Patti Smith and Michael Stipe at Central Park SummerStage
photo by Toby Tenenbaum

Patti Smith (and guest Michael Stipe) played SummerStage (pics, video, setlist)

Patti Smith played Central Park SummerStage on Thursday night (9/14) with her band and her children, Jesse Paris and Jackson. The evening was a celebration of her late husband, Fred “Sonic” Smith’s birthday; it was a joyous occasion and the crowd enjoyed every moment of it. Patti also paid tribute to Grant Hart and Sam Shepard and covered U2’s “Mothers of the Disappeared” in addition to playing many of her best-known songs. The encore began with a cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” after which Patti brought out Michael Stipe to help sing “Happy Birthday” to Fred. He stuck around for the show-closing “People Have the Power.” Pictures from the night are in the gallery above, and the setlist, as well as video of “People Have the Power,” “Rockin’ in the Free World,” and “Mothers of the Disappeared”, are below.

The night before, Patti made a surprise appearance at the premiere of Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! at Radio City Music Hall to perform during the closing credits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUuibfp1PTM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHd3JpRCXAE

patti-setlist

SETLIST: Patti Smith @ Central Park SummerStage 9/14/2017
People Have the Power
Wing
Frederick
Gone Again
Ghost Dance
Dancing Barefoot
Mothers of the Disappeared (U2)
Tarkovsky (The Second Stop Is Jupiter)
Peaceable Kingdom (dedicated to Grant Hart)
Looking For You (I Was)
Summer Cannibals
Pissing in a River (dedicated to Sam Shepard)
Because the Night
Land

Encore:
Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young)
People Have the Power (with Michael Stipe)

photos by Toby Tenenbaum