The annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas is happening now. And, that reminded me of a depressing conversation I had there with guitar player/writer Lenny Kaye in March, 1999. This was just before I moved to Las Vegas. Kaye is the guitar player in The Patti Smith Group. In 1999, after years out of the music world, Smith was once again touring and recording with some regularity. I asked if the band was planning to play Vegas. And, Kaye told me that a Vegas show had been canceled due to poor ticket sales. I think he said they had planned to perform at the Hard Rock.
Smith has continued to stay active as a recording artist and one of the most charismatic stage performers in rock history. But her band has still never played in Las Vegas. I have included a video of her from last year that shows her burning through one of her likely to offend songs; so be prepared.
Lenny Kaye is still at her side on guitar here. Also, notable on stage with Smith is Tom Verlaine of Television (another band I am going to guess never played Vegas).
When interviewed about a possible Vegas CBGB’s, Patti Smith said she’d never ever come here, still burned by cancellation.
I live in vegas so that’s a bummer that hits close to home. I think the reason would be that smith seems to demand substance from the cities she plays (NYC, New Orleans, LA, London , Madrid, Paris) and no audience is more lethargic and will make a group feel it’s age more then a vegas audience. I saw her CBGB counterpart Debbie Harry here and though she was great, her audience looked like free concert night at the old folks home, whereas anywhere else, they have vitality. It’s a bummer, but I’m such a fan that I don’t mind travelling to see her.