Pitchfork: Patti Smith to Curate Meltdown Festival

Thirty years after releasing the brainy counterpart to The Ramones, aka Horses, Patti Smith has been recruited to curate the 2005 Meltdown Festival held in London, and according to the festival's website, it appears the punk rock poetess has not lost her sense of quality control. The festival spans from June 11-26, and the performances will be split between the Royal Festival Hall and the Queen Elizabeth Hall. First and foremost among her inspired festival choices is her own performance of Horses in full, alongside the album's producer John Cale. She will also play on during many nights, on stage or on the same bill with many of the artists listed below.

And by no means does it end there. Smith will also share the stage with Kevin Shields and Cat Power, and on June 18 she will perform alongside a powerhouse group of female musicians under the banner "Songs of Innocence, Protest Songs and Lullabies": Beth Orton, Kristin Hersh, Tori Amos, and Sinead O'Connor. Some shows will be Smith-less, however, including performances by Yoko Ono, Antony and the Johnsons, and Billy Bragg. Television will appear on June 20 and 21 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Finally, the festival will wrap up on June 26 with a Jimi Hendrix tribute conducted by none other than Patti Smith, joined by Jeff Beck and two members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea and John Frusciante. Here's the lineup so far:

06-11 Brian Jonestown Massacre, Ed Harcourt (QEH)
06-17 Yoko Ono (QEH), Rachid Taha (RFH)
06-18 Tori Amos, Beth Orton, Sinead O'Connor, Kristin Hersh, and Patti Smith(RFH); Bill Bragg (QEH)
06-19 Patti Smith, Steve Earle (RFH)
06-20 Television (QEH)
06-21 Television (QEH)
06-22 The Coral Sea featuring Kevin Shields, Cat Power, and Patti Smith (QEH)
06-24 Antony and the Johnsons (QEH)
06-25 Patti Smith performs Horses plus special guest John Cale (RFH)
06-26 Jeff Beck, Flea, John Frusciante, and Patti Smith (RFH)