Rocker legend Patti Smith wows crowd at Zellerbach

Hands outstretched pushing the air back and forth, it seemed like rock icon Patti Smith was massaging the audience at the Zellerbach Theatre last night. After the seduction was over, she drove them into a political frenzy.

Smith performed songs and poetry backed by her band in the sold-out auditorium.

The crowd was comprised of a mix of young and old. Dress ranged from business casual to piercings and bright red hair, sometimes gracing the heads of middle-aged women.

The abundant applause prompted Smith to say, "I feel sort of like I'm at a talent show."

"You win," shouted an audience member.

Despite the packed theater, the tone remained conversational as audience members shouted out requests.

"I liked the way that the poetry related to the songs," said West Philadelphia resident Sebastian Petsu, referring to a poem about the Chinese invasion of Tibet which led into the song 1959.

The evening climaxed with a politically tinged reading of the Declaration of Independence in which Smith substituted the acts of King George III with those of George W. Bush. The band then immediately started playing People Have the Power.

At the end of the song, Smith shouted, "Don't forget it in 2004!"

"The crowd obviously agreed with her," said College sophomore Neha Sharma, who served as an usher at the show.

"I thought it was wonderful that someone was speaking up like that," Harrisburg resident Gerry Schultz said. "It's tragic what's happening to the country."

The acoustic concert was put on in conjunction with Penn Presents and an ongoing exhibit of Smith's drawings and photographs at the Institute of Contemporary Art entitled "Strange Messenger."

Smith has refused to limit herself to one form of creative expression, starting out as a poet before becoming part of the '70s punk scene, often performing at the legendary club CBGB in New York City.

"I was first drawn to writing --books. I always wanted to write since I could talk," Smith said.

The installation currently at the ICA is the first full-scale exhibit of her art and originated at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.

Smith pointed to poet William Blake and childhood trips to see the Declaration of Independence as inspiration for her love of the handwritten word which she incorporates in many of her drawings. As a child, Smith said she tried to copy the handwriting, noting that it "informed the way I use line" in artwork.

Smith also used handwriting in her drawings depicting the remains of the South Tower of the World Trade Center after Sept. 11, 2001. "I incorporated sacred texts from various holy groups without any particular allegiance to any culture," Smith said.

Of the jagged remains of the tower, Smith said, "It was as if it had created a monument to itself."

Smith said she will continue to write music as well.

"We've been recording our new album for the last three weeks," she told the crowd. "This is our day off."

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