Patti Smith Live At The Hotel Chelsea

Last night, recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Patti Smith played an intimate show at the new Star Lounge in (her old residence) the Hotel Chelsea. The low-ceilinged bar was packed, hot and filled with old fans, friends and major label folk. Patti Smith got up on a small stage with her old band members and her son to play a few songs from her new release 12. The album is a collection of covers in which Smith does renditions of Nirvana, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix (and others) songs. We stuck it out through an original "My Blakean Years", Neil Young's "Helpless" and The Doors "Soul Kitchen," but then had to get out of the cramped room.

Smith doesn't like to have her photo taken, so we left our camera at home. The Hotel Chelsea bloggers snuck in and took some shots of the action off-stage. Above is their photo of Smith entering the hotel before her performance.

If you'd like to catch Smith singing tunes off her new album, she just announced some New York shows at Bowery and Hiro Ballrooms at the end of April.