Patti Smith @ Eglise St-Jean Baptiste
By: Maria Giuliani
There is a certain noticeable buzz in the air when you enter an arena or concert hall, an electric buzz of anticipation — specifically when the crowd is expecting something really spectacular. This is what I felt upon entering the Eglise St-Jean Baptiste on Friday night. The golden and ornate setting was magical, demanding the silent reverence this type of environment typically experiences. However, on this night, and perhaps somewhat magically, this church was filled to the brim. The pews full, the walls lined and the center aisle occupied by squatters, it wasn't difficult for one person's eager clap to infect the entire audience — and all because of Patti Smith.
It's difficult to review a show given by a rock 'n' roll hall of fame star. Especially when, for weeks before the show, it's all Montrealers could speak about. On this night, Patti Smith could do no wrong. Luckily, it really was a great show.
Patti's casual style — hair down and jeans — juxtaposed with the magnificence of the alter-turned-stage was balanced by the weight of her performance. Known mostly for mixing beat poetry, spoken word, and rock music, Patti's smorgasbord of songs offered something for someone of every generation, whether by what she was saying, how she was saying it, or both. Her songs aren't just songs, they're dialogues and monologues, organic yet strong. Starting off slow with some moderate songs and even a poem — Allen Ginsberg's "Footnote to Hell" — by the fifth song she was really opening it up and letting it out. This one song lasted roughly 10 minutes, and it was so full of ups and downs, chalked with attitude, that even a non-fan would have had no choice but to appreciate it.
I unfortunately couldn't stay to see how the night ended, however, as I was sneaking out I happened to notice one woman in particular, with her face tilted upward and her eyes closed, and, for me, it was all I really needed to know.
