In an ill-fitting suit and with a cryptic bonjour, Patti Smith opens her performance at the 2005 Montreux Jazz Festival unapologetically. It’s this commitment to the fringe that’s made her a permanent fixture in the minds of the counter culture, and gives her the kudos to perform amongst the extraordinary list of artists who have played at Montreux — one of the most prestigious annual music events in the world.
The festival has recently given Eagle Rock consent to make these live performances at Montreux available on Blu-ray, allowing fans to experience the magic of a live performance from the comfort of their living room. Smith was in the throws of touring to support her 2004 album, Trampin’, during this concert; however, the setlist from Live At Montreux 2005 features tracks from her 1975 debut album, Horses, right through to her present work.
With opulent quirkiness, Smith opens the show with 1975’s “Redondo Beach.” It should come to no surprise that this rock song was first published as a poem in Smith’s 1972 book Kodak, because her words paint a better picture than a photograph could convey. She sets a scene through her story telling that engages all of the senses. By the end of the song you swear you can recall what it smelled like that day. This is her gift, and why she connects. And she knows it too. Through side-glances and drawn out glares, Smith looks through the camera in a way that says, “I gotcha where I want ya.”
And then there are moments of earnest vulnerability, specifically during “Free Money,” that make the viewer feel voyeuristic. As Tony Shanahan opens the song with a delicately haunting keyboard intro, Smith takes a seat at the front of the stage, closes her eyes, and falls into what appears to be a deeply personal moment. Through un-staged tears, she begins to sing lyrics from a place so honest, one feels compelled to jump up and pledge allegiance to her cause. And these moments are not few or far between. Each song is performed with such purpose; it’s a wonder any of them are standing by the end.
Lead guitarist and vocalist, Lenny Kaye, provides a prologue in the sleeve of the disc that invites the audience into the bands frame of mind at the time of this Montreux show. They had just celebrated the 30th anniversary of Horses, and were in the midst of an expansive world tour. He details the bond these musicians have formed over the years and how time as bent their ideas in different directions. Their reverence to this festival, and more specifically to jazz, is apparent throughout the performance, but Kaye pays specific homage with these words, “Along with a sense of achievement in becoming part of its grand tradition, there’s an awareness of the many who have played here over the years, the tribute that must be paid, the higher level of artistic exploration and audience sophistication that enhances the possibilities for taking a performance one step further.”
That passage does not disappoint. Patti Smith and her band — Lenny Kaye (guitar, vocals), Tom Verlaine (guitar), Tony Shanahan (bass, keyboards, vocals), and Jay Dee Daugherty (drums) — create an ambiance on stage that feels forever like an important moment in time. Their unwavering intention throughout Live At Montreux 2005 makes for a captivating experience that any Smith fan would be delighted to add to their Blu-ray collection.
~ Sara Escalante
