Live reviews
Cologne 2006-02-05
Venus In Furs
Walking The Dog
Turn The Lights On
Femme Fatale / Rosegarden Funeral Of Sores
Woman
Hush
Outta the Bag
Look Horizon
Magritte
Guts
Dirty Ass Rock'n Roll
Gun
Set Me Free
Ship
Cable
Things
Jumbo in tha Modernworld
Sold
Perfect
Gravel Drive
Pablo Picasso > Mary Lou
Prime Club, Cologne, Germany
Review by Andy Volkert
I saw John Cale at the Prime Club in Cologne (Germany). The club used to be called Luxor. Moe Tucker (with Sterling Morrison) played the same club in 1992, Nico played there in 1987. By the way the city officials in Cologne (being Nico's hometown of course) plan to name a city square after her later this year!
The show started at 9 PM sharp with a heavy, distorted electric viola track played over the PA. This went on for a few minutes before John and the band (g, b/k, dr) entered the stage at the small Prime Club (capacity of about 500, sold out).
First up Venus In Furs. Intense stuff. Several heavy, metallic songs followed. Among them Turn The Lights On and Woman. John alternated between electric guitar, keyboards (right side of stage) and acoustic guitars. At one point he handed his twelve string acoustic back to his guitar technician mid-song as it was out of tune. He put his hands in his pockets and continued singing. Femme Fatale/Rosegarden Funeral of Sores was introduced as "two songs combined into one".
Magritte was introduced as "a song about my favourite painter". The set also included Guts, Dirty Ass Rock'n Roll, Set Me Free, Ship Of Fools, Jumbo in tha Modernworld (introduced as "a new song – it's gonna be out in the summer"). Last song in the main set Perfect.
Encore!
Gravel Drive (just John + guitar player) and Pablo Picasso > Mary Lou ("here's another painter"). Great two hour show of metallic noise with a few quieter pieces thrown in. Intense, heavy stuff. No compromise, no prisoners taken.