Lou Reed

1975-04-26 Lou Reed

in ,

Felt Forum

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This show was part of Lou Reed's 1975 world tour, the year after Reed's classic Rock n' Roll Animal live album came out.  Glam rock / glitter rock was all the rage in the early 70s - Jagger, Bowie, Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople and Slade were all part of that, and what I got into early on.

In later years I saw Lou Reed appear as a surprise guest at a show at the Bottom Line, and in a more recent year I found myself alone with him in the lobby of the Film Forum one evening while he was waiting for his wife Laurie Anderson to see a foreign film.  I said hello, not realizing how limited his remaining days would be. 

He passed away on a day that I attended a Phish show in Hartford.  Phish asked for a moment of silence for him, Trey referred to him as one of the greatest artists ever, and they opened the show with Reed's “Rock n' Roll” in tribute.  REM is another great live band that I’ve seen cover songs by Reed and Velvet Underground.

These color photos were all taken on Kodak Ektachrome slide film, with the ISO “pushed” several stops in accordance with the film instructions, for the indoor stage lights. The Felt Forum was an especially dark stage and real test for a film camera without flash.

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1994/12/02 John Wesley Harding and Rob Wasserman (w/ Lou Reed)

in ,

The Bottom Line

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I was very interested to learn that JWH would be playing with Rob Wasserman at The Bottom Line. In a later year, JWH would join Hot Tuna and other bands to form one summer's traveling Further Festival lineup. The great drummer Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello and the Attractions had played on some of JWH's early albums, and his musical style through that period of time evoked comparisons to Elvis Costello's.

I really didn't think of Wasserman in that musical vein, although his "trios" album showed the great range of his musical interests and talents.

At the beginning of the show, JWH announced that a special guest would be joining them later in the show. We wondered who it might be. We were simply amazed to see Lou Reed walk out and play several songs with them, including "Busload of Faith." I later met Lou Reed one night at the Film Forum I mentioned my concert experiences to him.

The show is listed on Setlists.FM but without any details.