Look what I missed? Brooklyn Beat sent me this report about the Annie Leibovitz opening at the Brooklyn Museum. I was up at 3 a.m. when HC’s cell phone rang with a wrong number and read it. I was at the museum earlier in the day. But I really missed something here. I CAN’T BELIEVE PATTI SMITH PERFORMED FOR THE CROWD. NOW THAT’S SOMETHING I WISH I’D SEEN. DANG.

I got home from the Office,  left my better half at home with a cold,  she was all cuddled up with our 11 year old twin daughters, and  Guinevere the Corgi, watching Dogs and Cats (or was it Cats and Dogs) and  I lit out to the Brooklyn Museum to see the Annie Liebovitz members opening  exhibition.

Unusual for me to be out solo in the evening, but here I was in the BM  parking lot, strolling to the entrance. The AL show was part mega media event,  seeing these remarkable photos that have graced books and magazines, only blown  up, printed exquisitely. Plus the enormous collection of her work, snapshots  really, works in progress, under glass. Some that have made their way into the  major show, others that reflect the artist and her process at work..huge  photos of Venice and Vesuvius were likewise fascinating.

I thought, I must come back to see this again for a leisurely perusal since  the opening was very crowded.. at the exit, we all crowded into the 5th floor  space (where the Rodins were previously on display..)

After a few minutes, the crowd roared with  appearance of Annie  Liebovitz and family. They moved backstage, but then reappeared, with Ms  Liebovitz casually sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall with a  daughter on her lap and family and friends nearby..

A second roar and Patti Smith appeared with her band (including Lenny  Kaye (guitar) and Jay Dee Daugherty (drums) (both members of the original  ensemble that played on Horses, her seminal 1975 album), Tony Shanahan (bass,  keyboards) and they proceeded to enthrall the audience with 5  songs..concluding with Because the Night, the Bruce Springsteen tune that Patti  Smith made famous, it was an unexpectedly lovely, soulful and energizing set..  Ms Liebovitz dancing, and Patti Smith introducing Because the Night as the song  that the late Susan Sontag liked to dance to..

I understand that the Brooklyn Museum is going through institutional  changes (ain’t we all?), and maybe it was an evening that was too pop for some  tastes and sensibilities,  but this was an exciting evening that made me  glad to belong to the Brooklyn Museum and, once again, glad to live in  Brooklyn. Peace Out.

P.S. – I brought Chinese soup home for the sniffling troops and later read  Twin 2’s essay on the day we brought Gwen the Corgi home.

–Brooklyn Beat