I saw Patti perform last night at the Union Chapel, in Islington. Of course I cannot fault the performance, I never can, despite the timing at the start of 'people have the power', a real 'fuck up' she admitted, instantly followed with the apology for her blasphemy in a chapel of all places.
The concert like 'Horses' shifted in rhythms, she would sing a couple of songs then break to read excerpts from her first 'adult' book (of prose), ironically entitled 'Just Kids'. Moments that stand out were her heartfelt rendition of Birdland that just blew me away, I felt so touched to have heard it live and all the more it was translated with as much energy and meaning if not more than she would have done in her heyday. It angers me a little when people presume that singers from the seventies don't perform like they did 'back in the day'. Patti is a testament to the true great power that real greats are made of, she gives it her all, her giggles, her down to earth manner and lightness between the more heavy and touching words/songs give the whole performance a perfect balance.
Pulling the petals apart from a small bundle of lilacs and throwing them into the audience during the song she wrote for Robert in his final year, another small but touching gesture, that she always gets right.
The small man band was also an effective change and added a softness - they let her words and vocal reign that little bit better.
Redondo beach, Dancing Barefoot, and Wing other numbers that really worked with the subtle violin, drums and piano/guitar...
Other funny moments included her realisation that her brown boots and black trousers were a fashion faux pas that brought her back to her school days - 'Patti lee you do not wear brown shoes with black tights' or words to that effect.
She was signing books at the end, the queues were a nightmare, and again I remain within a whisker of actually meeting her but never quite make it.
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