The Smiley Smile Message Board

I just got around to buying and watching the '90s VU reunion DVD. I've had the CDs for years, and admit to barely listening to them.

What are people's thoughts about it? Is it nice to watch legendary bands reunite, or pathetic? Worthwhile artistically, or only nostalgically? Is nostalgically even a fucking word?

I saw the Velvets in 1993 at Wembley Arena.  It was an unmissable event, something that I never dreamed might happen (although there's been a few of them down the years e.g. Brian Wilson touring let alone performing 'Smile'!)  I enjoyed the show but it really didn't feel like The Velvet Underground as I'd have imagined them being back in the late 60s.  For one thing, the huge venue just didn't suit the music or it's particular atmosphere, especially when you're used to 'Max's Kansas City' and 1969 Live'.  There were a couple of other concerts at a smaller venue (The Forum, I think) but these sold out practically before you'd even heard of them.   Then there was  Reed's latter day voice which I'm not mad on at the best of times and which I don't think did the songs any favours.  But still, it was fantastic to be there and see those people together on stage and hear that distinctive instrumentation.  My memory was that they started off a bit shaky (particularly Venus In Furs) but got much better as the show went on.  But still, give me the old recordings if I'm gonna listen to them now.  Incidentally, a year before the VU concert, I did see Maureen Tucker and Sterling Morrison live in a little club in Liverpool called the Mardi Gras.  That felt much more like the real deal - a really great show!  I always remember seeing Sterling Morrison climb out of a van in front of me as I waited outside in the street.  It seemed utterly surreal at the time - a character out of legend!  It was really sad to hear of his death a few years later.