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Patti Smith: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

Nick Hasted, Uncut, October 2003

IT ALL STARTS so politely, you could never guess the raw shock that's coming. When Patti Smith saunters on like a collision between the 17th century and 1976, urchin-shabby in an ill-fitting frock coat, it's a comforting sight — like we're with a welcome friend from the old days, an ex-rabble rouser, too sophisticated now to start any more fires.

Total word count of piece: 645

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