LuminoMagazine.com - Lou Reed's Berlin Finally Gets it's Due Live

Lou Reed's Berlin Finally Gets it's Due Live

Written by BARRY BRECHEISEN

Wednesday, 26 November 2008

Back in the early 70’s, Lou Reed was on a high. After quitting the Velvet Underground, he was having success as a solo artist. His second solo album, Transformer, was released in 1972 during the height of the Glam era and was even produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson. The album became a hit due to the huge single “Walk on the Wild Side,” an homage to Andy Warhol and his world at the Factory. With Transformer a success, Reed was ready to push the envelope for his follow-up. Berlin was released the following year and where Transformer was welcome with open arms, Berlin was a commercial failure. It would be 33 years before he would play the album to a live audience. To capture the event, director Julian Schnabel along with help from filmmakers Lola Schnabel and Alejandro Garmendia, took on the huge undertaking to capture the live event for prosperity.

Lou Reed Berlin

Entertainment

Art

Special Features

Directed by Julian Schnabel
Music and lyrics by Lou Reed
Starring Lou Reed and his band, Emmanuelle Seigner

Lou Reed Berlin is more than your average concert film, it’s bigger than that. Much like the album it’s self, Lou Reed Berlin is a complicated piece of work that blends the live show with pre-recorded visuals provided by filmmakers Lola Schnabel and Alejandro Garmendia to truly help us to absorb the story.

Berlin is really a full out rock opera, it’s a dark story centering on being lost in a world of drugs and depression. Through the course of 10 songs, Reed backed by his band, Sharon Jones (of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings), a seven piece orchestra and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, takes us on a rollercoaster ride into the seedy underbelly of our heroine Caroline and her lovers.

Along with the 85 minute plus concert, we have a few bonus material for you to experience as well. First up is an excerpt from Spectacle: Elvis Costello. Spectacle is a upcoming show hosted by Elvis Costello and showcases some of the biggest names in music. The show premieres this December and the second show will feature Lou Reed and director Julian Schnabel. This serves more as a teaser for the show but also gives us a glance at the two behind the film. If this DVD would have come out after the show, one suspects it would have been included in it’s entirely.

In addition, we have Berlin on Tour a short 6 minute plus peek of the tour as it plays all over Europe in 2006. It seems a little short and more of just a fluff piece then anything else. We also get a well made trailer of Lou Reed Berlin as well.

Its amazing listening to this album all these years later and it’s shocking to think it was a flopped. Berlin was ahead of it’s time and today it’s considered by many critics to be one of Reed’s masterpieces. Rightfully so, Berlin is a powerfully raw and a bold attempt to create something amazing within a disturbing sad story.

Incase it’s another 30 years before he plays it again, do yourself a favor and pick up Lou Reed Berlin. Beautifully captured by Julian Schnabel, Lou Reed Berlin is mesmerizing and it’s about time Berlin has gotten its due.

Comments

Write Comment
Name:	Guest
Title:
Comment:
Code:*

< Previous		Next >

Other Recent Articles by BARRY BRECHEISEN:
George Harrison: The Man, The Guitars, The App
Parody and Boobs Equal Fun
Porn & Rebellion: The Last of the American Dreamers
Tori Amos Hits the Snooze Button For Austin Show
Wilco Awakens and Soothes the Soul at the Riv