Patti Smith's Horses 50th Anniversary Tour: A Legendary Celebration
Get ready, music lovers! The iconic Patti Smith is hitting the road to celebrate a major milestone—50 years of Horses, her groundbreaking debut album. This isn’t just any tour; it’s a full-album performance featuring some of the original musicians who brought Horses to life back in 1975.
Smith will be joined by longtime collaborators Lenny Kaye (guitarist) and Jay Dee Daugherty (drummer), both of whom played on the original recording. Adding to the powerhouse lineup are keyboardist and bassist Tony Shanahan, who has been touring with Smith for the past three decades, and guitarist Jackson Smith. With such a stellar ensemble, this tour promises to be nothing short of electrifying.
The Tour: From Europe to the U.S.
The anniversary trek kicks off in Europe, beginning on October 6 in Dublin, Ireland, at the 3Arena. From there, Smith will take her legendary album to audiences in Madrid, Bergamo, Brussels, Oslo, London, and Paris. After setting Europe ablaze with her poetic rock energy, she will cross the Atlantic to bring the celebration stateside.
The U.S. leg of the tour starts on November 10 at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre. Fans across the country will have the chance to witness history in cities including Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.
If you’ve ever wanted to see Horses performed in its entirety, this is your moment. And according to a press release, this tour marks "the final ride of our irreverent thoroughbred." So, if you’re a Patti Smith fan, now’s the time to experience the magic live—before this chapter in her career closes for good.
A Special Anniversary with Deep Roots
This isn’t the first time Smith has honored Horses with a full live performance. In 2005, she played the album in its entirety for the first time during the Meltdown Festival in London, an event she was invited to curate. That performance celebrated Horses’ 30th anniversary. Now, 20 years later, she’s taking it a step further with a full-fledged tour to mark the 50-year milestone.
Beyond the tour, Smith’s legacy is also being honored in another special way. On March 26, New York’s Carnegie Hall will host People Have the Power: Celebrating the Music of Patti Smith. This tribute concert will feature a star-studded lineup, including Michael Stipe, Kim Gordon, Matt Berninger of The National, Karen O, Sharon Van Etten, Ben Harper, Courtney Barnett, the Kronos Quartet, Angel Olsen, and Alison Mosshart of The Kills. With such a diverse and talented lineup, the event promises to be an unforgettable tribute to one of rock’s most poetic voices.
A Landmark Album That Stands the Test of Time
Produced by Velvet Underground’s John Cale, Horses remains a cornerstone of punk and rock history. The album broke boundaries and redefined what a rock record could be, blending spoken-word poetry with raw, unfiltered energy. Over the years, it has received numerous accolades, including induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2021 and recognition from the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for its cultural and artistic significance.
Rolling Stone has long praised Horses, once describing it as "wonderful in large measure because it recognizes the overwhelming importance of words in her work." Their original review further captured the album’s poetic intensity, stating, "Like all real poets, Smith offers visions that embrace a multiplicity of meanings, all of them valid if they touch an emotional chord… She leaps between meanings of words like an elf across dimensions, deliberately dizzying you with crisscrossings between comfortable perceptions."
Even 50 years later, those words ring true. Smith’s work remains timeless, her impact immeasurable, and Horses continues to inspire generations of musicians and poets alike.
How to Get Tickets
This is a once-in-a-lifetime tour, and tickets are expected to sell out fast. Here’s what you need to know:
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General sale begins on Friday, February 14
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Pre-sale starts on Wednesday, February 12
Mark your calendars, set your reminders, and get ready to grab your spot at one of these historic shows. If you’re a Patti Smith fan, you won’t want to miss this.
Full Tour Schedule:
Europe
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Oct. 6 – Dublin, 3Arena
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Oct. 8 – Madrid, Teatro Real
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Oct. 10 – Bergamo, Chorus Life Arena
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Oct. 12-13 – London, The Palladium
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Oct. 15-16 – Brussels, Cirque Royale
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Oct. 18 – Oslo, Sentrum Scene
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Oct. 20-21 – Paris, The Olympia
United States
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Nov. 10 – Seattle, The Paramount Theatre
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Nov. 12 – Oakland, The Fox Theatre
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Nov. 13 – San Francisco, The Masonic
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Nov. 15 – Los Angeles, Walt Disney Concert Hall
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Nov. 17 – Chicago, The Chicago Theatre
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Nov. 21-22 – New York City, The Beacon
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Nov. 24 – Boston, The Orpheum Theatre
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Nov. 28 – Washington D.C., The Anthem
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Nov. 29 – Philadelphia, The Met
Final Thoughts
There’s something magical about experiencing an album performed live in its entirety—especially when that album is Horses, a record that changed the face of rock music forever. Patti Smith is more than a musician; she’s a poet, an artist, and a revolutionary voice who has shaped the sound and soul of generations.
This 50th-anniversary tour is a celebration of not just the music, but the movement that Horses inspired. Whether you’ve been a fan since the ‘70s or you’ve recently discovered Smith’s brilliance, this is your chance to witness history in the making.
So, are you ready to ride with the irreverent thoroughbred one last time? Get your tickets, bring your energy, and let’s celebrate the legacy of Patti Smith’s Horses! 🎤🎸
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