Hi Liz and Doug - I kind of had to keep pinching myself, especially
when she was singing (ohmigod, Patti Smith is sitting next to
me...ohmgod...) It was hard to keep the fangirl under control, and
even though she was totally without pretension or side, just straight
up and candid and relaxed, that was quite hard. She's some presence.
She was interesting and fun. Talking about Bulgakov (The Master and
Magerita is her favourite book) she said: "I've no time for irony, for
satire". Afterwards, I thought that's true, it's her shining virtue -
she just raw duende with no excuse or escape. And still like that at
61. I totally admire that. It's also what's wrong with her poems,
although there are some Blakean lyrics and some prose poems that are
really very beautiful. The true art is in performance.
I've admired her for years. The first two albums I bought with my own
money, back when I was a lonely and troubled 15yo, were Easter and
Bowie and Eno's Heroes. I'm seeing her tonight in concert. And then
her tribute to Ginsberg with Phillip Glass tomorrow night. Can't wait.
xA
On Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 2:56 AM, Douglas Barbour
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 'Nice one, Croggers!'
>
> Indeed. Wow.
>
> Doug
> On 10-Oct-08, at 3:44 PM, Alison Croggon wrote:
>
>> http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com/2008/10/patti-smith-at-readings.html
>>
>>
>> http://www.theage.com.au/national/even-without-her-guitar-she-can-still-electrify-20081010-4ydp.html
>>
>> xA
>>
>> --
>> Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au
>> Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
>> Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com
>>
>
> Douglas Barbour
> [log in to unmask]
>
> http://www.ualberta.ca/~dbarbour/
>
> Latest books:
> Continuations (with Sheila E Murphy)
> http://www.uap.ualberta.ca/UAP.asp?LID=41&bookID=664
> Wednesdays'
> http://abovegroundpress.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-from-aboveground-press_10.html
>
> It was like watching Gidget address the Reichstag.
>
> Matt Taibi
>
--
Editor, Masthead: http://www.masthead.net.au
Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
Home page: http://www.alisoncroggon.com
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