The 74-year-old Godmother of Punk, Patti Smith, has worked through a variety of mediums throughout the course of her life; facing significant obstacles in the process. Covid, however, has brought with it an interruptive force that is slowly eroding not only our personal lives but every industry.
After Bluesfest became subject to cancellation in 2020, Smith told Today,
“I had my bags packed for a world tour. My little suitcase is still sitting here, as I travel light. I was supposed to go to Australia, and then into the world. But since lockdown I’ve been in New York. I know a lot of people were on the move, but this is where I live and I just felt compelled to be here.”
Source: Today
The Climate Catastrophe
Patti Smith was set to play at the “We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert” on Saturday night. The five-hour CNN-televised spectacle in Central Park, was to display a wonderful celebration of New York’s spirit and perseverance. With stars from around the world gearing up to perform, the schedule was full of musical legends such as LL Cool J, Jennifer Hudson, The Killers and Bruce Springsteen.
Unfortunately, the show was cancelled just two hours in, due to rain and lightning – just minutes before Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen were set to perform. Springsteen and longtime buddy / fellow rock legend Smith had a performance planned of Smith’s biggest hit, “Because the Night,” which the pair co-wrote.
Fires, Floods, Droughts, Famine etc
After Smith’s act was cancelled due to severe weather, Smith spoke with CNN over the phone about COVID, the climate crisis, and the fall of Kabul.
“We can’t completely celebrate certain states of things,” Smith explains to CNN’s Anderson Cooper, live on air after severe weather drove her and her band to abandon the Central Park concert location.
“There are fires all over the world. There’s flooding, there’s drought, there’s famine, there is the earthquake in Haiti, the fall of Kabul. The Delta variant is speedily permeating the people.”
Smith made clear the urgency of the environmental crisis and what needs to be done to address it, expressing the sentiments she had intended to recite onstage that night.
“There is something even bigger than the viral pandemic and that is the environmental pandemic… We have to look upon our world … and see that we are really in trouble. It’s gonna take effort from every single one of us.”
She also shot down the idea of resuming “regular” life post-pandemic,
“Things are not going to go back to where they were. We have to face the new world and we have to face the new world with a certain amount of willingness to sacrifice and make change.”
Source: Musicfeeds
Subscribe to FIB’s Weekly Breaking News Report for your weekly dose of music, fashion and pop culture news!
