| Author | Message | ||
     Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 88 Registered: 05-2005 |
Anyone else on the board check out the Lou Reed performance of 'Berlin' as part of the Sydney Festival last week? I went on Saturday and have to say it might just be the best concert I've ever seen. I went in with fairly low expectations - expecting a sombre show to match the mood of the album. How wrong I was. The whole presentation was superb - and uplifting. A very theatrical performance, featuring a string and woodwind section, a youth choir etc. Should have been a trainwreck - but somehow it all worked. First time I think I've seen the whole audience stand as one at the end of a rock gig - giving a sustained 5 minute ovation. Lou himself in fine form - he was blown away by the reception and seemed quite emotional at the end. The band were beyond excellent. Included Fernando Saunders on bass and the legendary Steve Hunter on guitar - who even reprised the Rock'n'Roll Animal version of Sweet Jane during the encore. And great backing vocals from Anthony of Anthony and the Johnsons (who took the lead on 'Candy Says' during one of the encores). I don't know if Lou is planning to take this show on the road. So far the only performance have been in New York and Sydney. But if you do get the chance to see it then make sure to check it out - it's a life-changing experience! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1135 Registered: 05-2005 |
I heard from a couple of people it was great Mark. I'm sorry I didn't go now. My reason for not going though - I'd see Lou Reed live before and he was awful. A bad night in Dublin maybe. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1178 Registered: 04-2005 |
Hmm, sounds interesting. Mark, did Lou play guitar during the show, or just sing? On the last two live albums, I thought he sang (I use that word loosely) the "Berlin" material better than almost anything else--I don't know if that's because he invested more effort and feeling, or if it just suited his limited range better. I doubt he'll ever bring the show to the U.S. west coast, but I'd make an effort to see it if he did. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 421 Registered: 01-2005 |
Wow, maybe Lou still has it in him after all. It would be cool if one of the Berlin concerts was made into a DVD. Mark, did the show include the screaming babies in "The Kids"? | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 89 Registered: 05-2005 |
Pádraig, I understand why you would be reluctant to attend after catching a bad Lou performance in the past. The first time I went to see Lou Reed was at the Wellington Town Hall (NZ) in 1973 - and Lou himself didn't bother turning up. The promoter came on stage about 10pm and said something cryptic like: "if you know anything about Lou Reed you won't be too surprised at what I'm about to say - Lou Reed won't be playing tonight". There were scattered boos but most of the audience seemed to accept the news with a shrug of the shoulders. The show was rescheduled for the following night. Whatever physical or mental demons kept Lou off the stage the previous night must have been exorcised because he put on a great show. Re the Berlin show: Kurt - yes Lou did play guitar - although not on every number. He let Steve Hunter do the bulk of the guitar work and really focussed on his vocal delivery. Michael - there were no screaming babies in 'The Kids'. I half expected the children's choir to start caterwauling - but no. Maybe Lou figured it would have been too over the top. | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 95 Registered: 05-2005 |
Just found out that Lou is taking his 'Berlin' concert to Europe over the summer, including a couple of shows at the Hammersmith Apollo on June 30 and July 1. I urge anyone on this list who has a chance to check out this show. It's a life changing experience. See full concert schedule below. Tickets must have already gone on sale because my brother in London just snapped up a couple of tickects to the Apollo show. June 18: Brussels (Forest Nationale) June 20: Amsterdam (Heineken Music Hall) June 23: Paris (Palais de Congress) June 26: Berlin (Tempodrom) June 30, July 1: London (Hammersmith Apollo) July 3: Lyon, France (Grand Theatre Romain de Fourviere) July 6: Rome (Il Parco della Musica) July 8: Arezzo, Italy (Piazza Grande) | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 435 Registered: 04-2006 |
Today I ordered my tickets for the Berlin show in Berlin. Even though I am not the biggest Lou Reed Fan Mark's description made me curious. At least in one point it changed my life immediately: no more money in my pockets. | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 96 Registered: 05-2005 |
Berlin in Berlin should be something special Andreas. Look forward to your review! | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 472 Registered: 04-2006 |
yesterday was the day. a friend of mine travelled a few hundred miles to see the show together with me. because of mark's enthusiastic review we were curious what this evening will bring. at first it brought a bad and stormy weather. feeled like it was autumn. and we had problems to sell one ticket (because another friend had to work and couldn't come). believe it or not, there was nobody around the concert hall and asked for tickets. it wasn't sold out. unbelievable. before the show started they played metal machine music, but the noise the people made by talking and so on was louder and noisier than the noise of metal machine music. punctually the show started. and what i heard and saw (like mark described above, but without anthony) was sometimes fascinating and sometimes just like a common hard rock show (at least what i think a hard rock show could be, i never saw any hard rock combo playing live). it was -for our taste- a little bit to much 'gitarrengewichse'. just a bit to bombastic. but it was a great show on the quieter parts. then mr. hunter put on a brilliant show on the acoustic guitar. all the musicians were master of their trade, so it was kind of a relief to hear that the youth choir did not always sounded perfect. the album was stretched to about any hour or so (due to the long guitar solos). standing ovations. and an three piece encore: sweet jane, satellite of love and walk on the wild side. that was it. all in all a remarkable evening. time will tell if it leaves one mark in my memory or not. best wishes to all andreas | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1457 Registered: 04-2005 |
Mr. Reed seems to be settling in comfortably to his new role as oldies act. Eagerly awaiting his "Sally Can't Dance" revival tour...it's been ages since I've heard gems like "Animal Language" in concert. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 475 Registered: 04-2006 |
3 berlin daily papers critics: one talks about an historic moment of rock, the others sounding much more like my review. no, they force it up and titled it like 'an evening in hell' or 'less avantgarde, more bruce springsteen'. my impression wasn't that wrong. only wim wenders said in an interview that is was perfect and that it could have been better..... |