Patti Smith at Newcastle Academy

Patti Smith and her band took to the stage at Newcastle Academy on Tuesday evening (4 September 2012) and launched straight into 'April Fool' from her current album 'Banga'. It sounded fine to us in the audience but clearly Patti was not happy with the sound and apologised at the end of the number, even suggesting they play it again later (they didn't).

Here we go again, I thought recalling the last time I saw Patti live, at The Sage, Gateshead about four years ago. Then she was clearly not a happy bunny as she constantly complained about the sound and the fact that the audience remained seated for most of the set. My concerns were unfounded however as whatever was niggling Patti disappeared and she and the band gave us a superb performance. Three tracks in and the familiar piano intro to 'Free Money' brought a cheer from the crowd. Soon the band were rocking and Patti was spitting and snarling as she belted out the lyrics. In between songs she talked at length about her experiences in our great city. A photo shoot earlier in the day in which she had to pose with a 1976 copy of NME in which she appeared on the cover. The irony, as Patti explained, was that inside, the paper had slated her album 'Radio Ethiopia'. Another rap was about her visit to the hairdressers. She fingered her long unkempt hair as she told the story, obviously very much tongue in cheek. Patti will take the piss out of anything, including herself.

Obviously the tour is to promote her latest record and selections from that were bound to feature throughout the set. Patti told us that she didn't care that only about ten copies had been sold. Frankly she didn't care what we listened to as long as we were happy. And we sure were happy when she treated us to old favourites like 'Gloria' and 'Power to the People'. At the request of someone at the front of the audience she dedicated 'Pissing in the River' to Janis Joplin while during 'Banga' the band had us all barking and yelping like dogs. Guitarist Lenny Kaye brought a cheer from the Newcastle crowd by making mention of Kevin Keegan and north east punk outfit, Penetration.

Finally the band encored with a rousing rendition of 'Rock'n'Roll Nigger' that almost brought the house down. As she ripped the strings from her Statocaster to hand out to folks in the front row, Patti said that she had had fun playing in Newcastle. I, for one, believed her.