Us and Patti Smith.

We are honored to join an amazing cross-section of Milwaukee musicians to pay homage to one of rock’s greats for Smith Uncovered. A re-interpretation of the songs of Patti Smith at Alverno College Pitman Theatre, curated by the ever talented Betty Blexrud-Strigens.
It’s been difficult to take Patti Smith out of her songs. They have such immense heartbeats, and are so unique to her, that we risked killing the patient on the table. As we rehearsed, we were humbled again and again, trying to know what each song means to us, and sounds like with us as vehicles.
It struck me at one point that Smith, unlike other rockers, is in part amazing because the type of destruction she brings is always a seed. She’s a tree root cracking the sidewalk or a forest fire. She never seems snide or exclusive when she points her finger at authority to try to figure out where to go next.
With this in mind, I think we’ve finally reached a point where our voices are the ones speaking and Patti Smith is the inspiration and the guide. I believe this will be true for the audience as well and I hope you can join us.
– Nathaniel