Punk pioneer, glam champion and all-around rock legend Lou Reed has been back on the circuit, spreading his gospel to fans new and old. This new release is a live documentation of Reed’s greatest hits, reaching back to his decisive period with the Velvet Underground, his 1970s career rebirth, and more.
Although Reed’s highly documented rock’n’roll antics are the stuff of legend, the performances on this DVD are a bit subdued and laid back. This is not a negative, however. Rather than merely trading on the past, or becoming a caricature of his former self, Reed has evolved into a distinguished elder statesman, and his passion for classics such as ‘Perfect Day,” “Satellite Of Love” and the rock standards “Sweet Jane” and “Take A Walk On The Wild Side” is in full evidence. The performance reaches a peak during “Romeo Had Juliet” where Reed and his longtime collaborators are in perfect synch, elevating the jam to a higher level. The festival audience, feeding off the energy, responds in forceful agreement.
Recorded just last year, SPANISH FLY is an interesting look at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and innovator Reed’s current state, where we not only find him fully intact—an amazing feat for many of his era—but with a weathered veneer that imbues the material with its incomparable grit. The DVD also features a photo gallery including shots taken by Reed himself.
+ Jim Kaz
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