Customer Reviews

Le Bataclan '72

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am a die-hard Velvets freak, and have had the Bataclan bootleg in various forms for some time now. I thus consider myself reasonably qualified to assess this release.

The overall performance is very tastey. This version of "Black Angel's" is spooky and dark, but not blood curdling as it is on the Banana album. It conjurs visions of Gypsies dancing around a trash can fire in some littered Lower East Side back alley under a crimson moon (or at least an orange sky). Likewise, Cale's "Ghost Story" and all of Nico's material are at once creepy and pretty. They represent a certain bittersweet maturity that prevails throughout this set much like the dry wisdom and blushing warmth one might detect in a well-aged cabernet. "I'm Waiting for the Man" is perfectly introduced by Lou ("Hello. Took us a while to get here. This is a song about copping drugs in New York"). The song is given sublime treatment until Lou F***s up the lyrics by substituting the "brownstone" segment with a repeat of the "here he comes" verse. I sadly have to admit that this flub turns what would have been a stellar version into a decent version that gets monotonous toward the end. Oh well...

The highlight is Heroin. With this version (my favorite), we are treated to one of Lou's best vocal performances of all time. I also find the simple but poignant accompaniment of Lou's acoustic and Cale's droning viola to be much more compelling than the Banana arrangement (and certainly light years better than those wretched Peel Slowly and See demo versions).

What we get in performance, however, we lose in quality. Now granted, this should be no surprise considering the low-fi nature of most other officially released live VU material (I actually have a pristine copy from the End of Cole Ave master that sounds far better than the sources used for the original Live album). Nevertheless, there really is no excuse for having been so totally asleep at the wheel while remastering this release (In truth, I suspect there really was no remastering whatsoever). At the very least, it is in dire need of pitch correction. There are times when Lou's voice sounds so slowed down that I half expect to hear secretly embedded satanic messages. I actually took it upon myself to fix the speed in Cool Edit Pro, and in 15 minutes I was done.

Which brings me to my point. This set is worth getting for VU fans, especially if they have access to pitch correction software. But this is probably not for n00bs or casual fans. Nice that it's out there, but shame on those who were supposedly "overseeing" this project. ZzzzZzzzZzzzz....

If you are a die-hard VU fan, then you probably had this show already in one bootleg format or another. I must admit, that this packaging job is outstanding. The booklet, the photos, the slipcase...everything about it, visually, is extraordinary and immaculate. However, what is it they say about "judging a book...?"

The actual recording is CRAP. When this was originally issued on bootleg vinyl, the mix was recorded quite a bit too slow...which is the problem here. Unfortunately, the sound editors for this potentially stellar CD ignored modern technology completely, which is to say they did not download a sound editor for free off of the internet! Any freeware editing program could speed the mix up enough for Lou, Cale, and Nico to sound normal.

I have a bootleg of this that not only sounds better, but has more songs! My 20 year old VHS tape of the concert sounds better than this.

What a disappointment. Hopefully, this can be reissued after it is properly edited.

How they could release such a great, classic outstanding concert, which even Reed called 'a night of pure heaven' (or something like that) at the wrong speed is beyond me. You have to transfer this to cassette and then re-dubb it with the pitch at correct speed. Yea, the boot CD is better, hard to find.

Sorry to rain on the parade of everybody who thinks, "Oh, well, that's what you get with an 'official bootleg'"...but this thing is bad, bad, BAD. The old bootleg versions(which were culled from one or the other of two sources, a soundboard recording and an audience recording) actually sound better than the official release of "Le Bataclan '72".
There were minor problems with the performance itself, of course--such as when the mic fed back on 'The Biggest, Loudest, Hairiest Group of All'--but most of the awful sound on this disc comes from the source tape that was used. Contrary to the liner notes, it's obvious that there was no attempt at remastering; the tape was waaaaaay too slow and they didn't try to correct the speed. 'Berlin' and the new arrangement for 'The Black Angel's Death Song' are interesting, but it sure would be nice to hear them the way they were played that night in Paris.
Number one gripe: during the second verse of 'Heroin', the tape cuts out for a split second. Listen closely and you'll hear it. Couldn't the people who put this release together have used the other source tape--at least for 'Heroin'--when they realized that there was a glitch? This drives me crazy every time I hear it.
Sloppy work. As I said, avoid.

I've heard it and I've read yr reviews and here's my take. Short and sweet, yeah the sound quality is good-fair but people, music-phlies, Reed, Cale and VU fans unite...this was history and I've heard worse sound quality recordings. It's the performances that make this CD. Reed & Cale are incredible. Nico holds her own but some of her stuff just isn't for me. If yr on the fence and debating whether of not to buy this CD, ask yrself this question--are you a die hard Lou Reed, Cale & VU head? If you are, then Bataclan 72 is a must for you.

A remarkable record for fans, though the quality may be below what some expect from reissues these days. And it does seem possibly low or slow at first (that was my first reaction even before I read these reviews) but give it a few songs--I'm not sure that's not just the way they sounded that night. It's just a cool, down-low vibe (even at 45 rpm it would be). I'm no sound expert and am much more interested in having an incredible performance, and this is--all the peformances are. Those who say there's only one good vocal per performer are way wrong. (And poor Nico--people do cough! If I were there I wouldn't have minded or been upset. And if they'd edited it out, her smoking joke before the next song wouldn't've made sense; it enhances the moment, doesn't detract. Also, some here over-esteem "the consumer" in my opinion. Look at the Top 40 to see the customer's not always right. On this point, the bonus tracks are rehersals and as such, a wonderful look behind the scenes--a great, thoughtful addition.) I love this record, and my expectations were sky high--thinking, "this may be the best record I've ever heard in my life"--since I'm a huge Lou Reed & VU fan and the thought of a soon-after acoustic trio get-together seemed impossible to top. So, if you want the moment (which is great) you'll probably be pleased and glad you got it (like me). Even a sub-par bootleg of this would be incredible--and this is better than that. But if you're a real stickler for sound, you may be disappointed, so do be cautious. But I can't see slamming the performances like some have. Maybe their expectations were as high as mine but they just have more sensitive ears or something? I'm very glad I bought this amazing music. (Packaging, photos, and liner notes (soulfully written) are very good too.) Now I hate the thought of not having this record, just as it is. If they improve the sound someday, great. Until then I'll love this. Thanks Lou, John, and Nico for being the real deal.

I'm glad they finally released this. Its only been available on bootleg and to hear it remastered must be a treat. Most of the album is basically the Velvet Underground Unplugged. However, get it for the Nico songs. Aside from an ep of Peel Sessions which are not really live anyway, this is the only way to hear classic Nico songs live. And anyway, the band as a whole shines. This was one of those special one of a kind concerts, not to be repeated.

Words can't even describe how amazing this is. A quasi-Velvet Underground reunion in 1972 and it sounded like they had never split up. Lou Reed's twisted narratives, John Cale's deep Welsh baritone and screeching viola, and Nico's German goddess/goth voice accompanied with eerie pump organ. All perfectly came together. It's a shame it wasn't permanent. The digipak is great as well. Beautiful photos and informative liner notes. A must for any fan of these three talented individuals.

Strong but mixed. Evidence that John Cale had not yet reached his level, the Reed tracks outshine Cale's input here, although Cale's solo output taken as a whole today certainly matches Reed's in quality, and perhaps bests it in consistency. "Waiting for My Man" with the classic deadpan introduction ("This is a song about copping drugs in New York") is played almost at dirge pace, but is an excellent, almost definitive version, a most welcome interpretation. "Berlin," also memorably introduced by Reed as his "Barbara Striesand song" is a stunner here, better than the album version, the stark accompaniment only heightens the decadence and heartache of the lyric. "Wild Child" is highly enjoyable, though seemingly unfinished, song that Reed never released on a studio album and contains the killer line "then she settled down with some wine/ which is what happens most of the time." The version of "Herion" is also excellent. Overall, the Reed set is of the highest possible quality. Cale's songs are interesting, but less essential, although "The Biggest Loudest Hariest Group of All" is a blast, a rare move into humor by Cale, and seems like some kind of precursor to Spinal Tap. Nico is in excellent form on the standards, "I'll Be Your Mirror" and "All Tomorrow's Parties."

Bought this album on a whim today, after hearing a few tracks off of it. Sounded decent enough for me to buy.

It essentially, as one already put it, a "VU Unplugged" style of album. Some of the songs sound kinda neat in a different atmosphere or performance than originally recorded in a studio environment.

The sound quality is a bit dissapointing. Sure, for those of you well-accustomed to VU recordings, particularly their demo songs or live bootlegs, this isn't that bad. But as has been said, it could have, with modern re-mastering technology, been much improved. The mic feeds back severely during Cale's "The Biggest, Loudest, Hariest Group Of All", and there is some slight distortion on a lot of the tracks. While some of these are inevitable to be seen on the recording, I feel there was much that could have been done to repair the bootleg. The last two tracks, enclosed as a "limited edition bonus", are pretty much crap. I even think the quality of the demos on the first disc of the "Peel Slowly And See" box set sound better than these two.

All said, it's a decent album, and if you don't have the bootleg version of this recording (sorry to some reviewers; just because you're a VU fan doesn't mean you have access to these expensive, hard to find bootlegs), it's a good way to go. One more note: Amazon says only 10,000 copies of the limited edition packaging will have the last two bonus tracks on them. Huh. My disc's serial number (they are all numbered) is 10,078. Hmmm.