A punk poet queen, Smith kicked off her show with “April Fool,” and she immediately broke into Jimi Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced?” and “Redondo Beach,” which is off her seminal studio album, Horses. Anytime Smith performs any tune from Horses is a special treat for her listening audience, and tonight was no different.
She delivered a rousing rendition of Midnight Oil’s “Beds Are Burning” and equally noteworthy was “We Three.” Lenny Kay allowed his rich, rumbling vocals shine on “The American in Me” and the liberating Rolling Stones tune “I’m Free.”
“Dancing Barefoot” was another fan-favorite song of the evening. After a sultry and haunting acoustic version of “Beneath the Southern Cross,” Smith closed with the bold and unflinching “Pissing in a River,” as well as “Gloria.” The songstress possesses such a strong, harking voice that is able to send chills down her listeners’ spines.
For her encore, Smith belted out the melodic “Because The Night,” which is this journalist’s all-time favorite song of hers, as well as the empowering “People Have the Power” for the grand finale.
The Verdict
Overall, it is evident that Patti Smith only gets better with age and experience. She is a true song stylist, and she commanded the Webster Hall stage well in New York, thus leaving her fans and listeners thirsty for more. She sang with soul, heart, and grace.
Smith is a singer-songwriter and poet whose musical and literary work will stand the test of time. Her New York audience knew that they were in the presence of a rock and roll goddess. Her live set at Webster Hall earned an A rating.
