The National with U.S. Girls and Patti Smith

The National, indie rock band from Cincinnati, broke through with 2007's "Boxer." Known for brooding vocals and orchestral sound, they later collaborated with Taylor Swift. Grammy winners, achieving Billboard Top 3 with "High Violet."

U.S. Girls, led by Meghan Remy from Philadelphia, is an experimental art pop project blending dark tape loops, girl group melodrama, and disco. Polaris-nominated with albums like *In a Poem Unlimited* and *Heavy Light*, Remy often collaborates with producers like Slim Twig and members of Cosmic Range, Holy Ghost!, and Jellyfish.

Patti Smith, born in Chicago, is a legendary poet, painter, author, photographer, and punk rock's poet laureate. Her influential music blends rock and poetry, with hits like "Because the Night." Her avant-garde style and albums like *Horses* and *Easter* have earned critical acclaim. Smith collaborated with Bruce Springsteen and REM, won a National Book Award for *Just Kids*, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She remains a prolific artist, working with Soundwalk Collective and recently scoring documentaries.