Tuesday, August 28, 2007

summer's last breath...


.. we run to the water
we're lighter than air ...

tonight is the summer bonfire

we will be running to the water
drumming to the full moon
fire dancing under mars
embracing the last of summer's golden hair

it all goes so fast...

suddenly the strawberries were pining to be picked
and now the blackberries wave and wain

such a gift
to embrace the day.

.

.

drift into dreams ...

. wearsunscreen .
. breathe .
. be.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

. f i l t e r s .

when i lived in chicago, things in life, possessions, had certain society levels that one tried to keep up with or top. purchasing new clothes, 400 count ralph lauren sheets and pier one furniture seems to be important.

funny how these things mean nothing to me.

Monday, August 13, 2007

. p a t t i s m i t h .

11 aug 07 1:30am
captain woke me up. 'fae. you'll never guess who is playing night...'

..on the anniversary of the death of jackson pollack,
in seattle's old theatre, the showbox...
patti smith, in concert

surprised that i was able to get tickets to the show that was sold out at noon that day (early birds rejoice), we headed downtown in old blue and battled the city traffic and parking woes.
the gods were with us, after all.. we were seeing patti smith!
we found parking 2 blocks from the event... waited in line with an eclectic mix of fans and enjoyed the summer air of the dusk.
at 8pm were were let into the venue where we were greeted by the lovely people at kexp and patti's merch team.
i purchased the book "strange messenger" for $25. I felt that this was a worthy spending of my very low funds since it was signed and books are eternal to me.

Capt found a place near the stage while i went for a beer run. I ran into two lovely folks while trying to find out where the end of the line was for the bar. in a very strange, yet patti way, i made it up to the front of the line and immediately got the folks up there with me. the kind gentleman bought our sam adams... extraordinarily generous! thank you kind folks! you have no idea what your kindness meant!

so with free beers in hand i wandered back, weaving in an out of people, to Capt and we started chatting to the people around us about the last time we saw patti. we met some great people from... Chicago, Houston, Ann Arbor! everyone had agreed that the patti experience was like none other.
a spell
a trance
a drug...
a spiritual breath...
call it what you'd like... but she is transcending.

she finally came out around 9pm, sporting her traditional black suit coat, t-shirt with a hand drawn peace sign and the letters L O V E spelled underneath, and a jeans.. Kimberly started off the set and i was in heaven! Horses is one of my top ten album! SO groovy that the first song was from that album. next a wicked version of Redondo Beach.. amazing!
and then she picked up a clarinet and lowered her mike stand
the lights dropped low to blues and greens as she started to play..
the bass, drums, guitar, joined as they began Are You Experienced.
wow.
killer version. i swear that i hear some parts of third rock from the sun and voodoo child in there. Lenny Kaye and her son Jackson were phenomenal. her purity came through in this song. little squeals from her 'old friend' and her humble smile made me have an enormous amout of respect for her for being so 'real'.

she then did a cover of Within You, Without You to mark the anniversary of Sgt. Peppers.. fantastic! my rock-n-roll gurrl beckie would have loved it!! perfect in every way! george would have been proud!

Beneath The Southern Cross was dedicated to Jackson Pollack... i adore this song, this album Gone Again.
oh
to owe
not anyone
nothing
to be
not here
but here
my thoughts were wrapped up in a memory of my dear friend and nights driving in chi-town with loud music with the windows rolled down in winter. i miss ya, jak

We Three, a song from Easter about seeing Tom Verlaine and his band Televison at the New York punk rock club CBGBs and Summer Cannibals were next. Houston and I had a good time with EAT!! EAT!!

then patti left for a moment while Lenny did Pushin Too Hard. stellar! he hasn't lost it.

stories.. poems..
when patti speaks it's for good reasons.. she told us of her day.
the day that was supposed to be a fasting day
but then after visiting a mission she was tempted by
free sake tasting
free fudge tasting
and free tea tasting!
the wanderers wonders of the streets..
to find those people of the city
who want what you have inside your pockets...
tales of jack and the beanstalk
and little pills of pink, yellow and blue..
White Rabbit was next... move over grace... you no longer own this one! I was lost in enchantment. yes.. down the rabbit hole without taking a pill.
jesus.. this one was intense. dancing.. dancing... rounding my head and neck.. eyes closed and feeling the lights change and flash..
the smell of seattle green in the air...
right into Ghost Dance where i couldn't stop moving! wrists in time.. like some Hindi dancer... this was mediation.
Houston told me to thank god for those wrists.... :)

Because The Night
phenomenal... it has to be amazing to be an artist singing a song and to step away from the mike only to hear the chorus of fans singing all the words!
Peaceable Kingdom from trampin' was next... only to be quickly followed with the introduction of Peter Buck from REM! Holy! i couldn't believe it.
Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine!
INTENSE!!!
GLORIA pounded out with mass dancing..
the crowd was a sea, waves and arms!
she asked the house to turn down the lights....
and she began a song that i have a new found respect for...Smells like Teen Spirit

yeah.
it rocked.

Thunderous applause! the sea was swelling and she and the band left the stage.

we cheered
stomped.
screamed
hooped! hollered!
she made us work for it...
and then came out....(with peter buck too!)
for the encore:
People Have The Power such an anthem for the masses.
we can turn the world around
we can turn the earth's revolution
we have the power ...

she then apologies to michael for f*&king up this one and promises another to compensate for this one and its f*&k ups!...
Everybody Hurts was next and it was breathtaking!!! i think that he would have loved it.. i think it was even better than REM.. i wonder what peter thinks! :D

Soul Kitchen was next.. and yes... i really do believe if there could be a female jim morrison this is the woman. damn, i was i awestruck..its a sexxy song.

she finished with
Rock And Roll Nigger
we were energy.. traveling back through time.. a mass of carbon and light!
fierce and unbound, she was boudicca
tossing her fire towards the roman empire.
urging people to take back this country, this planet, this hope.
caught in her web
she is perfect!
and hasn't lost a thing!

the concert ended and i was drenched in sweat, euphoric and wrapt in awe
this was phenomenal.

we left with stories floating in our heads of 'bring blankets to the mission'
and 'turn off the spicket while brushing our teeth'...

thank you patti.
thank you Capt for taking me!
thank you kind people for beer!
thank you Houston for partying!

i cant wait for the next one.
*nod*