1967 Gymnasium tapes

[bobbldr]

An interesting review here, already! http://sendmedeadflowers.com/2008/02/ve ... asium.html

[bobbldr]

and from warholstars.org- Chris Stein played at the Gymnasium with his own band and remembers seeing The Velvet Underground there:

Chris Stein (of Blondie):

"It was pretty late at night by the time we got out of the subway in Manhattan and headed toward the Gymnasium. Walking down the block with our guitars we actually saw some people coming down the street and they said, 'Oh, are you guys the band, because we've been waiting there all night and we couldn't take it anymore, we left because they never showed up.' So we said, 'Yeah, we're the band.' We went inside and there was hardly anyone there. Somebody said Andy was supposed to be there, but he was off in the shadows with his entourage, we never saw him. We hung around for a little while and they played records, then we headed up for the stage. It was a big echoey place, we had absolutely no conception of playing a place like this whatsoever, but Maureen Tucker said we could use their equipment. So we plugged into their amps and the amps were all cranked up superloud... The only song I remember doing was You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover. We must have done a few more, but I remember sitting down after a while because the whole thing had gotten me pretty discouraged. Then somebody came over and said, 'Oh Andy likes you, he thinks you're great.' We must have played five or six songs then we just gave up. By that time the rest of The Velvets had arrived. After a while they started to play and they were like awesomely powerful. I had never expected to experience anything like that before... I was really disappointed that they didn't have Nico, because we thought she was the lead singer, but I distinctly remember the violin and their doing Venus in Furs because a couple of people in dark outfits got up and started doing a slow dance with a chain in between them... There were maybe thirty people there. It was very late, but it was a memorable experience..."

[papaya]

Get anyone who send a pm to Tranehead or Maggie7 a replay???

[marknaveh]

My green vinyl just arrived! It's my first bona fide VU collectable, so I'm kinda stoked. Think I'll frame it...

Oh, and the music is AMAZING.

[calaminehello]

thank you, to upsetter and ferges, from everyone in the world that is now listening to these recordings.

and yes! please keep us in the knowledge in regard to replies from Tranehead or Maggie7!

[tarbaby2]

How good are these tapes? Well, I absolutely LOVE them, but my wife won't let me play them at the volume I'd like (and they SHOULD be played LOUD!) -- so in a perverse sort of way it gives you an indication of just how good they are! Some people just don't get it do they? Thank heaven for headphones -- so I can hear the music the way it should be heard (and I also don't have to listen to my wife complain about it)!

[bobbldr]

How good are these tapes? Well, I absolutely LOVE them, but my wife won't let me play them at the volume I'd like (and they SHOULD be played LOUD!) -- so in a perverse sort of way it gives you an indication of just how good they are! Some people just don't get it do they? Thank heaven for headphones -- so I can hear the music the way it should be heard (and I also don't have to listen to my wife complain about it)!

Hey Tar, give her the Visa and tell her to go out shopping for something nice for herself, then, crank it to 11!

[alfredovu]

During the week end i listened them thru headphones only. But man, this morning, way to office alone in my car i switched the vol to max and ... what a sound experience! I could feel John´s bass right on my stomach ... and these gtrs & drum blasting down the gym.

Thanks John Cale to preserve these recordings

[LFSDoc]

How good are these tapes? Well, I absolutely LOVE them, but my wife won't let me play them at the volume I'd like (and they SHOULD be played LOUD!) -- so in a perverse sort of way it gives you an indication of just how good they are! Some people just don't get it do they? Thank heaven for headphones -- so I can hear the music the way it should be heard (and I also don't have to listen to my wife complain about it)!

these tapes are so good that yesterday my 5-years old daughter and I were wildly dancing to Run Run Run (!!)... Tomorrow morning I'll go to work with my car's stereo at full volume, believe me
My only concern is that during Sister Ray John's organ is VERY distant in the mix, a pity because it must have been an amazing interplay between him and the others (thankfully we've got the studio version, which is still my favourite one).
I'm still waiting for my copy of that green LP...
Doc

[citizensmurf]

Does anyone really believe this person who says they have a DAT of this show. Why have they never bragged about it beforehand? Seems like a fairly safe comment to make about Fever in my pocket.