Pandemic Watch: Patti Smith brings live music back to City Winery NYC

Patti Smith on City Winery’s stage

April 11 — Last night, my cousin and I sat at our own City Winery NYC table enjoying personal Margherita flatbreads and chardonnay. About 100 other people each at a private table for their party were doing similar. We were all waiting for the return of live music.  At about 8:15 p.m., Michael Dorf, owner, City Winery came on stage to say thanks for coming and welcome back.  Minutes later Patti Smith, Tony Shanahan and Jackson Smith emerged and began playing.  Jesse Paris Smith performed with her mom and brother during different portions of the performance. Opening with “April Fool,” Patti and her bandmates brought cheers, smiles and raised glasses from her audience.

The audience was mesmerized. She grasped our attention from start to finish. No one wanted it over. We all wanted to stay all night.

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Patti Smith performing at City Winery

Over the past year, I was supposed to see the Alarm, Morrissey, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, an opera, a few NY Philharmonic performances and many Yankee games.

After several postponements Morrissey finally canceled. That was super sad. It made every day certainly like a Sunday — Silent and grey. Ringo rescheduled a few times and is now supposed to happen in June 2022. Let’s see if the yellow submarine emerges. The Alarm may happen this June. I suspect sixty-eight guns will fire if they perform. 

The Yankees refunded my ticket fees.  Being the die-hard fan I am, last Thanksgiving, I purchased several tickets for the 2021 season. Due to the social distancing requirements, so far my tickets have been voided. I can get my money back or credits from Ticketmaster. But the catch is you have to buy at least two. Usually, I bought just one. Is it lonely? Yes and no. Sure you want to high-five your friends when the Yankees play well or cry together. But if you are alone you can get there as early as you want and not worry about anyone. I get to ‘Da Bronx hours before a game.  There is too much to do pre-game to arrive just a half hour or so before. Many do that.

Lincoln Center is hard at work trying to bring back its live performances. I’ve watched several streaming performances from the Philharmonic, Depeche Mode, Pearl Jam, U2 and others.

I discovered a few new bands this way, including Slooshy and the Weird Wolves. Give them a listen.

Back to Patti. She was the right one to bring live music back for me. And many others. She’s an amazing performer. Very few people have the stage presence she does. I loved her poetry during the show and her stories.  She did a few Dylan covers and threw in a tune from Stevie Wonder. She memorialized her late husband, Fred Sonic Smith. It was classic Patti.

The new City Winery is amazing. Beautiful building. Delicious wines. I jumped from white to red.

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Merlot from City Winery

It is good to be back. Looking forward to my next trip. Stay safe and remember the people have the power.

Prior posts.

Pandemic Watch: Forgotten mask

Pandemic Watch: Forgotten mask

Pandemic Watch: Shopping before a predicted snowstorm

mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2021/02/01/pandemic-watch-shopping-before-a-predicted-snowstorm/

Pandemic Watch: Keeping it clean

Pandemic Watch: Keeping it clean

Pandemic Watch: ‘Twas the night before Thanksgivinghttps://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/26/pandemic-watch-twas-the-night-before-thanksgiving/
Pandemic Watch: Empty Galleries
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/24/pandemic-watch-empty-galleries/
Pandemic Watch: The spirit of Coney Island
https://wp.me/p8mDRF-js
Pandemic Watch: Essential Workers
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/17/pandemic-watch-essential-workers/
Pandemic Watch: Rediscovering NYC
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/16/pandemic-watch-rediscovering-nyc/
Pandemic Watch: Gloves
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/08/13/pandemic-watch-gloves/
Pandemic Watch: Back to the City
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/pandemic-watch-back-to-the-city
“Pandemic Watch: Facial expressions,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/29/939
“Pandemic Watch: What will we do with our masks and gloves at the end?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/22/pandemic-watch-what-will-we-do-with-our-masks-and-gloves-at-the-end
Pandemic Watch, Staying in Shape,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/17/pandemic-watch-staying-in-shape
“Pandemic Watch: Community groups stepping up,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/pandemic-watch-community-groups-stepping-up
“Pandemic Watch: Have masks replaced fuzzy dice in windshields?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/09/pandemic-watch-have-masks-replaced-fuzzy-dice-in-windshields
“Pandemic Watch: How will we be entertained?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/08/pandemic-watch-how-will-we-be-entertained
“Pandemic Watch: Communicating via video,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/pandemic-watch-communicating-via-video
“Single Life”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/02/pandemic-watch-single-life
“Pandemic Watch: Seniors and lifesaving phone calls during the pandemic or other times,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/01/pandemic-watch-seniors-and-lifesaving-phone-calls-during-the-pandemic-or-other-times
“Pandemic Watch: There are places I remember.”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/pandemic-watch-there-are-places-i-remember
“Pandemic Watch: Creating a new fashion statement,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/27/pandemic-watch-creating-a-new-fashion-statement
“Pandemic Watch: Sitting on your stoop,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/pandemic-watch-sitting-on-your-stoop
“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation
“Pandemic Watch: Will my nephew ever know how good it was?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/19/pandemic-watch-will-my-nephew-ever-know-how-good-it-was
“Pandemic Watch: What will happen when I get released on parole?”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/pandemic-watch-what-will-happen-when-i-get-released-on-parole
“Pandemic Watch: We live in interesting times,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/pandemic-watch-we-live-in-interesting-times
“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday
“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits
“Traveling on public transit and being outside during the Covid-19 pandemic,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/traveling-on-public-transit-and-being-outside-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime
“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but
“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608
“Trashy Parks,”
https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks