the pleasure of experience. It was a different performance in that she seemed vulnerable to her audience. Yes there was some idiot who kept calling out “I love you Patti” and he was rightly set straight, but she was almost gushing with emotion over her lost lover Fred “Sonic” Smith, and then her talk of the naturalist and her remembrances of Ginsburg’s passing were interesting and touched with that personal aura that is usually missing from most musical performances, the only performer I can remember who takes the time to talk to her audience is Lucinda Williams, both women go beyond the audience’s expectations sometimes, rambling, sometimes letting crack through the veneer of their brand and public personality their personal emotion. We both had heard a variance of Patti and Philip’s experience at the Ginsburg waiting for death, but the evening’s recounting of the experience was interesting and added new complexity to the story.

Notes to the Future – Power to the People read by Patti accompanied by Philip lended a new perspective to the poetry of Patti as Philip added to it’s intensity the counterpoint from Metemorphoses.

Witchita Vortex Sutra – I have been listening to excerpts from Hydrogen Jukebox from the Glass Box, that Mr. A recently bought me in celebration of my 55th birthday. When Mr. A and I met we found we had a common interest in our admiration of Philip Glass’ music. I had been living in Seattle back in 82 and had not been to see a movie in over two years and decided one day to go to a film premiere of Koyaanisqatis. Of course I was mesmerized and had bought the soundtrack. Mr. A had in his possession an LP entitled “NorthStar” – during those early months of our relationship we listened to these recording over and over. We even went and saw Philip Glass and his ensemble at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in 1985, that was an incredible evening for us. Over the years we have purchased Glass’ music, Mishima, Piano Solos, Hydrogen Jukebox, Heros, Songs for Liquid Days and recently Glass Box (a Compiliation of his music). As I said I had been listening to Witchita Vortex Sutra and listening to Allen Ginsburgs voicing, inflection and emotion and last night while listening to Patti and Philip I felt moved, deeply moved by the emotion of the moment, the combination of the music and the emotional voicing of Patti, yes she had a different sound, one all of her own, but it embodied the majesty of Mr. Ginsburgs recording. I am not easily moved by music and poetry, not one to let my emotions overwhelm me – but i felt a deep tremor within as Patti and Philip brought to life for a brief moment in my soul the sound of Allen’s voice in the recordings i had been earlier listening too – i was happy and sad and tearful.

As to the “Beneath the Southern Cross” I have to say it was one of my favorite performances of this piece. When we saw Patti and band at the Orpheum, she did this piece of music- and it sounded engaging – unfortunately it was interrupted from behind by some meat head who decided that he was more important than the person we had paid to see and listen to, this time our attention was not distracted. Mr. A. says he liked her performance of this song better at the Troubadour – a difference of opinion I would say. I love “My Blakean Year” and this is when Patti talked about watching over the leaving of Allen from this plane, I liked it. “Helpless” the Neal Young song held emotion – Patti said it was for Fred, she seemed very vulnerable up there on the stage – probably because it was Valentines Day. It was a great way to spend Valentine’s Day.

After this performance Patti, Lenny and Jay Dee left the stage and Philip Glass came out to play three pieces of music he seemed interested in seeing if they worked well together. An incidental piece from his score for “the Screens” by Genét, Etude #2 and Etude #10. I have difficulty with piano music performed live. My mind wonders to the higher aspects of my thinking, I lose touch with my thought process and i get soaked up in the sound, feeling and emotion of the piece, often losing track of time. The first piece and second piece of music were simple and elegant, Mr. Glass did seem to miss a few minor notes, but they did blend and swell in the expectation of the third piece, and what a interesting combination they were – slowly building, vibrating in the cold hall until it seemed to bounce with the rhythm of Etude #10. When it ended I was floating somewhere above the room and shocked back into my world. What an interesting feeling. The ending was abrupt, clean and lingering.

The Magic Psalm – Patti and Philip joined again on the stage to do service to Ginsburg’s poetry and although Mr. Swed didn’t seem to enjoy the evening I heard people walking out of the auditorium saying it was an enjoyable memorable evening – so much for critics getting paid to be negative. Did Patti stumble over words, did she give it a sense of herself instead of making a mockery of Mr. Ginsburg’s voice – yes, was it a heartfelt performance – yes. I felt as if in that rarified air of creativity that there was an homage to the poet of the Beats from the Poetess of Punk and the master composer of Modernism. And from the applause from the crowd they didn’t share Mr. Swed’s opinion. The encore – “Because the Night” after a story about Michael Stipe was enjoyable as the rather staunch crowd decided to join in the singing of this lover’s song for Valentine’s Day. And the the final performance of the night “Holy, Holy, Holy” – well -it was incredible. I don’t know how she, and Lenny Kay do it – but after all this time playing together – there is such a mesh of collaboration, such a feeling of poet and musician and humanism that rings through it all.

Oh by the way to UCSB – you should have included in your booklet that Patti has been given the Legion of Honor from France – jezz.

Patti Smith Orpheium Theater Los Angeles, CA

We had a great September and October. We were very busy going to see concerts. We were able to see David Byrne perform one of the most exciting concerts I’ve ever seen at the Greek Theater. Man did he get the crowd moving with his band and dancers performing music from the Talking Heads, his solo pieces and the collaborations he had made with Brian Eno. We were supposed to go to the Disney Hall that night to see the first casual friday night performance, but when push came to shove we decided living composer trumps dead composers, and we are glad we did – the air was crisp, the sky was slightly cloudy and the temp was perfect and like I said we found ourselves really moving along with his music. If you get a chance to buy the newest CD created by Byrne and Eno – pick it up and give it a listen.

We got to see Bloc Party at the Glass House in Pomona and although we both really like Bloc Party, after having seen them 5 times and having bought all their music – we had to say the performance that night was off. It just wasn’t tight and they were having trouble remembering words. Maybe it was the venue – not my favorite, maybe it was our mood – but we just really didn’t enjoy this one – but are looking forward to seeing them again. The newest album is a very rocking piece of sound.

Duffy at the Orpheium was incredible. That tight little gal has a voice that really rocked the house. I loved “Distant Dreamer” that she used for her encore. And her new song “Rain on Your Parade” is going to be a hit – especially when the djs get to mixing it up for the dance floor. And her opening act was just crazy. Eli “paperboy” Reed – what a great sounding band – tight music and what a voice. Hope to see him again in the future.

Patti – what can I say – I have been converted into a Patti fan and I can’t get enough of her. Her performance was incredible – the best we have seen – at the Orpheium. Her voice as strong and so were her emotions. Her rendition of “Are You Experienced” was one of the best pieces of live music I have ever heard. She had the whole audience in her hands.