Live reviews

Zuerich 2003-07-25

Kaufleuten, Zuerich, Switzerland
Review by Dominik Dusek

This was the last concert of the tour (at least John Cale said so) and featured some little specialities. Model Beirut Recital was left out, but the band included one verse and chorus of Mary Lou in the Gun/Pablo Picasso sequence.

When they came out for the encores somebody had placed a rubber chicken on Cale's keyboard. He picked it up and showed it to the audience grinning and not trying to tear the head off. For Walkin' The Dog, the second song of the encores, everyone put on silly caps, wigs or glasses including Cale who wore a pair of spectacles with the eyes hanging down on long metal spirals. He took it off after verse one. Cale played fretless bass and sang, with the bass he more or less sticked to producing sound effects sliding up and down the neck.

All in all I have to say that I was completely stunned by this concert. As I am quite a big Cale fan I had expected a lot but still not this much. You could feel this man's musicality in every bit of the set with the band switching moods and pace with enormous sensitivity. It all suited Cale's songs so perfect, yet in a rough and lively way. There were nameless highlights, especially as it all seemed like one big piece of music and art. Lament was a risky but exactly right choice for song number two, creating a theatralical yet relaxed atmosphere. Verses came over great, and Venus In Furs was just untouchable, simply showing how much the Velvets owe to Cale. Set Me Free and Things were two great countryesque Popsongs and Gun just could have lasted forever.

© 1999- Hans Werksman