Latest news with #PeopleHavethePower
The Mainichi
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Rock legend Patti Smith says 'people have the power' in anti-nuke talk with Japan hibakusha
HIROSHIMA -- "The people have the power," U.S. punk rock legend Patti Smith called out to a crowd of some 250 people in Hiroshima, the western Japan city where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945. Smith, currently in Japan for the "Correspondences" live performance project in collaboration with Soundwalk Collective, stopped by Hiroshima on April 28. She joined a dialogue session with 87-year-old "hibakusha," or A-bomb survivor, Keiko Ogura in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. After delivering a spoken word version of her 1988 single "People Have the Power," Smith remarked, "Let's rise up together in great numbers against injustice, war, and any inhumanity against humanity." During the dialogue, Ogura detailed her experience of surviving the Aug. 6, 1945, atomic bombing of Hiroshima as an 8-year-old girl. At the time, she was near her home, which was 2.4 kilometers, or 1.5 miles, from the hypocenter. A blinding flash of light was followed by an enormous blast, and Ogura said she was beaten against the road, becoming unconscious. Years later, she was shocked to see people around her pass away due to what was suspected to be radiation-induced diseases. "Without any scars or burns, they died, and many survivors suffer and deal with fear even now," she said. Smith, 78, shared memories of her deceased father, who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II, and was sent to the Philippines and New Guinea. "When the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, my father cried. When I was little, he explained to me about the bomb and the terrible destruction. I wanted to come here and ask for forgiveness, on behalf of my father," Smith said. Ogura expressed hibakusha's determination to keep speaking out to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons, saying their pledge is contained in the inscription on the cenotaph for A-bomb victims in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The inscription reads, "Let all the souls here rest in peace; For we shall not repeat the evil." "Nuclear weapons were built not to defend, only to destroy," Smith said. Pointing to Ogura, she continued, "This 8-year-old girl did not seek vengeance, but peace. She rises up and tries to spread love and a peaceful message globally, and that's what we must all do." After the talk, Smith recited "People Have the Power," which has become an anthem for democratic movements around the world. During a Q&A session, an audience member, who said they had been joining nightly protests before the Atomic Bomb Dome in the peace park to show solidarity with Palestinians, asked what people can do to take action toward a better world. Referring to the Israeli military's invasion into Gaza, Smith said, "This is not war, but destruction on people." Quoting a line from her song -- "I believe everything we dream can come to pass through our union" -- Smith insisted, "We all want simple human things, and we have to fight for them together. Not just for one country, or one child, but all children, all countries, all people." "It's the people who can vote and take to the streets. We can't stop fighting, we can't stop praying, we can't stop joining together. That is our great hope, to love and to unify." Hideaki Nishimura, a 56-year-old longtime fan of Smith, said, "I felt a rush of excitement listening to the poem. I also want to do my part by listening to firsthand experiences of war, and learn more about war from all perspectives." Smith had last visited Hiroshima in 2013, during her Japan tour, where she included a charity drive to raise money for children who lost their parents in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. (By Chinami Takeichi, Hiroshima Bureau)
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See Patti Smith Perform at Rally to Save Beloved New York City Park
Patti Smith performed at a New York City rally Tuesday as part of an effort to prevent a downtown park from being converted into affordable housing. The Elizabeth Street Garden, located between between Spring and Prince streets, has long been a community gathering place for artists and city dwellers. However, the city — which owns the land — announced plans to transform the space into an 'urban oasis,' a move that longtime SoHo icons like Smith, Robert De Niro, and Martin Scorsese have previously lobbied against. More from Rolling Stone Patti Smith Has the Power: See Bruce Springsteen, Michael Stipe, Karen O Salute Icon at Tribute Show Michael Stipe, Jackson Browne Cover Patti Smith's 'People Have the Power' at Tibet House Patti Smith Announces 'Horses' 50th Anniversary Tour On Tuesday, a rally was held by those trying to preserve the garden, with Smith staging a performance that included a rendition of 'Peaceable Kingdom': 'The Elizabeth Street Garden is an entirely unique public sanctuary, where art, nature, literature and activism peacefully abide,' Smith previously wrote in an August 2024 letter to Mayor Eric Adams lobbying on the garden's behalf. 'I have been privileged to read poetry and sing in the Garden's serene yet celebratory gatherings, attended by people of all ages, friends and neighbors, tourists with their children.' Smith continued, 'The Garden is not only an oasis of greenspace within our city, but truly stands as a work of art. The effort to save it is reflective of a mass effort to preserve the nature and ever evolving character of New York City.' To the city's credit, their plan includes building affordable housing for low-income and LGBTQ senior citizens; according to NY1, nearly 25 percent of all seniors in the five boroughs live in poverty, and more than 61 percent are 'rent-burdened.' While Smith acknowledged the city's well-meaning intentions for the space, 'Affordable housing and greenspaces are both essential assets and should not be pinned against each other.' The non-profit organization that manages Elizabeth Street Park previously issued a federal lawsuit in an effort to protect the space under the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), and thus protect it as part of the Conservation Land Trust. 'Every day the City chooses not to seriously consider these alternative site proposals, we risk losing another opportunity to create affordable housing in the neighborhood,' the organization wrote. 'This is not a choice between saving the Garden and building affordable housing — it is about rejecting false dichotomies and doing everything we can to preserve the one-of-a-kind Elizabeth Street Garden while achieving affordable housing for those who need it most.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Patti Smith Honored with All-Star Tribute Concert Led by Bruce Springsteen and Michael Stipe
The post Patti Smith Honored with All-Star Tribute Concert Led by Bruce Springsteen and Michael Stipe appeared first on Consequence. Patti Smith's 50-year cross-generational musical impact was on full display Wednesday night, as artists both young and old came out to serenade the legendary artist during a tribute concert at Carnegie Hall. Bruce Springsteen, Michael Stipe, Flea, Sean Penn, Karen O, Scarlett Johansson, Maggie Rogers, Johnny Depp, Susanna Hoffs, Jim Jarmusch, Matt Berninger, Glen Hansard, Sharon Van Etten, Courtney Barnett, Angel Olsen, Alison Mosshart, Michael Shannon, and members of Smith's backing band were among the many names who turned out for 'People Have the Power: A Celebration of Patti Smith.' The concert doubled as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Smith's landmark album, Horses, and a charity benefit for music education for underserved youth. Tony Shanahan, a frequent collaborator of Smith's, served as the event's musical director and led a house a band also featuring Flea, Steve Jordan, Charlie Sexton, and Benmont Tench. Get Patti Smith Tickets Here The setlist featured performances Smith songs including 'Redondo Beach' sung by Barnett; 'Gloria' by Karen O; 'Frederick' by Rogers; 'Easter' by Olsen; 'Dancing Barefoot' by Depp and Mosshart; and 'Pissing in a River' by Van Etten. Additionally, Penn, Johansson, and Shannon recited some of Smith's poetry. The evening concluded with Springsteen taking the stage to sing 'Because the Night,' the 1978 song he co-wrote with Smith, before giving the way to the night's honoree, who performed 'Peaceable Kingdom' 'People Have the Power.' The latter song saw her joined on stage by many of the night's performers. Watch fan-captured video and see the full setlist from the evening below. This fall, Smith will further celebrate Horses by embarking on an anniversary tour. Get tickets here. Setlist: 'Piss Factory' (Matt Berninger) 'Free Money' (Jesse Malin) 'Redondo Beach' (Courtney Barnett) 'Pissing in a River' (Sharon Van Etten) 'Cowboy Truths' (Michael Shannon) 'Elegie' (Kronos Quartet) 'My Blakean Year' (Michael Stipe with Jesse Paris Smith, Tony Shanahan and Andy LeMaster) 'The Hour of Noon' (Jim Jarmusch) 'A Songwriter's Song' (Jim Jarmusch) 'Departure' (Jim Jarmusch) 'Ghost Dance' (Ben Harper) 'Ask the Angels' (Alison Mosshart) 'Kimberly' (Susanna Hoffs) 'Mother Rose' (Paul Banks and Julia Banks) 'Wind' (Body/Head) 'Final Letter to Mapplethorpe' (Scarlett Johansson) 'Reflecting Robert' (Scarlett Johansson) 'Paths That Cross' (Music Will Academy of Lower Manhattan Public Middle School) 'Easter' (Angel Olsen) 'The Golden Cockerel' (Sean Penn) 'Beneath the Southern Cross' (Glen Hansard) 'Frederick' (Maggie Rogers) 'Dancing Barefoot' (Johnny Depp and Alison Mosshart) 'Gloria' (Karen O) 'Because the Night' (Bruce Springsteen) reading, unknown title (Patti Smith) 'Peaceable Kingdom'/'People Have the Power' (Patti Smith) 'People Have the Power' (Patti Smith and Ensemble) Patti Smith Honored with All-Star Tribute Concert Led by Bruce Springsteen and Michael Stipe Alex Young Popular Posts Members of British Punk Band UK Subs Detained and Denied Entry into US Drake's Lawyers Say "Millions of People" Believe Kendrick Lamar's Pedophile Claim Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show Received 125 FCC Complaints Heart's Nancy Wilson: It's "Embarrassing" To Be an American Right Now A Definitive Ranking of Every Disney Live-Action Remake Tool Allow Rare Livestream of Full Lollapalooza Argentina Set ... From a Distance Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
