Patti Smith @ Roundhouse, London

17th May 2007
If I was to interview Patti Smith, I would have asked her how old she was. Here is a woman with long silver hair, wrinkles on her face and hands, looking fragile yet she sings, shouts, moves and strums her guitar with so much passion, you would think that she wasn't a year over 30 if you were blind. Yet at double that age, when she takes on the stage, Smith embodies the very pure essence of punk. She is against the system, she is outside of the society, she is not afraid to say it.

The reason for this tour is to promote Patti Smith's new album - Twelve. A covers album including songs of some of Patti's favourite musicians. She is also here to remind the audience of her own songs. L-O-N-D-O-N! GLORIA! she shouts and starts off her 2 hour long set. With the help of her band, including the original member Lenny Kaye, she performs classics such as Redondo Beach, Pissing in the River, Because The Night and Frederick in between the covers of Are You Experienced, White Rabbit, Smells Like Teen Spirit and Everybody Wants To Rule The World. At the end of her set, as she says she takes us back to 1978 with a 10 minute version of Rock'n'Roll Nigger - during the song the fists are up in the air, people are moshing. But this is not 1978, this is 2007 and that woman on stage is the ageless legend Patti Smith.

Patti Smith - Twelve is out now on Sony Records
For Tour information check out Patti Smith's myspace page
For more photos from Roundhouse gig, check out YouNeedToSeeThese