Honoring Patti + links, etc.
your cabaret moves impress me
This week I saw crocuses blooming next to a pile of garbage, which I’m taking as as a promising sign. If the past few days have sprouted a new wrinkle between your eyebrows*, I hope to ease this stress with some playful banter and 61 mentions of Michael Stipe:
patti smith tribute
I spent two precious nights this week at all-star Patti Smith celebrations: first at City Winery’s small rehearsal show, then at Carnegie Hall for the real deal. Knowing this Substack crowd, by now you’ve probably heard about the performances, which featured Patti Smith covers/poetry readings from a mess o’ cool kids: Karen O, Kim Gordon, Jim Jarmusch, Jesse Malin, Courtney Barnett, Sharon Van Etten, Johnny Depp, Scarlett Johansson and Michael Stipe, to name a few. (Oh, and did I mention Bruce Springsteen sang “Because the Night”? Because he did!)
Patti didn’t perform at Tuesday’s rehearsal (nor did The Boss), but nearly everyone else did, including Stipe, who sang “People Are Strange” by The Doors (one of Smith’s favorite bands). He gave the song a little cabaret flair and looked like he was having the grandest time:
At the rehearsal, Karen O’s scorching “Gloria” brought the damn house down; as you can see by the setlist below, she was then pushed to the tail end of the Carnegie Hall show, smack before Springsteen.
At the end of the Carnegie Hall tribute, everyone came out to sing “People Have the Power.” It’s a real brain-tingler to see Springsteen, Stipe, Flea, Johnny Depp, Patti, etc. on one stage:
Here’s the official run-of-show doc (don’t ask how I got it):
I didn’t take too many photos, because a) Carnegie Hall forbids them; and b) these days I’m just trying to live in the moment, man. Most fellow concertgoers also preferred to cheer analog with hips and hands rather than screens and phone flashlights. The nights fueled me, bubbled my blood, got me all worked up like an Easter revival. Live music is the greatest drug, let’s partake now more than ever.
book zoom update!
You’re all invited to our book-themed Zoom discussion on April 6 from 4-5 p.m. ET! We’ll spend the first 15 minutes or so digging into this month’s featured book, GOTH: A HISTORY, followed by an open conversation about what we’re reading/recommending. (I, for one, am reading like eight books right now — not too shabby, but still nothing compared to Soderbergh.)
I’ll share the Zoom link next week. Throw it on the calendar!
this is not a blog
The Atlantic lists the best American poetry from the 21st century (so far). If you write a poem titled “1995” and email it to me, maybe I’ll include it in next week’s Substack. Why not?
Peek inside the newly opened archive of Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne. (WNYC)
Hey, government: Don’t screw with Bea Arthur’s military record. (Snopes)
Jennifer Tilly appeared on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills this season for some much-needed laughter, candy binges and rad purses. She talks to the New York Times.
Amy Schumer is selling her Brooklyn home — which happens to be the house from Moonstruck. (Time Out)
“An Overpriced Othello Goes Splat on Broadway.” Who are these people paying $900 for theater tickets?? Can they please become paid subscribers of my Substack? (Story from the The New Yorker) (By the way, thanks to Dennis for becoming a paid subscriber this week)
Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio, together at last:
Bill Murray went on Howard Stern the other day and said he’d like to host SNL one more time:
Tomorrow it’s gonna be 78 degrees in New York! I can smell it already!
Enjoy the weekend and send me a friendly text at (929) 515-1988. It’s really me, I promise.
my purse is an IKEA tote bag,
jim jarmusch’s stunt double
postal service | living colour | the clash
*Anyone know of a good retinol serum?
