almost Monday again...7 days ago started like most - ho hum day job and relying on Sydney Buses to get to work got impossible so I've started, much to my left knee's protests, walking to work - from home through Annandale & up to big noisy Victoria Road with a view of Sydney harbour as a working harbour - lovely in all its scruffiness - I wonder when it will become a fancy marina for the wealthy only...
View from the bottom of the hill - 2/3 the way:
I get these views when I take the route for banking & post box pick on the way - about 5km.
by Wednesday things are looking good - I take off from work an hour early so it's not such a hurry to get to the much anticipated Patti Smith concert. Not at the Enmore like in 1997 (an exceptional gig! we all got up and danced much to the dismay of the ushers afraid of... ? who knows what dancing can do!) but in the Opera House.
we had fab seats, thanks to a very generous friend giving me my ticket as a birthday gift. I saw the song list, looking down on the mixers desk - I'm rapt!
a band called the Drones opened - we walked in, walked out and had another glass of champagne.
Patti Smith was on top form - despite having to see a doctor that day - she told us about him asking her to donate his fee to the Obama president campaign in USA.
Patti is rock and roll * is a poet * is a patriot * is absolutely American * but of the world.
She tried to get people on their feet by walking through the audience.
People stood, waved, held out their hands and sat down once again. Oh so well behaved except for the tall white blond bob woman in the blue top in the front row. She was on her feet, shaking and dancing all night. Her shiny blue top showed a lot of cleavage and only just held substantial breasts. she would turn now and then to implore those around her to stand and join her in dance - leaning over with arms out - a fun sight! when Patti, lovely Patti was doing her walk, she came around the stage to the front row and that's when I cracked up, "Look out!" I exclaimed to AH "Patti's going to be swallowed up!" because blue top was so tall, I imagine Patti's view was all voluminous cleavage, she didn't linger and continued her royal walk.
There's a good review in the SMH but for my liking, I think the microphone filtering was over done - the gig was so produced, it couldve been a CD if it wasn't for Patti Smith herself - she spits on stage sometimes and she spat in the opera house... and everyone else behaved... we can be a lame lot! We got home near midnight and disturbed the neighbours.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/music/because-the-night-belonged-to-her/2008/10/17/1223750280309.html
On the following Saturday, I finally get to see Roman Polanski's 1965 gem, Repulsion starring a 22 year old Catherine Deneuve and her hair. An intense, imaginative and truly entertaining film.
The next day we head down for a Sunday one-off screening at Dendy cinema, Circular Quay of the Patti Smith Doco, Dream of Life.
I wasn't as late as AH (who was on bicycle) but we ended up probably pissing off the sold out room full by having to be led with torch right down to the front row... whoa, that's a big screen! turned out well though - having no choice where to sit meant no debates and moving again as there was no one in front of us and, fortunately, no overwhelming aftershave / bad perfume nearby either. the next hour + was spent totally involved in Patti Smith's life. Sure you can make criticisms of the doco (like the wanky hand-held deliberate moving bits during live footage)but for me it was further insight and following so closely after the concert days before, like a good, savoury plate after a really good meal.
Go Patti!
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