[npc] world premiere of LOU REED’S BERLIN

["Dennis Moore" <clayboy56>]

(five scheduled shows in CA in Nov. - still hoping there is time for
him to swing up the coast!)

Arts at St. Ann's and the Sydney Festival Present the world premiere
of LOU REED'S BERLIN,

http://www.loureed.com/new/news/articles/berlin.html

DECEMBER 14, 15, 16, 17 AT ST. ANN'S WAREHOUSE
JANUARY 18, 19, 20 IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

LIVE DEBUT OF REED'S CONTROVERSIAL 1973 LANDMARK SONG CYCLE TO FEATURE
MUSICAL DIRECTION BY BOB EZRIN AND HAL WILLNER, DIRECTION AND DESIGN
BY JULIAN SCHNABEL, LIGHTING BY  JENNIFER TIPTON AND PERFORMERS
INCLUDING REED, ANTONY, SHARON JONES, RUPERT CHRISTIE, STEVE HUNTER,
FERNANDO SAUNDERS, TONY SMITH, ROB WASSERMAN AND OTHERS

When Lou Reed's Berlinwas released in 1973, it was a shock to critics
and fans that had just seen Reed reaffirmed as a rock visionary with
the runaway success of Transformer, which included the Top 20 hit
"Walk on the Wild Side," among other now-classic Reed compositions.
Instead of delivering another, similar album that would further cement
his reputation as glam-rock innovator, Reed betrayed the pigeonhole
and all expectations and immersed himself in a highly ambitious,
emotionally and psychologically exhausting, and ultimately, utterly
surprising work: a dark concept album about drifting, tormented
addicts in love, broken hearted and willfully disabled ex-pats,
formalizing their own downfalls in the outskirts of a divided city.
Though set it Berlin, this was a narrative so many of Reed's peers had
lived and felt firsthand.

The depth and impact of the album is evident in the critical response
it received upon release: It provoked hyperbolic reactions, both
positive and negative. The New York Times called the album "one of the
strongest, most original rock records in years." Rolling Stone raved,
"It is not an overstatement to say that Berlinwill be the Sgt. Pepper
of the Seventies." But then the same magazineamong many
othersattacked Reed for the work: "There are certain records that are
so patently offensive that one wishes to take some kind of physical
vengeance on the artists that perpetrate them. Reed's only excuse for
this performancecan only be that this was his last shot at a
once-promising career."

Over time, Berlin has come to be known not just as a cult favorite,
but as an influential masterwork and an essential album in a career
thatover 30 years laterhas included countless surprises and landmark
artistic endeavors. But Reed never performed Berlin live. Until now.

Arts at St. Ann's and the Sydney Festival have joined forces with Reed
to present a theatricalized concert version of the work, which makes
its world premiere at St. Ann's Warehouse for four nights only:
December 14, 15, 16 and 17 at 8:00 P.M. The entire Berlin recording
will be performed live, incorporating five additional songs by Reed
that enhance the song cycle. Tickets are $65.

As in the making of the album, Reed is collaborating on the concert
with an all-star creative team including musical direction by the
original producer, Bob Ezrinwho produced the Berlin album as well as
Pink Floyd's The Wall and hit albums by Alice Cooper, Kiss and
othersand record producer, Hal Willner, who has music-directed
numerous multi-artist concerts at St. Ann's original  home at  St.
Ann's Church in Brooklyn Heights. Willner's most recent works include
the Leonard Cohen tribute concert I'm Your Man (now a theatrically
released documentary film and an album on Verve Forecast) and the
compilation album Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and
Chanteys. Reed's friend, painter Julian Schnabel is directing and
designing, and Jennifer Tipton, who is beloved for her innovative work
with The Wooster Group and many others, is designing lighting for the
concert.

Producing the Berlinrecording, Ezrin met Reed's ambition of vision
with grand execution, assembling an all-star band for the recording in
London: Steve Winwood, Jack Bruce, Michael and Randy Brecker and
others. For the live performances at  St. Ann's and in Sydney, Reed
will be joined onstage by friends and favorite collaborators such as
singers Antony and Sharon Jones, Rupert Christie ( keyboards), Steve
Hunter (guitar), Fernando Saunders (bass), Rob Wasserman (bass), Tony
Smith (drums), brass and strings contracted by Hal Willner with Steve
Bernstein and Jane Scarpantoni.

Lou Reed has collaborated with Arts at St. Ann's since 1990, when ASA
co-commissioned and premiered the Lou Reed/John Cale work Songs for
'Drella, which also became an acclaimed album and concert video. In
2003, Reed performed The Raven at St. Ann's Warehous, and, last year,
he performed as a guest in Arts at St. Ann's 25th anniversary benefit
concert, Fire at Keaton's Bar and Grill.

Artistic Director Susan Feldman expressed her enthusiasm at welcoming
Reed back for the world premiere of Berlin: [quote from Susan].
"I have been wanting to produce Berlin ever since a cousin of mine
first handed it to me on a cassette about ten years ago! And, last
year, I was very fortunate to meet up the adventurous director of the
Sydney Festival, Fergus Linehan, who shared the passion. It's been
gratifying to engage Lou and some of his closest collaborators  Bob
Ezrin, Julian Schnabel, Hal Willner  in what's sure to be a labor of
love and an important part of rock history. Berlin is a sad song about
people on the edge, that, at its highest moments, achieves a
shimmering elegance."
Berlinepitomizes the sensibility strengths of Arts at St. Ann's, which
is perhaps best known for its signature multi-artist concerts and
ground breaking music and theater collaborations. Among the many
highly acclaimed productions at St. Ann's Warehouse are Charlie
Kaufman and the Coen Brothers' Theater of the New Ear, The Royal Court
Theater's 4:48 Psychosis, The Wooster Group's The Emperor Jones by
Eugene O'Neill, To You, the Birdie and House/Lights,and Mabou Mines
Dollhouse, which continues to tour the world. St. Ann's Warehouse has
featured special New York concerts by David Bowie, Beth Gibbons, Joe
Strummer, Antony and the Johnsons, Aimee Mann, The Tiger Lillies and
Music from the Mississippi Hill Country, featuring Othar Turner and
Lucinda Williams.
Berlinis funded in part by The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation and The New
York State Music Fund. [snip - see website for tix info]