Photo of memorial via Rolling Stone, by Jessica Lehrman.
It was billed as a gathering in which Lou Reeds music would be played, and that’s just what it was. Hundreds of Lou Reed fans came together for the event, which was held at at the Paul Milstein Pool and Terrace at Lincoln Center.
It began with the loud electric guitar and pounding of drums from the title track of Reed’s 1982 album The Blue Mask. Other songs that filled the air: “Sally Can’t Dance,” “Femme Fatale,” “Heroin,” “I’m Waiting for the Man,” “Waves of Fear,” “Sunday Morning,” “I Love You, Suzanne,” “Pale Blue Eyes,” “Dirty Blvd.” and “Sweet Jane,” “Sister Ray,” “Think It Over,” “Walk on the Wild Side,” “All Tomorrow’s Parties” and “Set the Twilight Reeling.”
A memorial for Lou Reed, who died Sunday October 27, 2013 in Southampton, New York, will be held at Lincoln Center beginning at 4 PM. The public is invited.
On Lou Reed’s Facebook page a new post reads:
“New York: Lou Reed at Lincoln Center”
A gathering open to the public – no speeches. no live performances, just Lou’s voice, guitar music & songs – playing the recordings selected by his family and friends.
The Paul Milstein Pool & Terrace at Lincoln Center
Thursday November 14th. Time 1:00PM to 4:00PM
Bono offered a tribute to Lou Reed in Rolling Stone that begins:
The world is noisier today, but not the kind of noise you want to turn up. The world of words is a little quiet and a good bit dumber, the world of music just not as sharp.
Lou Reed made music out of noise. The noise of the city. Big trucks clattering over potholes; the heavy breathing of subways, the rumble in the ground; the white noise of Wall Street; the pink noise of the old Times Square. The winking neon of downtown, its massage and tattoo parlors, its bars and diners, the whores and hoardings that make up the life of the big city.
New York City was to Lou Reed what Dublin was to James Joyce, the complete universe of his writing. He didn’t need to stray out of it for material, there was more than enough there for his love and his hate songs. From Metal Machine Music to Coney Island Baby, from his work in the Velvet Underground to his work with Metallica, the city that he devoted his life to was his muse more than any other. Until Laurie Anderson came into his life 20 years ago, you could be forgiven for thinking that Lou had no other love than the noise of New York City. If he thought people could be stupid, he thought New Yorkers were the smartest of them.
Lou Reed’s final performance, a reworking of the sad ballad “Candy Says” (from the Velvets third album), which took place at Paris’ Salle Pleyel in June of this year. Reed is joined by Antony.
