NEW YORK WASTE, June 2008

PATTI SMITH CD Release Party
at
BOWERY BALLROOM
By
FRANK WOOD

On Tuesday, April 24 PATTI SMITH's new CD came out and they did 3 acoustic shows at BOWERY BALLROOM to celebrate.

The CD is called TWELVE and all the songs are covers of some GREAT Rock'n'Roll songs spanning over 40 years.

They did 3 shows of which I caught the 10pm one. From what all the band members said, that was the best one of the nite.

They opened with the ROLLING STONES' "GIMME SHELTER" and did I mention that it was ACOUSTIC! On keyboards was LOUIS RESPO, with JAY D. DAUGHERTY on percussion, and on stand up bass was PAUL NOWINSKY. The acoustic guitars were handled by PATTI's son, JACKSON and, of course, LENNY KAYE.

The vibe of the room was totally relaxed. PATTI was engaging the audience in conversation and anecdotes and goofing that these were the "BOWERY BALLROOM SESSIONS". She was asking what people wanted to hear and just trying to make everyone as relaxed as the band. I noted it was like a late Sunday nite at OTTO's and LENNY agreed. (After all, he has done a lot of them).

They covered MIDNITE RIDER (ALLMAN BROTHERS), EVERYBODY HURTS (REM), FEELS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT (NIRVANA) and a few more. They even did WHITE RABBIT (JEFFERSON AIRPLANE). People were yelling for it and PATTI was like, OK, an unplugged WHITE RABBIT it is. They capped off the night with a rousing rendition of GLORIA.

Also on the album are covers of songs by HENDRIX, DYLAN, NEIL YOUNG, PAUL SIMON, THE BEATLES and more. These are the songs:

1. Are You Experienced?
2. Everybody Wants To Rule The World
3. Helpless
4. Gimme Shelter
5. Within You Without You
6. White Rabbit
7. Changing Of The Guards
8. The Boy In The Bubble
9. Soul Kitchen
10. Smells Like Teen Spirit
11. Midnight Rider
12. Pastime Paradise

They are gonna be on the road for a couple of months supporting the release, so I suggest you get the CD now so you don't have to wait to hear it.

Then when they come back...

See ya around,

FRANK WOOD