A Legend Live
Lou Reed’s ‘Berlin’ has been called one of the most depressing albums ever, yet it gained a lease of new life when Reed performed the album for the first time in 2006 for 5 nights in Brooklyn. Julian Schnabel, who describes the album as being the soundtrack to parts of his life has realised a striking film of the performance, which picks up on Reed’s narrative edge.
There is a definite DIY feel to the filming, despite the fact that a renowned director is in charge, in parts in feels like a dark school play with dishevelled characters and an angelic choir. Images from Lola Schnabel’s films depict Caroline, the central character in the album through a series of grainy films that could just as well be playing in your own memory as on the screen. The film images are displayed instead of, over the top of and behind the main live show, with a series of hazy vignettes playing out. For a depressing album, ‘Berlin’ has plenty of life live, with the gritty riff of ‘Lady Day’, alongside forceful percussion clattering through your skull with fearsome energy and drama. Many of the tunes feel like dark jazz with soulful backing vocals that include prodigal Mercury Prize winner Antony.
‘Men Of Good Fortune’ is embellished with images of smiling soldiers staring out from behind Reed and his fellow performers; the tune easily subverts these images with drum fills vicious enough to enter into hard rock. The drummer himself is exiled behind a screen and the performers do their job stoically, letting the music’s drama speak for itself. ‘Caroline Says’ lets the brass section do their thing with verve as the ferocious, funky jazz riffs break through the fizzy psychedelic tune; as long as you forget the lyrics and mournful story, it could almost be happy. The encore duet with Antony of ‘Candy Says’ reminds the viewer that Reed isn’t an entirely morbid figure and it’s a gorgeous rendition.
The tunes are wonderful and fully deserve to be heard and the live performance no doubt satisfies, unfortunately the film leaves the feel that this was an amazing performance, but that can’t quite be captured on film, which is quite disappointing. Schnabel’s style is obviously designed to be sketchy and slightly bewildering, but for an album with so much emotion, it’s a shame that sometimes the switches between live show and external imagery seem to distract from the music. If the idea of ‘Berlin’ live excites you, then buy the DVD, if not then you’re unlikely to find enlightenment and should start off with the album itself.