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It’s always a good idea to go see Patti Smith in concert. That’s especially true when the first-tier rock legend is performing at the fabulous Fillmore in San Francisco.
There’s just something about that stage that seems to motivate Smith to deliver absolutely transcendent performances. It’s happened so often that fans just expect it will happen again, which is why they keep showing up every time Smith checks into Bill Graham’s fabled venue on Geary Boulevard.
Smith certainly didn’t disappoint as she opened a two-night stand at the Fillmore, delivering a powerfully captivating — at times, even hypnotic — 14-song set in just under two hours onstage. (Smith returns to the Fillmore for a second show on March 9, livenation.com.)
She also read to the crowd, told stories about her heroes and dedicated several songs to people who have died, including Kurt Cobain and McCoy Tyner. Smith even found time to address the news of the day, giving fans some advice on what to do about the coronavirus.
“Stay as stress free — as emotionally stress free — as possible. Because stress weakens your immune system,” she said. “Simultaneously, do everything you can to strengthen your immune system.”
Oh, and one more suggestion:
“Stay off cruise ships and things like that,” said Smith, who then turned to her band and remarked: “Guess we won’t be going on that big Tahiti cruise.”
Her singing voice — which has mellowed greatly since she released the brilliant debut “Horses” in 1975 — sounded terrific as she mixed decades-old Patti Smith Group classics like “Dancing Barefoot” and “Because the Night” with a number of songs from her most recent album, 2012’s “Banga,” as well as other material, including an excellent cover of Neil Young’s “After the Gold Rush.”
The shared ingredient among all the music played on this night was intensity, as Smith worked to make every single song feel, in the instant, like it was the most important one you’d hear all night. The poignancy in her vocal work was complemented wonderfully by the razor-sharp accompaniment from her band, which consisted of bassist-keyboardist Tony Shanahan, guitarist (and son) Jackson Smith, drummer Jay Dee Daugherty and, of course, longtime collaborator Lenny Kaye.
Kaye, of course, is far more than just a mere sideman. His contributions have been so great, he really should have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Smith back in 2007.
Kaye made his presence felt on this night, filling so many of the best songs on the set list with alternately swerving and escalating guitar leads that added more fuel to Smith’s fiery performance.
That was certainly true during the homestretch, as the Kaye-led swirling mix of garage, psychedelic and ’50s rock styles powered the dizzying jam from “Land” (including “Horses” and “Land of a Thousand Dances”) into “Gloria.”
It was an epic conclusion to the main set, followed by a potent encore of Smith’s greatest anthem — “People Have the Power.”
Of course, she’s sung this song countless times since it was first released in 1988. Yet, the song hasn’t lost one iota of power of the decades.
“I awakened to the cry that the people have the power to redeem the work of fools,” she sang out to the Fillmore. “Upon the meek the graces shower, it’ s decreed the people rule.
“The people have the power.”
Jim the Critic's Top Concert Picks March 5-11. Here comes @kiss #EndOfTheRoad @DavidLeeRoth #pattismith @MadsTolling @Thundercat @thesoftwhite60s @_AndrewStJames_ @OaklandArena @FillmoreSF @TheChapelSF @yoshis_OAK @foxoakland @apeconcerts @livenationsf https://t.co/7UNbqZdr5T
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) February 27, 2020
Jim the Critic's Picks (March 12-18) w/ @tameimpala at @chasecenter @HamiltonMusical star @leslieodomjr at @AugustHall_SF #Hiromi at @SFJAZZ @ThirdEyeBlind at @foxoakland @ebaynetflix at @FillmoreSF @apeconcerts @livenationsf @mercnews @eastbaytimes https://t.co/UcyrVz3Ewd
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) March 5, 2020
