Friday night at the Beacon Theater, the great Patti Smith celebrated the 50th anniversary of the release of her first album, “Horses.”
To a sold out, packed to the edges crowd, Patti performed the whole album, took a break so her band could do some Tom Verlaine songs, then returned to sing her hits including “Because the Night” and “People Gave the Power.” It was an historic night.
Sitting in the third row center, music mogul Clive Davis, now 93 and very active, who signed Patti on the spot in 1975 and released her first three albums. The audience around him broke out in applause and a standing ovation as Davis was seated, and he waved to them.
The show was so vibrant with positive energy it made me think we might survive the next three years after all. Patti will be 79 next month but has the energy and spirit of someone half her age. It’s amazing to think that five decades ago, Davis — already a wildly successful music executive — spotted her unique talent and signed her to his new Arista Records.
It should be noted that Davis danced in his seat, mouthing the words to “Horses,” and Patti’s other songs, as if no time had gone by. He told me that Bob Feiden, who worked for him, saw Smith at CBGB’s and suggested they let her audition. Smith and her band (including her star axe man Lenny Kaye) set up in a small room at Arista and played their songs.
The rest is history.
“I signed her on the spot,” Clive told me.
Tonight, the sound of four or five musicians filled the Beacon with what we then called “punk,” but is a complex melding of doo-wop, symphonic R&B (she’s from Detroit, after all) and blinding rock. They dazzled.
Also in the audience: REM’s Michael Stipe, and the Sopranos star Michael Imperioli. Needless to say, they loved it.
No one asked me, but the Grammy Awards should really showcase Patti and the group’s performance of “Break It Up” and thank her for five decades of genius.
Smith is an Artist, with a capital A. Davis told me recognized that the first time he saw her. Previously, and afterwards, he always made sure albums had radio friendly hits. “Horses” had none. He didn’t care. He paraphrased a famous 1973 lyric from another of his hit acts, Aerosmith. Davis said: “Old Clive Davis said he’d make you a star, just the way you are.”
There’s a second show at the Beacon on Saturday night. Both of the musician children she had with the late Fred “Sonic” Smith were in tonight’s group. Son Jackson is a keen guitarist who plays in the band. Daughter Jesse Smith joined on keyboards for the finale. Smith told me she’s winding down this short victory lap and will tour again with a smaller ensemble.
