Live performances can be great ways to communicate and bond with a band or artist. For the listener, there is a distinct connect hearing songs that are meaningful in a live setting. I’ve been to more than a fair share of live concerts in my short lifespan. Most have been memorable. One of the shows that I attended in Chicago at the historic Park West venue back in the ’70s was with Patti Smith (who, believe it or not, invaded the men’s restroom prior to her appearance on stage. And yes, I was in the restroom at the time.) It go without saying that some performers bring electricity to their shows. Patti Smith is one of them.
On August 31, a collected 11CD Box of radio broadcasts from a range of venues featuring a young and potent Patti Smith, will be issued via Sound Stage, called Broadcast Collection (1975-1979). And while I ignore most collected unofficial live sets, this is one that I feel is essential – barring sound quality, which I have not heard as of yet. The list of venues include The Bottom Line (NYC), CBGB (NYC), The Cellar Door (Washington, DC), Penn’s Landing (Philadelphia), The Place (Eugene, OR), and Tower Theater (Darby, PA). (Sound stage has released a number of Broadcast Collection Boxes for various bands.)
All of the shows have been broadcast on stations WNEW, WIOQ, and KZEL. In the case of The Cellar Door, they were included in the famed King Biscuit Flower Hour show. All of the performance tracks have been remastered for the set. A meager 8-page booklet is packed in with the boxed set.
Broadcast Collection 1975-1979 – Patti Smith
CD1 (Bottom Line, NYC – December 27th, 1975 – WNEW-FM)
01. My Mafia (Solo)
02. Nigger Book
03. Sally
04. Rape
05. Lullaby (I Was Working Real Hard)
06. We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together
07. Privilege (Set Me Free)
08. Ain’t It Strange
09. Space Monkey
10. Redondo Beach
CD2 (Bottom Line, NYC – December 27, 1975 – WNEW-FM)
01. Free Money
02. Pale Blue Eyes >
03. Louie Louie|
04. Pumping My Heart
05. My Mafia (W/ Band)
06. Birdland > Band Intros
07. Land > Gloria
08. Time Is On My Side
09. My Generation > Dedication (Outro)
CD3 (The Cellar Door, Washington, DC – January 16th, 1976, Early Show for King Biscuit Flower Hour)
01. Real Good Time Together
02. Privilege > Set Me Free
03. Ain’t It Strange
04. Kimberly
05. Redondo Beach
06. Bad Joke Banter
07. Free Money
08. Pale Blue Eyes > Louie Louie
09. Pumping My Heart
10. Birdland
11. Gloria
12. My Generation
CD4 (The Cellar Door, Washington, DC, January 16th, 1976 Late Show for King Biscuit Flower Hour)
01. Spanish Town
02. Real Good Time Together > Slavery
03. Privilege Set Me Free
04. Ain’t It Strange
05. Kimberly
06. Redondo Beach
07. Free Money
08. Pale Blue Eyes > Louie Louie
09. Pumping My Heart
10. Jolene
11. Monlogue > Birdland
12. Land > Horses > Land Of A Thousand Dances > La Mer (De) > Gloria
13. My Generation
14. Interview (Sveriges Radio 1976)
CD5 (Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia. September 5th, 1977 – WIOQ-FM)
01. We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together
02. Land
03. Space Monkey
04. Parachute Woman
05. Free Money
06. Ask The Angels
07. Some Kinda Wonderful
08. Radio Ethiopia > Rock N’ Roll Nigger > Gloria
CD6 (The Place, Eugene, OR, May 4th, 1978 – KZEL-FM)
01. Land
02. Rock N’ Roll Nigger
03. Privilege (Set Me Free)
04. No Jestering (Lenny Kaye Lead Vocals)
05. Free Money
06. Pissing In A River
07. 25th Floor
08. Pumping My Heart
09. You Really Got Me
10. Time Is On My Side
11. Ghost Dance
12. Because The Night
CD7 (The Place, Eugene, OR, May 4th,1978, KZEL-FM)
01. Easter
02. Radio Ethiopia
03. Gloria
04. Jailhouse Rock
05. My Generation
06. Kimberly
07. Till Victory
08. Redondo Beach
CD8 (Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA, May 13th, 1979 – WIOQ-FM)
01. Set Me Free
02. Till Victory
03. So You Wanna Be (A Rock N’ Roll Star)
04. Mr. Tambourine Man (Lenny Kaye On Vocals)
05. Citizen Ship
06. You Gotta Live
07. Redondo Beach
08. Poppies
09. Hang On To Tomorrow
10. Jailhouse Rock
11. 25th Floor
12. Kimberly
13. 5-4-3-2-1 (Manfred Mann Cover)
CD9 (Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA. May 13th, 1979 – WIOQ-FM)
01. Be My Baby
02. Secret Agent Man
03. Revenge
04. Dancing Barefoot
05. Because The Night
06. Frederick
07. Seven Ways Of Going
08. Jesus Loves Me
09. Gloria
10. Pumping (My Heart)
11. My Generation
CD10 (CBGB, NYC, August 11th, 1979 – WNEW-FM)
01. Land: Horses > Land Of A Thousand Dances > La Mer (AKA Glass Factory)
02. Redondo Beach
03. Song For Jim Morrison > Fire Of Unknown Origin
04. Kimberly
05. Dancing Barefoot
06. Space Monkey
07. Privilege (Set Me Free)
08. 25th Floor
09. Cold Turkey
10. For Your Love
11. Revenge
CD11 (CBGB, NYC, August 11, 1979 – WNEW-FM)
01. Frederick
2. Seven Ways Of Going
3. Poppies
4. All Along The Watchtower
5. The Spider And The Fly
6. Rock And Roll Star
7. 5-4-3-2-1
8. Twist And Shout
9. My Generation