Patti Smith celebrated her 70th birthday by bestowing a packed house at the Riviera Theatre the gift of her music and spoken word.
Along with her band, she began the evening by playing her iconic 1975 album Horses in full. In between songs she joked (“I’m the new president of the United States…just for fucking tonight!”), told stories (“I was nearly born in a taxi cab on Lake Shore Drive. The Great Snowstorm of 1946”), and inspired (“Don’t give up! Rise! Strengthen! Learn! Unite!”).
The Godmother of Punk (although she’s reluctant to embrace the title) put on a performance that can only be described as transcendent. Every single person in the sold-out Riv knew they were witnessing something special. It was church, a rally, a celebration and a show rolled all into one. “The dream is not fucking over! There is room in the world for love and peace,” she declared during her encore (a cover of The Who’s “My Generation”).
The calls to action peppered her performance and left me feeling—in a word—empowered. Her message was a welcome reminder that there is hope, love and beauty in this world. I wish every concert was a Patti Smith concert.
