In a rare TV appearance, Patti Smith appeared on The Tonight Show to perform the Neil Young track After the Gold Rush.
Her stunning performance, backed with just a piano, felt truly fitting for an artist who continues to inspire and radiate.
In her first appearance on The Tonight Show, Patti Smith performed a Neil Young classic and talked about an array of topics from Bob Dylan to Greta Thunberg.
The appearance was in support of her new memoir, Year of the Monkey, which came out late last year. The punk rock legend proceeded to discuss a multitude of topics with Jimmy Fallon. Smith talks about how she was never invited to appear on The Tonight Show, through to meeting Bob Dylan.
Smith remembers the first time she met Dylan, saying she acted like a jerk by telling him “I hate poetry”. Smith would go on to give Dylan’s Nobel Prize speech in Stockholm due to the poet’s inability to make the ceremony due to prior commitments.
For an artist who is probably one of the most influential rock poets, the tongue in cheek comment about ‘hating poetry’ shows Smith’s ability to balance the lighthearted and serious. She also talked about how her recent Instagram post celebrating Greta Thunberg’s 17th birthday went viral.
Patti Smith and her band will soon be returning to Australian shores. She will not only be playing this year’s Bluesfest but will also tour across Australia. These will be some shows you do not want to miss.
Check out the tour dates below:
Wednesday 15th April 2020: Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Thursday 16th April 2020: Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Tuesday 21st April 2020: The Forum, Melbourne
Wednesday 22nd April 2020: The Forum, Melbourne
Saturday 25th April 2020: Town Hall, Christchurch NZ
Monday 27th April 2020: Town Hall, Auckland NZ
+Also performing at Byron Bay Bluesfest 2020
More info here.