Islington's Union Chapel is surely the most beautiful live venue in London. A Grade II listed Victorian building, situated toward the Highbury end of Upper Street, it offers a unique gig-going experience - watching artists from pews on a stage bathed in candlelight.
Unhappily this ideal is under threat. Some £165,000 is urgently required for roof and tower repairs, so Patti Smith is donating all proceeds from tonight's show to the restoration appeal.
Under such circumstances this is less a gig than 'An Audience With…' Along with a fistful of songs stretching Smith's entire career we are treated to an auction (£200 for a signed setlist anyone?), poems dedicated to William Burroughs, an impromptu version of 'Streets of London' and an audience sing-a-long of 'Happy Birthday' for her sister Kimberley. In short, this is several worlds away from her intense reputation, forged during the CBGB NYC punk years, never mind the barnstorming set played at Hackney's Ocean last July. There'll be no 'Piss Factory' performed tonight.
In the rehearsal room atmosphere Smith is both relaxed and animated, telling stories, happily taking requests and bantering with her reverent audience. (Although: note to Chapel staff - if the Scottish guy who constantly shouted "Let's have it Patti" in my ear shows up again please bar him before someone chucks him off the balcony).
Yet, despite the low-key nature of proceedings, Smith is still recognisable as the punk poetess of Robert Maplethorpe's iconic mid-70's photography. Her hair might be grey but her voice and vision are as brilliantly distinctive as ever - piercing through her somnambulant backing whenever it veers into session band territory, which is often. 'Because The Night', co-written with Springsteen and her only big hit, is one of several numbers that falls flat when her acoustic band attempt to rock out.
The audience lap it up regardless - they might be saving the roof, but they're here to worship at the altar of Patti - but it is the songs from 'Horses', her landmark debut LP, that gets them out of the pews and into the aisles. Over twenty-five years on and the likes of 'Redondo Beach' and 'Kimberley' are as vital as ever. When 'People Have The Power' and the still-inspirational take on 'Gloria' close the set the entire audience are on their feet. For these moments her belief in rock and roll as redemption is utterly convincing.
They encore with a blistering 'Free Money' and Prince's 'When Doves Cry'. Smith makes bird shapes with her hands to symbolise peace, thanks us for the roof money and then she's gone. It's a strange end to a strange night but she remains one of a kind - still passionate, still worthy, and still massively influential.
