I cannot believe that you could not find a place in the list of live shows that changed music (11 February) for Patti Smith’s concert at the Roundhouse in Camden on 16 May 1976. That brilliant night taught a lot of people that there was a new way for female artists to command the stage. She combined high-energy driving rock and punk poetry in a passionate display of total commitment to her music. It is difficult to think of a single female singer since then who does not owe her a debt.
Owen Davies
Clapham, London
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