As I entered the University Temple United Methodist Church, I couldn’t help but notice that I stuck out like a sore thumb in a crowd of generally middle-aged Patti Smith lovers.
I took my seat, noticing the 1931 Gibson guitar sitting on stage, awaiting Smith’s entrance. I remember from the “Patti Smith: Dream of Life” documentary that some of my favorite musicians played this guitar while she was living at the Hotel Chelsea in New York.
I’d never been in a church with this kind of vibe before. There I was, sitting in a seat where many people had awaited salvation from God, instead waiting for my personal savior: rock icon, poetic legend, Patti Smith.
I first learned about Smith in the context of her musical endeavors. Her friendship with one of my favorite musicians, Lou Reed, instantly sparked my curiosity about Smith and the art she has been producing since she started living in New York City with other artists in the late 1960s. It wasn’t until later that I realized she was an accomplished writer of over nine books.
When I heard that Smith had plans to visit the U-District, I had no option but to make myself available to see her read selections from her latest book and play music with her partner, Lenny Kaye.
When she entered the room, I couldn’t help but appreciate the nonchalance of it all. She walked down the aisle right past me with such ease and comfort while I and the rest of the audience members stared at her with butterflies in our bellies.
Upon her arrival on stage, she explained that she would be focusing on the latest edition of her 2015 book, “M Train,” to which she had added about 20 pages since her last tour. Hearing Smith’s voice read her own written words aloud was eerily powerful. It’s not that reading her words at home felt less important, but her melodic voice put me in a trance-like state; I nearly forgot I was sitting in a church completely packed with her fans.
She started her reading with a section of her book about her experience with the news of Lou Reed’s death. The passage ended with her and Kaye paying tribute to Reed as they broke out into “Pale Blue Eyes,” a song by Reed’s band, The Velvet Underground. In a breathy voice, Smith spoke “Lou Reed” into the microphone as Kaye’s guitar wound down at the end of the song.
Sentimental moments such as this continued throughout the night. Much of her book, after all, surrounds the concepts of loss and grieving. Her view of life and death appeared prophetic as her words rolled off her tongue, smooth, fluid, and unapologetically honest. Her comments on death were not depressing, but were full of celebration for the lives of those she once knew and loved.
Despite moments of heaviness, her spirits remained high throughout the night.
“I was going to try to make this evening a little more disciplined than usual,” Smith said after intermittent chatting between her reading and singing. “But I went off script.”
A charming mix of tenderness and lightheartedness was strung throughout her performance. She even had the audience doubled over in laughter at points. It seemed as if she was enjoying being in Seattle as much as those at the event enjoyed being there.
Beyond her witty banter and beautiful readings, the musical duo went on to play Smith classics like “Gloria,” and “Because the Night.” Smith’s voice sounded the same, if not better, than it does in her recordings from 1975.
She finished the evening with the request that we all get out to vote to assert our power this November. Additionally, she gave a shout-out to environmentalism and its importance in this day and age.
“We have to protect the great mother,” Smith shouted. “Because if we don’t protect the great mother, she’ll s--- all over us.”
This statement was emphasized by the final song of the night, “People Have the Power.” Just after this song ended, concluding the event, Smith’s last words of the evening were a plea for us as audience members to use our voices.
That I will do, as I fondly remember being within 20 feet of the incredibly powerful and artistic woman with whom the University Book Store gave me the opportunity to spend the evening.
Reach Opinion Editor Rebecca Gross at arts@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @becsgross
