PS I Love You

I recently saw Patti Smith in concert. I've always been a fan, and it was great to see her live.

She did a number of her better-known songs, like "Gloria," "Redondo Beach," "Pissing In A River," "Because The Night," "Summer Cannibals" and "People Have The Power" (though I was sorry she left out favorites such as "Dancing Barefoot" and "Frederick").

She also did a lot of selections from her latest album of covers, including "Within You Without You," "Are You Experienced?," "Gimme Shelter," "White Rabbit," "Soul Kitchen" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit." They were interestingly low key.

The band also did a tribute to Elvis (he'd died 30 years ago) performing "Love Me"--sometimes known as "Treat Me Like A Fool".

Patti was once a mysterious presence, but she's gotten very genial in concert. She joked around about how unprepared she was, and gave advice on how we should drink a lot of water and eat fiber every day. This was her last show on a four-month tour, and there were some guests sitting in, including Flea.

I first met Patti when she signed my Horses album in a Harmony House record store in Detroit. A few years later I saw her walking around the streets of Ann Arbor (I believe she lived in Detroit with her husband Fred "Sonic" Smith). Since then, I've had several chances to see her shows, but had to pass them up, to my regret. It's been too long, Patti. If you keep performing, I promise it won't be that long again.