any fans of him? i love his stuff up until the mid 90's but can't get into any of his newer stuff. he's playing a concert near me in about a month. anyone seen him lately? whats his setlist like now?

Man, have I been wanting to see this guy live.
Never comes around my town. I think he only does NY/LA and Euro dates.

I've got myself a ticket to see him on the strength of several good recommendations from people who saw him last summer.

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Edith Grove
Man, have I been wanting to see this guy live.
Never comes around my town. I think he only does NY/LA and Euro dates.

i live in richmond virginia. he has 2 dates in virginia, one is within 10 miles of where i live and a date in d.c.

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keefriffhard4life
any fans of him? i love his stuff up until the mid 90's but can't get into any of his newer stuff. he's playing a concert near me in about a month. anyone seen him lately? whats his setlist like now?

I can follow you there - he is taking himself far too seriously these days. IMHO, his last great album was "New York", though he's made some fine songs since - but most of it is like spoken poetry these days. (Hmmmm...was "Song for Drella" before or after "NY"? That is a great album, too.)

As for concerts I've seen three - one sublime, one so-so and one very boring, the whole spectrum. The sublime one was with Robert Quine still on board and they were touring behind "The Blue Mask" - another classic album.

But I haven't seen him in recent years - only read the luke-warm reviews and heard the so-so live albums. Still, I believe he is currently touring the "Berlin"-album and that should make for a great show.

And if you've never seen him at all. Well, he is one of the greats that you should see at least once in your life. Though, I doubt, he will ever again be as entertaining as "Take No Prisoners" or as intense as "Rock'n'Roll Animal".

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mofur

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keefriffhard4life
any fans of him? i love his stuff up until the mid 90's but can't get into any of his newer stuff. he's playing a concert near me in about a month. anyone seen him lately? whats his setlist like now?

I can follow you there - he is taking himself far too seriously these days. IMHO, his last great album was "New York", though he's made some fine songs since - but most of it is like spoken poetry these days. (Hmmmm...was "Song for Drella" before or after "NY"? That is a great album, too.)

As for concerts I've seen three - one sublime, one so-so and one very boring, the whole spectrum. The sublime one was with Robert Quine still on board and they were touring behind "The Blue Mask" - another classic album.

But I haven't seen him in recent years - only read the luke-warm reviews and heard the so-so live albums. Still, I believe he is currently touring the "Berlin"-album and that should make for a great show.

And if you've never seen him at all. Well, he is one of the greats that you should see at least once in your life. Though, I doubt, he will ever again be as entertaining as "Take No Prisoners" or as intense as "Rock'n'Roll Animal".

songs for drella was after new york.i also like the album "magic and loss" from 1992. about after that he lost me. right now steve hunter (from alice cooper) is in his band and this mini east coast tour he is not doing the "berlin" album. that starts in europe

Isn't his latest tour a whole performance of "Berlin"? Great album, but not exactly a barrel of laughs.

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mofur

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keefriffhard4life
any fans of him? i love his stuff up until the mid 90's but can't get into any of his newer stuff. he's playing a concert near me in about a month. anyone seen him lately? whats his setlist like now?

I can follow you there - he is taking himself far too seriously these days. IMHO, his last great album was "New York", though he's made some fine songs since - but most of it is like spoken poetry these days. (Hmmmm...was "Song for Drella" before or after "NY"? That is a great album, too.)

I think you're right, mofur. He's taking himself too serious lately. I saw him twice. One time touring "New York" (great show, but everybody HAD to remain seated!), another time shortly after his "Magic and Loss" tour at an open air "package" in Berlin. I was lucky to catch him in a different phase already then - friends told me that before on the "Magic and Loss" tour people had to remain seated once again (on Lou's demand) and everybody had to remain silent.

Seems that Lou sees himself as a poet and wants to come across as a lecturer or something. I'd say he has pretty much succeeded in this respect.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-26 14:29 by Greenblues.

I'm a big Lou fan. Have been for many years.

JumpingKentFlash

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keefriffhard4life
any fans of him? i love his stuff up until the mid 90's but can't get into any of his newer stuff. he's playing a concert near me in about a month. anyone seen him lately? whats his setlist like now?

Yes. I'm a HUGE Lou fan. Got all his albums. I've seen every tour since New Sensations. The only one I didn't care for was the Magic & Loss one, simply because of the prohibitive atmosphere. Lou quite literally forbade his fans from having their usual fun - no smoking, drinking, eating, excessive cheering, talking, smiling etc etc. Otherwise they've been great.

Not sure what his US tour will consist of, but he's bringing Berlin back to Europe (I've got tickets for London - third row in the Albert Hall) this summer. I hope he's ditched the annoying female singer who ruined Sweet Jane last year with "Hey! Look! I CAN SING!" voice.

Big Lou Fan. However am at par with the 'too serious' issue. Would go anytime, just for the slight chance to hear the opening riffs of Sweet Jane or RnR, i confess.
We do have to credit him with appearing with the raconteurs for Waiting for my man (Grammy's?). He looked friendly and smiling.

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keefriffhard4life
i live in richmond virginia. he has 2 dates in virginia, one is within 10 miles of where i live and a date in d.c.

Thanks for starting this thread. I've been considering going to the show in Richmond myself and haven't made up my mind.

Lou Reed is still great!

I just love the sound of that band, the guitars.....very tight, great drummer and bass-player....

and no fireworks and other crap, just plain rock&roll

Always wonder why Mick/Keith didn't do some project with Lou..........

He lost me after New York and that was a big loss because that is one of my favorite albums. I hoped that Songs for Drella was just a sidestep into hardcore artiness being an Andy Warhol tribute but Magic and Loss cemented it for me.

Unrelated side-note: I was outside the auditorium in Prague on the night the Velvets reunion came through town in '93. No tickets to be had.

<<I'm a big Lou fan. Have been for many years>>

Hey Kent, did you manage to get a ticket for the upcoming shows in Cph?

I love how people say he's taking himself "too seriously these days," or "lately," and they mention tours from 15 years ago!

with Lou Reed, having fun and being serious are not mutually exclusive.

riffhard, I would definitely see him if you haven't before. I do think he's past his prime--I've seen him 3 times since 2000, and he's slowing down, getting more relaxed, but not nearly so much as the Stones other than mick--but you really need to see him live if you're a fan. His guitar sound is tremendous, and the band, which he has been playing with for over 10 years, is very good if a little "pro." And Steve Hunter this time should be a wild card to possibly shake Lou up a little.

At the risk of repeating myself, I found his last live album ANIMAL SERENADE very strong.

He's playing the Beale St. Music Festival in Memphis on May 3. The lineup:

[www.thebealestreetmusicfestival.com]

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keefriffhard4life
any fans of him? i love his stuff up until the mid 90's but can't get into any of his newer stuff. he's playing a concert near me in about a month. anyone seen him lately? whats his setlist like now?

I just rediscovered R&R animal again after 25 years.
A Masterpiece.
What a perfect album....

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cc
I love how people say he's taking himself "too seriously these days," or "lately," and they mention tours from 15 years ago!

with Lou Reed, having fun and being serious are not mutually exclusive.

riffhard, I would definitely see him if you haven't before. I do think he's past his prime--I've seen him 3 times since 2000, and he's slowing down, getting more relaxed, but not nearly so much as the Stones other than mick--but you really need to see him live if you're a fan. His guitar sound is tremendous, and the band, which he has been playing with for over 10 years, is very good if a little "pro." And Steve Hunter this time should be a wild card to possibly shake Lou up a little.

Lou's always taken himself seriously. And he's always had fun. That's part of the attraction.

Lou's the man. Saw him play Berlin from start to finish in Manchester last year and it was awesome. Hangs together nicely live, wish he'd play NY from start to finish sometime too. Well worth catching tho.

Last time I saw Lou was at Radio City Music Hall in 1992. If I remember correctly, the first set was ALL of Magic and Loss. Second set was large chunks of Songs For Drella and New York. Encore was Sweet Jane, Rock and Roll, Walk On The Wild Side, and a really beautiful Satellite Of Love. He did a two-night stand. I took a date the first night and enjoyed it so much I went back the second night alone and saw it again.

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cbtaco19
He lost me after New York and that was a big loss because that is one of my favorite albums. I hoped that Songs for Drella was just a sidestep into hardcore artiness being an Andy Warhol tribute but Magic and Loss cemented it for me.

Unrelated side-note: I was outside the auditorium in Prague on the night the Velvets reunion came through town in '93. No tickets to be had.

I'm still majorly pissed off about the Velvets reunion tour falling apart before they got a chance to play New York. Can you imagine how cool it would have been to see them at Carnegie Hall in 1993?

[/quote]

I think you're right, mofur. He's taking himself too serious lately. I saw him twice. One time touring "New York" (great show, but everybody HAD to remain seated!), another time shortly after his "Magic and Loss" tour at an open air "package" in Berlin. I was lucky to catch him in a different phase already then - friends told me that before on the "Magic and Loss" tour people had to remain seated once again (on Lou's demand) and everybody had to remain silent.

[/quote]



That's strange. I don't remember there being any rules of audience conduct for the Magic and Loss shows in New York. Maybe Lou knew better than to try to tell a New York crowd what they could and could not do. I did see two of the four Songs For Drella concerts that Reed and Cale played at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music in December 1989, and I can tell you the atmosphere at THOSE concerts was a little odd. Though we weren't told to act a particular way, the crowd sort of took it upon itself to behave in a very subdued manner. It really felt more like attending some sort of minimalistic theatre piece than anything remotely resembling a rock concert. At one point, after Cale brought down the house with a GREAT rendition of "Forever Changed" I got a little excited and yelled out "John Cale!" and Lou gave me a look like he wanted to kill me! There's another song in that show where Lou says "All my life, it's been nobodies like you!" He spit that line out with such venom, a few people took it personally and got up and left!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-27 04:59 by tatters.

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lamemodem2

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keefriffhard4life
i live in richmond virginia. he has 2 dates in virginia, one is within 10 miles of where i live and a date in d.c.

Thanks for starting this thread. I've been considering going to the show in Richmond myself and haven't made up my mind.

go and we'll sit next to eachother

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tatters

I think you're right, mofur. He's taking himself too serious lately. I saw him twice. One time touring "New York" (great show, but everybody HAD to remain seated!), another time shortly after his "Magic and Loss" tour at an open air "package" in Berlin. I was lucky to catch him in a different phase already then - friends told me that before on the "Magic and Loss" tour people had to remain seated once again (on Lou's demand) and everybody had to remain silent.

[/quote]



That's strange. I don't remember there being any rules of audience conduct for the Magic and Loss shows in New York. Maybe Lou knew better than to try to tell a New York crowd what they could and could not do. I did see two of the four Songs For Drella concerts that Reed and Cale played at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music in December 1989, and I can tell you the atmosphere at THOSE concerts was a little odd. Though we weren't told to act a particular way, the crowd sort of took it upon itself to behave in a very subdued manner. It really felt more like attending some sort of minimalistic theatre piece than anything remotely resembling a rock concert. At one point, after Cale brought down the house with a GREAT rendition of "Forever Changed" I got a little excited and yelled out "John Cale!" and Lou gave me a look like he wanted to kill me! There's another song in that show where Lou says "All my life, it's been nobodies like you!" He spit that line out with such venom, a few people took it personally and got up and left!

[/quote]


I can see why Lou and John Cale felt very "special" performing their requiem for Andy Warhol. And in this respect I can also understand why Lou wanted some kind of prayerful atmoshere with "Magic and Loss". The only thing is, that this doesn't go along too well with his rock'n'roll credentials. It might be moving, but not "fun". It just gets very very academic. And what makes matters worse IMO is this "forced" devotion. Either you catch the audience with your music or you don't.

I'm as much a Lou Reed fan as anybody else around here. But I don't think being a fan means just blindly following your heroes. Especially not erratic ones like Lou ;-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-27 18:08 by Greenblues.

Greenblues, maybe 15 years later, it's time to give him another chance?

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keeffriffhard

Always wonder why Mick/Keith didn't do some project with Lou..........

I suspect Lou may not be the easiest person in the world to get along with. I remember a story about Mick going to see Lou in concert at the old Felt Forum in New York (I think now it's called The Theatre At Madison Square Garden) and, backstage, just wanting to have a little polite conversation, Mick asked Lou if he had ever played there before. Lou's response was something like "How the hell should I know?"

One more Lou Reed story and then I gotta go to work.

In December 1986 I was working at a publishing company in New York and one day one of the girls who worked there came over to my desk and said "Lou Reed is sitting in our lobby." I peeked around the corner and sure enough, Lou Reed WAS sitting in our lobby. I had already been a huge fan of his for about five years at that point, but this was the first time I'd ever seen him in person, and it was on MY turf!

Turns out Lou had an appointment to see the managing editor and the owner of the company. He was visiting different publishers, shopping around a manuscript for a book that was going to be called Lou Reed's New York. It was going to be a book of short stories, "little vignettes" is how he described it, about life in the big city, because, after all, who would know more about that than Lou Reed, the ultimate New Yorker.

When the managing editor asked to see some samples of these "little vignettes", Lou informed him that he did not have anything to show him. What's more, Lou said, he had absolutely no intention of "auditioning" for us. Basically, he wanted us to buy the book sight unseen!

Needless to say, things didn't really work out. But everyone agreed that Lou was a very nice man. He even brought with him that day a box of free records for everyone who worked in the office to take home and enjoy. There were several copies of each of his three most recent studio albums, The Blue Mask, New Sensations, and Mistrial. All on horribly warped viynl.

At one point during his visit, my friend came back over to my desk and said "If you want to talk to Lou, he just went into the men's room". I replied that I wasn't about to follow ANY man into a freakin' men's room no matter how much I admired his music. It took about 30 seconds for me to drop my cool New York attitude.

Lou and I had a brief conversation in the bathroom.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-27 16:13 by tatters.

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cc
Greenblues, maybe 15 years later, it's time to give him another chance?

Hey cc, sure! It's not that I haven't bought all of his newer releases, except the most recent one. And they're good. And I still like him. But then he has never been the person you'd give a slap on his back, was he?

I think we're just posting opinions and that's what's half of the fun here. Maybe one's forced to black and white a little bit in those discussions or sometimes one feels to act as "advocatus diaboli", just to add some new aspects.

But while you're talking of giving him another chance: If he tours Berlin once again here in Europe, I'll go and see him.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-27 16:28 by Greenblues.

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tatters
One more Lou Reed story and then I gotta go to work. (...)

Lou and I had a brief conversation in the bathroom.

Wow tatters, that's a good one and I think it captures Lou perfectly (at least to my red up knowledge). What did you tell him? And what did Lou answer? "F... off"?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008-03-27 16:24 by Greenblues.