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Early Spring 1965
Filmmakers Cinematheque, New York City, New York
The Launching of the Dream Weapon
Mentioned in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 20).
Mixed-media stage presentation organized by Piero Heliczer with Reed, Cale, MacLise and Morrison playing music behind the screen. Other similar performances took place during the summer of 1965. Heliczer taped music played during some of those performances. |
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Spring 1965
Café Wha, New York City, New York
John Cale: "I got Electra to join the Falling Spikes. We played sevral gigs with her, including a couple at Café Wha" [in What's Welsh For Zen - The Autobiography of John Cale (p. 76)]. |
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August 11, 1965
Broadway Central Hotel, New York City, New York
673 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Google Maps | Wikipedia
New York Underground
Handbill: calligraphy by Angus MacLise. Program for an 8-hour spectacle including music by The Falling Spikes - an early incarnation of the band before they changed their name into The Velvet Underground. Reproduced in Angus MacLise - Dreamweapon catalog (p. 16) |
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November 1, 1965
Filmmakers Cinematheque, New York City, New York
434 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10003
Google Maps
New Cinema Festival I - Opening Night
Rites of the Dream Weapon - I - "The Tremor Rite"
Program notes: for New Cinema Festival I. Rites of the Dreamweapon is a seven-part "Manifestation of the Presence" coordinated by Angus MacLise. Reproduced in Angus MacLise - Dreamweapon catalog (p. 20).
Program: for opening night "Rites of the Dreamweapon I | The Tremor Rite". Mentions "Music by: The Velvet Underground" (John Cale, Lew Reed, Sterling Morrison, Angus MacLise). Reproduced in Angus MacLise - Dreamweapon catalog (p. 23).
Sterling: "The antecedent of that [Exploding Plastic Inevitable] was done in the old Cinematheque - all done by film people - things which Angus called ritual happenings. "Rites of the Dream Weapon" did you ever see a poster for that? Yes, that was the first one. Before Ken Kesey or anybody. Angus had seen lot of Dervish dancing while he was in India. He had been there for eight years and he came back with his raga scales and assortment of drums and so we used to put on these things and they had films. Piero Heliczer was involved in that." [in Fusion No. 28, March 6, 1970]. |
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November 10, 1965
Filmmakers Cinematheque, New York City, New York
434 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10003
Google Maps
Expanded Cinema Festival - The Last Rites
Program: reproduced in Pop Goes Art - Andy Warhol & Velvet Underground (p. 10). Mentions Angus MacLise as first cembalum and John Cale as first viola.
Review: Movie Journals by Jonas Mekas (as they appeared in The Village Voice), in Film Culture - Expanded Arts, number 43, Winter 1966. November 18, 1965 article includes a review of The Last Rites at the Filmmakers Cinematheque. Reproduced in Pop Goes Art exhibition box. |
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November 1965
New York, New York
450 Grand St, New York, NY 10002
Google Maps
The Making of an Underground Film
Making of Piero Heliczer's Venus In Furs movie, featuring Cale, Morrison and Reed playing Heroin, with Heliczer joining in on saxophone! This sound portion was used for the film.
Film: for CBS News Walter Cronkite's show, broadcasted late December 1965. Short excerpts are available in Dancing In The Streets #9.
Photos: by Adam Ritchie, available in:
- Les Inrockuptibles Hors Série - The Velvet Underground (p. 62-63).
- White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day book (1 b&w photo, p. 62-63).
- The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 20, 21, 22-23, 26, 27, 28, 29).
- The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 30-31, 32-33).
- MOJO magazine, 193, December 2009 (p. 118).
- UNCUT magazine, Take 151, December 2009 (p. 48-49, 51).
- see also Adam Ritchie Photography website.
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December 11, 1965
Summit High School Auditorium, Summit, New Jersey
125 Kent Pl Blvd, Summit, NJ 07901
Google Maps
First show with the name "The Velvet Underground" and with Maureen Tucker. Triple bill with The Myddle Class as headliners and The Forty Fingers as co-support. This opening was offered by the legendary journalist Al Aronowitz who was also The Myddle Class manager.
Setlist: There She Goes Again, Venus In Furs, Heroin.
Mailer: double-sided 8.5 x 11 inch. Xerox reproduced in What Goes On #5 fanzine; in All Yesterdays' Parties - The Velvet Underground In Print 1966-1971 book (p. XXXVI); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 34); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 34).
Tape: by Al Aronowitz on a Wollensack tape recorder.
Al Aronowitz: "What was happening is that I'm taping the concert on my brand, new Wollensack tape recorder, with which the Velvets simply walk away. Someone tells me he saw them pack it up with their equipment. It doesn't take me very long to discover that that the Velvets are a bunch of speed-freaks and junkies. Heroin not only is their favorite song, it's their favorite thing."
Review: in I Was A Velveteen by Rob Norris in Kicks magazine.
Sterling: "At Summit we opened with "There She Goes Again", then played "Venus In Furs", and ended with "Heroin". The murmur of surprise that greeted our appearance as the curtain went up increased to a roar of disbelief once we started to play "Venus", and swelled to a mighty howl of outrage and bewilderment by the end of "Heroin". Al Aronowitz observed that we seemed to have an oddly stimulating and polarizing effect on audiences." (1983)
Sterling: "We played at Summit, it was our first gig with Maureen. We played 'There She Goes Again', 'Venus In Furs' and 'Heroin' - and half the people walked out." (Jun. 1990)
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Late December 1965
Café Bizarre, New York, New York
106 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012
Google Maps
Residency gig acquired by Al Aronowitz. The group meets Andy Warhol via Barbara Rubin.
Photos: by Adam Ritchie, available in:
- The Velvet Underground & Nico - Deluxe Edition CD booklet (1 b&w photo, p. 2).
- Les Inrockuptibles Hors série The Velvet Underground, June 2002 (1 color + 2 b&w photos, p. 27, 52, 53).
- MOJO 124, March 2004 (1 full-page color photo, p. 64 + 1 small b&w, p. 70).
- c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (2 b&w photos, p. 8, 20-21).
- White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day book (1 b&w photo, p. 2, 63).
- Lou Reed - Les Coffrets Cultes (1 b&w 240x280 mm photo on 300 gram coated paper).
- The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 36, 38, 39).
- The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 4-5, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42).
- UNCUT magazine, Take 151, December 2009 (p. 56).
- see also Adam Ritchie Photography website.
There is also a photo by Billy Name, available in the special 'velvet' edition of Songs for Drella, where it's credited to "Cafe Bizarre, November 1965". However, in an interview given by Maureen Tucker and Sterling Morrison at the Warhol exhibition in France in 1990, Moe discusses a photograph that supposedly shows the Velvets at the Cafe Bizarre. She says that this photograph could not have been from the Bizarre because the photo shows her behind a drum kit and she states that she was not allowed to play the drums at the Bizarre... (she had to play a tambourine). Actually the photo was shot on April 11, 1967 at Cheetah in New York City, NY.
Sterling: We tried to get gigs in the Village that summer. It was supposed to be the avant-garde there - but the clubs didn't want us. But finally we got six nights a week at the Cafe Bizarre, some ungodly number of sets, 40 minutes on and 20 minutes off. We played some covers - 'Little Queenie', 'Bright Lights Big City'... the black R&B songs Lou and I liked - and many of our songs as we had. (Jun. 1990)
Sterling: One night at the Café Bizarre we played 'The Black Angel's Death Song' and the owner came up and said, 'if you play that song one more time, you're fired.' So we started the next set with it, the all-time version, and got fired. (Apr. 1981)
Sterling: At Christmas 1965 we were told we had to work New Year's Eve at the Cafe Bizarre, but we didn't want to, so we had to figured out a way to get fired. Around December 30, after a set, the lady who owned the cafe came up and said that if we played 'Black Angel's death Song one more time we were fired. So we led off the next set with it. A really good version too... (Jun. 1990) |
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January 3, 1966
The Factory, New York, New York
231 E 47th St, New York, NY 10017
Google Maps | Wikipedia
Factory rehearsals
Tape: recorded by Andy Warhol just a week after the German actress Nico had arrived in America. This tape features what may have been the first musical collaboration between her and the Velvet Underground. The tapes feature many casual moments of unstructured jamming common to rock band rehearsals. Most of this material falls in line with what can be assumed to be influences of the key members; Older Blues, R&B, Rockabilly etc. However, there is one time on the tapes when either Lou Reed or Sterling Morrison can be heard playing the lead intro to "Day Tripper" by the Beatles. While this may seem like a standard today, it was a 4 month old song when the tape was made. On Track two, Lou Reed can be heard teaching lyrics to Nico while the rest of the band plays in the background. The lyrics are to the song "Venus In Furs." Track 11 features the whole band with Nico attempting to sing the song "There She Goes Again." They try several times to find a key that suits Nico's voice. Nico tries many times to vocalize lyrics that prove to be too fast for her broken English to master. These problems evidently were never solved, as the song appears on the first album with Lou Reed singing lead - not Nico.
Sources: All Tomorrow's Parties: Remembering the Velvet Underground CD (3-9, 12, 14-16), At Andy Warhol Museum CD (4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14-16), At The Factory - Warhol Tapes CD (3-9, 12, 14-16), Dispatches From The Dream Factory 3-CD Disc 1 (3, 8, 12, 15, 16), In 1966 There Was... 2-LP (3-9, 12, 14-16).
- All Tomorrow's Parties
- Men of Good Fortune
- Walk Alone (3:28)
- Buddy Holly jam (1:15)
- Venus in Furs/Crackin' Up (3:50)
- Blues jam (5:15)
- R & B jam (2:22)
- Run Run Run intro into Miss Joanie Lee (11:48)
- Day Tripper into Boom Boom Boom Boom (6:18)
- European Son
- Venus in Furs
- Heroin (6:10)
- Prominent Men
- Green Onions (5:57)
- There She Goes Again (Lou Reed vocal) (3:29)
- There She Goes Again (Nico vocal) (4:18)
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January 13, 1966
Delmonico Hotel, New York, New York
502 Park Ave, New York, NY 10022
Google Maps
Annual Dinner of the New York Society for Clinical Psychiatry
First public appearance with Nico.
Film: as part of Scenes From The Life Of Andy Warhol by Jonas Mekas. The soundtrack has the Velvet Underground recorded live at The Dom, Spring 1966 (see below).
Reviews:
- Syndromes Pop At Delmonico's
by Grace Gluek, in The New York Times, January 14, 1966.
Reprinted in All Yesterdays' Parties - The Velvet Underground In Print 1966-1971 book (p. 3-5). Reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 58); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (2 versions, p. 8).
- Andy Warhol's 'Velvet Underground': Shock Treatment for Psychiatrists
by Seymour Krim, in New York Herald Tribune, January 14, 1966 (p. 27).
Reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 58); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 9).
- Psychiatrists Need Couch Session After Exposure to Andy Warhol
from New York Times News Service in Utica New York Observer, January 14, 1966.
Same article as in The New York Times, with additional quote by Dr. Arthur Zitrin: "I'm program chairman for our next year's dinner. How the hell are we going to follow this act?"
- Newsmakers: Shock Treatment
in Newsweek, Vol. 67, No. 4, January 24, 1966 (p. 51).
Reproduced in
The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 10).
Photos: by Adam Ritchie, available in:
- The Velvet Underground & Nico - Deluxe Edition CD booklet (3 b&w photos, p. 5).
- Les Inrockuptibles Hors série The Velvet Underground, June 2002 (5 color photos, p. 8-12, 28).
- MOJO 124, March 2004 (1 b&w photo, p. 73).
- C/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (2 color photos, p. 72-73).
- Dispatches From The Dream Factory 3CD booklet (1 color photo, p. 13).
- White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day book (3 b&w photos, p. 73, 74, 75).
- The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 46, 47).
- The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57).
- UNCUT magazine, Take 151, December 2009 (p. 55, 57).
- see also Adam Ritchie Photography website.
Lou Reed: "That was in 1966. It was a psychiatric convention or something. For some reason they'd asked Warhol to be there and Andy took us. So yeah, this all took place. It was hilarious. They had a sense of humour too, up to a point. But we were all interviewing them and asking them psychiatric questions. It was just a big joke". [in Lou Reed - Cash For Question by Tom Doyle, in Q 164, May 2000] |
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January 1966
The Factory, New York, New York
231 E 47th St, New York, NY 10017
Google Maps | Wikipedia
TV: USA Artists: Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein TV show, on WNET-TV (channel 13), broadcasted on February 7, 1966. Features interview with Andy Warhol who introduces the Velvet Underground, and rehearsals footage.
Sources:
- 1:08 of footage, re-edited by Jed Parker with Venus In Furs as soundtrack, available as bonus to Lou Reed - Rock & Roll Heart DVD.
- complete Andy Warhol chapter (17:03, Heroin is about 45 seconds truncated however, as compared with audio recording), officially available as video stream at video thirteen.
Audio: from TV. Sources: What Goes On 3-CD (1), Searchin' For My Mainline 3-LP and 3-CD (1-3), A Symphony Of Sound 2-LP (1-3), Ultra Rare Trax Vol. 3 CD (1-3), Caught Between The Twisted Stars 4-CD (2, 3), In 1966 There Was... 2-LP (1).
- Andy Warhol says (0:58)
- [cut] Venus In Furs (1:48)
- Heroin [cut] (1:56)
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February 6, 1966
Filmmakers' Cinematheque, New York City, New York
125 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036
Google Maps
Audio: from Andy Warhol's tapes. Sources: All Tomorrow's Parties: Remembering the Velvet Underground CD (2-4), At Andy Warhol Museum CD (2-4), At The Factory - Warhol Tapes CD (2-4), Dispatches From The Dream Factory 3-CD Disc 1 (3-4), In 1966 There Was... 2-LP (2-4) .
- Venus in Furs
- Heroin (4:12)
- I'll Keep It With Mine (3:33)
- European Son / Suzie Q (4:10)
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February 13, 1966
Bridge Theatre, New York, New York
4 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
Google Maps
Grand Underground Festival
Press article: in The Village Voice, February 10, 1966: "A Grand Underground Festival on Sunday, February 13, will bring avant-garde artists in various fields together at the Bridge Theatre, 4 St. Mark's Place. Among those to appear are (...) Angus MacLise; film makers Pieor Heliczer and Andy Warhol; as well as (...) the Velvet Underground. Reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 15).
Announcement: in The Village Voice, February 10, 1966: (...) Andy Warhol color film, Piero Heliczer's "The Velvet Underground". Reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 15).
No evidence that The Velvet Underground actually performed live on that event. |
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March 7, 1966
The Factory, New York, New York
231 E 47th St, New York, NY 10017
Google Maps | Wikipedia
Rehearsal before Exploding Plastic Inevitable
Tape: recorded by Andy Warhol. Includes I'll Be Your Mirror, Femme Fatale, excerpts of My Generation and It's All Over Now. Moe Tucker wasn't there, but Nico was. Source: All Tomorrow's Parties: Remembering the Velvet Underground CD (1, 5), At Andy Warhol Museum CD (1, 5), At The Factory - Warhol Tapes CD (1, 5), Dispatches From The Dream Factory 3CD Disc 1 (1), In 1966 There Was... 2-LP (1, 5), Andy Warhol From Tapes CD: Rehearsal jam/Factory sounds [with speaker comments] (2:55); I'll Be Your Mirror (1:00).
- Get It On Time (2:18)
- I Can't Explain
- My Generation
- The Last Time
- I'll Be Your Mirror (3:20)
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March 9, 1966
Scott Hall (Rutgers University), New Brunswick, New Jersey
43 College Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Google Maps
Rutgers Up-Tight
Poster: "The Rutgers Film Society presents Andy Warhol's "Underground New York" featuring two films in color & double screen. "Vinyl" Staring Gerard Malanga & Edie Sedgwick Written by Ronnie Tavel. "Lupe" featuring Edie Sedgwick & Billy Linich. Plus onstage The Velvet Underground and Nico. "Rutgers Uptight" to be filmed in audience with Andy Warhol, Edie Sedgwick, Nico, Barbara Rubin, Gerard Malanga, Danny Williams, Billy Linch, Paul Morissey, the Velvet Underground. Wednesday March 9th at 8:00 & 10:00". Reproduced in Andy Warhol - 365 Takes (take #43); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 48).
Invitation: reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 67).
Press article: Warhol and Company Will Film Rutgers Uptight by Daniel Bayard Haber, in Rutgers Daily Targum, March 2, 1966.
Review: untitled & uncredited review reproduced in Velvet Underground Scrapbook Volume 1 (p. 4-5).
Photos:
- Stephen Shore: in Warhol's Factory - The Velvet Years 1965-67 (2 photos, p. 73).
- Nat Finkelstein: in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 155, #54, 55; p. 159, #59)
Sterling: "At Rutger's we were all dressed entirely in white. The effect, with all the films and lights projected on us, was invisibility." |
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March 12, 1966
Architecture And Design Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Fourth Ann Arbor Film Festival - Up-Tight with Andy Warhol
Ads: in Michigan Daily, March 11 & 12, 1966. Reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 16).
Photos: by Nat Finkelstein in Andy Warhol - The Factory Years 1964-1967 in the Invading the boonies - We were big in Ann Arbor chapter. This is a set of photos shot in the bus on the road to Ann Arbor and just before the EPI performance. Also in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 26-27, 28-29, 37, 54).
Reviews:
- Warhol: Neoprimitive Realism
by Betsy Cohn in Michigan Daily, March 13, 1966.
- Festival, And Films By Warhol
by Ellen Goodman in Detroit Free Press, March 15, 1966.
Reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 17).
- Andy Warhol and the Plastic Quadrangle
by David Freedman, unattributed clipping, in Scrapbook Vol. 10 Large (p. 72), Warhol Archives.
Ingrid Superstar: "I remember in Ann Arbor part of the audience went a little berserk, and there were a few hecklers. They're all a bunch of immature punks. Like we have these problems with a very enthusiastic audience that yells and screams and throws fits and tantrums and rolls on the floor, usually at colleges and benefits like that for the younger people. So, anyway, the effect of the music on the audience is just too stunned to think or say anything or give any kind of opinion. But then later I asked a few people in Ann Arbor, who had come to see the show a couple of nights in a row, what they thought, and they formed an opinion slowly. They said that they thought the music was very way out and supersonic and fast and intensified, and the effect of the sound it produced vibrated all through the audience, and when they walked out onto the street they still had these vibrations in their ears for about 15-minutes, especially from that last piece "Nothing Song", which was just noise and feedback and screeches and groans from the amplifiers." - in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 29) |
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March 1966
Paraphernalia Store, New York City, New York
795 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10065
Google Maps
Mentioned in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 30). Paraphernalia was Pilgrim Clothes flagship store. They had decided to hired Betsey Johnson to design their line and Betsey hired Andy Warhol to make a party.
Photos:
- Nat Finkelstein: in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 11, 31, 75, 92); in Andy Warhol - The Factory Years 1964-1967 in the Paraphernalia Show chapter; in Les Inrockuptibles Hors Série - The Velvet Underground (p. 33, 37, 68); in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 144, #46); in White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day book (1 b&w photo, p. 81); in Lou Reed - Les Coffrets Cultes (1 b&w 240x280 mm photo on 300 gram coated paper); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (2 photos, p. 85). One shot is also available on the back cover of the 1985 VU album, reproduced in Feed-Back - The Velvet Underground: legend, truth (p 50-51).
- Jack Robinson - see http://www.robinsonarchive.com
Film: by Gerard Malanga. Excerpts used in various documentaries (i.e. South Bank Show and Curious). |
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March 31, 1966
Village Gate, New York, New York
158 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012
Google Maps | Wikipedia
The East Village Other Presents April Fool Dance & Models Ball
with the Fugs.
Ads:
- in The Village Voice, March 24, 1966, no mention of The Velvet Underground however.
Reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 18).
- in The East Village Other, March 31, 1966 (full-page newsprint advertisement, 11 x 17").
Reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 134), in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 18).
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April 1966
Village Gate, New York, New York
158 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012
Google Maps | Wikipedia
20th anniversary party for George Plimpton's The Paris Review
Steve Nelson: "I first saw them in April 1966 at the 20th anniversary party for George Plimpton's The Paris Review at The Village Gate in NYC. A lot of bands played all evening, and The Velvets were the last to come on, with Nico, and Gerard Malanga doing the whip dance. I never heard them introduced (if they were) and had no idea who they were, but I was totally blown away. There were a lot of celebrities at that event, and when Frank Sinatra came downstairs where The Velvets were playing, he took one look at them, and turned right around and went back upstairs." |
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April 1 - April 30, 1966
The Open Stage, New York, New York
23 St Marks Pl (East Village), New York, NY 10003
Google Maps | Streetview
Exploding Plastic Inevitable
Although most people refer to the EPI at "the Dom" it actually premiered in the hall above the Dom Bar. According to "Bob" John Liikala who ran the Open Stage, "no one referred to my site as the Dom, it was the 'Open Stage.' Just to set history straight, 'Dom Inc.' did not premiere the [E.P.I.] event, it didn't even exist." (Source: Warholstars.org)
Poster: letterpress on coated poster board, 22 x 14" (55.9 x 35.6 cm). Reproduced in Peel Slowly And See booklet (p.32); in Andy Warhol - 365 Takes (take #43); in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 151, cat. 59); in Feed-Back - The Velvet Underground: legend, thruth (p. 27); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 51); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 73).
Ads:
- in The Village Voice, March 31, 1966 (p. 30).
"COME BLOW YOUR MIND | the silver dream factory presents the first | ERUPTING PLASTIC INEVITABLE". Indicates "starting Friday April 1" and also "No performance on Saturday April 2nd".
Reproduced in Dispatches From The Dream Factory 3CD booklet (p. 3); also shown in Southbank Show Velvet Underground TV documentary (at appox. 7:53).
- in The Village Voice, April 7, 1966 (½-page ad, p. 29).
"DO YOU WANT TO DANCE AND BLOW YOUR MIND WITH - THE EXPLODING PLASTIC INEVITABLE".
Reproduced in c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (p. 10-11); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 51); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 68-69); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 20).
- in The Village Voice, April 14, 1966.
"DO YOU WANT TO DANCE AND BLOW YOUR MIND TO - ANDY WARHOL'S NEW DISCOTHEQUE - THE EXPLODING PLASTIC INEVITABLE".
Reproduced in Dispatches From The Dream Factory 3CD booklet (p. 18); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 24).
- in The East Village Other, Vol. 1, No. 10, April 15 - March 1, 1966 (½-page newsprint ad, 9½ x 10½ inxh).
Reproduced in Pop Goes Art exhibition box; in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 51); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 25).
- in The Village Voice, April 28, 1966. 9 x 24 cm.
"Last Chance To Dance At Andy Warhol's Disco-Flick - ANDY WARHOL'S NEW DISCO-FLICKA-THEQUE - THE EXPLODING PLASTIC INEVITABLE".
Reproduced in Dispatches From The Dream Factory 3CD booklet (p. 14); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 28).
Audio: Jonas Mekas' Scenes From The Life Of Andy Warhol film soundtrack, B+, 28 minutes. Sources: New York Underground 68-72 DVD, Chelsea Girls RaroVideo DVD. Also: Searchin' For My Mainline 3-CD (3:50 excerpt of 2), Ostrich Hilltop CD (4:21 excerpt of 2), Caught Between The Twisted Stars 4-CD (2).
- I'll Be Your Mirror (fuzz-guitar overload version) (2:00)
- Untitled (jam track) (25:07)
Jonas Mekas: "...in the case of the Plastic Inevitables (the Velvet Underground) the desire for the mystical experiance is unconscious. (...) At the Plastic Inevitables, however, the dance floor and the stage are charged with the electricity of a dramatic break just before the dawn. (...) At the Plastic Inevitables, it is all Here and Now and the Future."
Photos:
- Nat Finkelstein: in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 32-33, 34, 35); in Pop Goes Art - Andy Warhol & Velvet Underground (p. 16); in Superstars (p. 33); in Les Inrockuptibles Hors Série - The Velvet Underground (p. 44); in Andy Warhol Screen Tests (p. 18); in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 155, #51, 52, 56, 57; p. 161, #61); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 52, 54).
- Billy Name: in The Films of Andy Warhol: Part II (p. 26); in Andy Warhol Screen Tests (p. 264); in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 156, cat. 425; p. 157, cat. 426; p. 160, #60); in Les Inrocks 2 - Andy Warhol de A à Z (p. 23); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 55); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 72).
- Fred McDarrah: in The Village Voice, April 7, 1966 (p. 1); in Les Inrockuptibles - Superstars (p. 9, 12, 33, 44); in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 28, fig. 5; p. 33, fig. 1; p. 154, #50); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 78, 79, 82-83)
- Paul Morrissey: in c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (p. 6-7, 50, 51); in Feed-Back - The Velvet Underground: legend, thruth (p. 19); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 76, 77). Another shot from the same series is used as cover of The Velvet Underground Story 2006 2CD collection.
Reviews:
- Andy, Edie, & the Velvet Underground
in The Village Voice, April 7, 1966 (p. 12, plus p. 1 insert with one photo).
reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 80); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 20 & 21).
- Black Jeans to Go Dancing at the Movies: It's Inevitable
by Marilyn Bender, in The New York Times, April 11, 1966 (p. 47).
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 22).
- Notebook for Night Owls - Velvet Nineveh
by Sally Kempton, in The Village Voice, April 14, 1966 (p. 18).
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 23).
- A "High" School of Music and Art
by John Wilcock, in The East Village Other, Vol. 1, No. 10, April 15 - May 1, 1966 (p. 5).
reproduced in Pop Goes Art exhibition box, in Velvet Underground Scrapbook Volume 1 (p. 2); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 23); reprinted in All Yesterdays' Parties - The Velvet Underground In Print 1966-1971 (p. 8-10).
- Pop Artist Creates a 'Happening'
by Bob Glover, in The Daily Register, April 22, 1966 (Young Adult Section p. 4).
- An Exploding World
by Mitch Susskind and Leslie Gottesman, in Columbia Daily Spectator, April 27, 1967.
reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 81); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 27).
- At the 'Plastic Inevitable,' reality becomes unreal
by Jeff Cox, in The Pocono Record (Stroudsburg PA), May 5, 1966.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 36).
- Movie Journals
by Jonas Mekas (as they appeared in The Village Voice), in Film Culture - Expanded Art, number 43, Winter 1966. May 26, 1966 article includes a review of The E.P.I. at the Dom.
Reproduced in Pop Goes Art exhibition box.
- Notes From The Underground
by Mary Frances Carr, in The Examplar, June 8, 1966.
reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 111); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 55).
- Inevitable Explodes on St. Mark's Place
by Stephanie Harrington, in The Village Voice, June 16, 1966 (p. 29, 31).
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 56).
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April 26, 1966
National Roller Skating Arena, Washington, District Of Columbia
1661 Kalorama Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009
Google Maps
NOW Festival
Program: theater program for the NOW Festival, including "Velvet Underground / Andy Warhol and cast".
Callie Angell: A performance event called "Linoleum" by Robert Rauschenberg "ended with an electronic bang when Pop Artist Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground, a rock and roll band from his New York night club, The Plastic Inevitable, turned the roller rink into a giant discotheque." (quote from Leroy F. Aarons, "New Theater's 'Happening' Amuses, Angers Audience," The Washington Post, April 27, 1966, p. B2.). So, despite the fact the Velvets were booked at the Dom all that month, they apparently weren't performing every night.
Review: New Theater's 'Happening' Amuses, Angers Audience by Leroy F. Aarons in The Washington Post April 27, 1966. |
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April 27 (?), 1966
Filmmaker's Cinematheque, New York City, New York
125 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036
Google Maps
Callie Angell: Also, I have found some evidence, not entirely clear, that they performed at the Filmmaker's Cinematheque on April 27th (?), 1966, which would have been the very next night. The Cinematheque ads from the Village Voice for that date announce "A new film by Andy Warhol," and "BED by Andy Warhol, Based on a play by Bob Heide." But I found an article from the Fire Island News, June 4, 1966, by George English "The Worst is Yet to Come," which describes in great detail an evening at "the Film-Maker's Cinematheque this spring when they were showing Andy Warhol's 'Up-Tight Series." The dating of this is a little hard to figure out: I would have assumed he is describing the February "Up-Tight" show at the Cinematheque, since he mentions Edie Sedgwick, a "pregnant girl in a red dress going up and down the aisle" with a spotlight and camera filming people (Barbara Rubin?). But he does say, "this spring," and then he also describes -- in very convincing detail --- a screening of The Bed in double-screen followed by a screening of Outer and Inner Space in double screen, following by the Velvet Underground performing with Nico, Edie and probably Gerard dancing on stage, and "three movies going at the same time." As far as I know, The Bed was not shown at the Up-Tight shows in February (and was it announced in April as "a new film by Andy Warhol"). (It was actually made the previous fall). |
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May 3-5, 1966
The Trip, West Hollywood, California
8572 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Google Maps
Exploding Plastic Inevitable
The engagement was from May 3rd to 18th, but the sheriff closed down the club after the third day.
Radio ad: in What Goes On 3-CD set.
Ads:
- in Los Angeles Free Press, May 6, 1966
reproduced in All Yesterdays' Parties - The Velvet Underground In Print 1966-1971 (advance reading copy only); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 37).
- in Los Angeles Free Press, May 13, 1966 (p. 12): same as May 6, 1966
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 40).
- half-page ad in (KRLA/KYA) The Beat Volume 2, Number 9, May 14, 1966
KRLA Beat: L.A.'s first rock-and-roll newspaper
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 41).
- in Los Angeles Times calendar, May 15, 1966
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 41).
- half-page ad in KLRA Beat Volume 2, Number 10, May 21, 1966, p. 17. Reproduced in c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (p. 74, b&w); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 93, b&w).
KRLA Beat: L.A.'s first rock-and-roll newspaper
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 43).
Poster: cardboard site poster, 22 x 14". The poster was not designed by Roy Lichtenstein, but appropriated his Newsweek cover image. Reproduced in Pop Goes Art exhibition box; in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 56): in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 95).
Photos:
- uncredited photographer: 1 color photo as part of Wild New Flashy Badlam of the Discothèque article in Life magazine, May 27, 1966. Reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 48-49).
- Howard L. Bingham: black & white photo collage in Beat, May 28, 1966 (p. 13). Full-page reproduced in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story book (p. 43); in c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (p. 65); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 13); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 101); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 50). Also one photo in Beat, December 31, 1966 (p. 5), reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 90-91).
KRLA Beat: L.A.'s first rock-and-roll newspaper
- uncredited photographer: 1 black & white photo, illustrating Trip Blows One article (see below).
- Lisa Law: black & white photos, available in Flashing On The Sixties - Photographs by Lisa Law book (2 photos, p. 36); on the front cover of The Warlocks/The Falling Spikes bootleg LP (1 photo); in the German Pop Goes Art exhibition box (5 photos); in Pop Goes Art - Andy Warhol & Velvet Underground (3 photos, p. 19, 21, 22); in The Velvet Underground & Nico - Deluxe Edition 2CD (3 photos); in Les Inrockuptibles Hors Série - The Velvet Underground (1 photo, p. 4-5); in Andy Warhol Screen Tests (1 photo, p. 266); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 58-59, 60-61); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (7 photos, p. 96-99, 126-127); on The Velvet Underground Icon CD backcover (1 photo). Lisa has more of the gig at the Trip and lots of Nico and all of them at the Castle and Lou and Nico rehearsing at the Castle.
- Charles Brittin: 3 black & white photos published in 2nd issue of arthur, January 2003; 2 pictures in MOJO 112, March 2003 (p. 23).
- Julian Wasser: 1 black & white photo in MOJO 124, March 2004 (p. 72).
- Chuck Boyd: black & white photos, 1 available at The Chuck Boyd Photo Collection; 3 at Chuck Boyd Galleries.
Press articles:
- Andy Warhol to Unveil Nitery Act
in Los Angeles Times, May 3, 1966.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 30).
- A Far-Out Night With Andy Warhol
by Kevin Thomas in Los Angeles Times, May 5, 1966
reproduced on back side of the Fillmore Auditorium, May 26-27 handbill; in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 35).
reprinted in All Yesterdays' Parties - The Velvet Underground In Print 1966-1971 (p. 12-14).
- Trip Blows One
by Burton, in KFWB/98, May 11, 1966 (p. 2)
reproduced in c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (p. 26); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 100); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 54).
- Andy Warhol and the Night on Fire
by Paul Jay Robbins in Los Angeles Free Press, May 13, 1966 (p. 12)
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 40);
reprinted in All Yesterdays' Parties - The Velvet Underground In Print 1966-1971 (p. 15-19).
- Co-Headliners at Slate Bros.
in Los Angeles Times, May 15, 1966
"Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground and Nico will appear through Wednesday at The Trip".
- Andy Peacepimple Puts a New Complexion on Night
by Andy Seidenbaum, in Los Angeles Times Calendar, May 15, 1966 (p. 3).
- Strip's Trip Hit by 3G Pay Claim as Club Shutter
in Daily Variety, Vol. 131, No. 52, May 17, 1966 (p. 1 & 13)
reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 92, 93); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 42).
- Andy Warhol Hit The Sunset Strip
in unknown publication, circa May 1966
reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 100); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 52).
- Legal Problems Cause Closure of The Trip
in unknown publication, May 1966
reproduced inThe Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 46).
- untitled & uncredited review reproduced in Velvet Underground Scrapbook Volume 1 (p. 2-3).
Cher: "It depressed me. It will replace nothing - except maybe suicide."
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May 27-29, 1966
Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, California
1805 Geary Blvd (at Fillmore Street), San Francisco, CA 94115
Google Maps - Wikipedia
Exploding Plastic Inevitable
With: The Mothers of Invention.
Poster: "BILL GRAHAM PRESENTS", BG 8. Screen print on heavyweight paper, 20 x 14" (50.8 x 35.6 cm). Artist is Wes Wilson. Reproduced in Pop Goes Art exhibition box; Warhol Live catalogue (p. 152, cat. 75); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 63); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 109).
- The pre-concert 1st printing has union logo 72 in the lower left corner and measures 14 x 20".
- The 2nd printing is a 1967 post-concert reprint with no union logo and "Printing by West Coast Lithograph Co. SF" below "Geary" in the image. It measures 13 3/4 x 19 15/16".
- The 3rd printing (see BG008-3) was printed in 1993 with "Andy Warhol and His Plastic Inevitable" in hot pink rather than white. "© Wes Wilson BG 8-3/PS 33" was added below "Fillmore" at the lower left corner of the image above "Ticket." The poster measures 14 x 20".
Handbills: same artwork by Wes Wilson, 5½ x 8½", printed on other color papers (bright pink, pale pink, pale green, tan/yellow, pale yellow) and most are two sided with a reprint from the LA Times, May 5, 1966 on the backside (some bright pink printings have blank back). Reproduced in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 63); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 108).
Postcards: repro of original poster, printed at a later date. Original printing is 8 x 5 inch (20.4 x 12.7 cm). Later one is 7 x 5 inch (17.7 x 12.7 cm) and has "ANDY WARHOL AND HIS PLASTIC INEVITABLE" colored in pink.
Tapes: listed in What Goes On - Best of 1&2 fanzine, 27/5 (45 mins, B-); 29/5 (55 mins, B-). EXISTENCE UNCONFIRMED.
Press articles:
- Rosy View of Pop
by Elinor Hayes in Oakland Tribune, May 21, 1966.
Andy Warhol press conference report before Filmore shows. One photo with Gerard Malanga, Andy Warhol and Nico.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 44).
- Conjuror's Dream From Pop World
by John L. Wasserman in San Francisco Chronicle, May 23, 1966.
reproduced in c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (p. 27); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 110); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 45).
- The Sizzle That Fizzled
by Ralph J. Gleason, probably in San Francisco Chronicle, 1966 (exact date unknown).
reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 110); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 51).
- Andy Warhol, Son of Hip
by Merla Zellerbach, in San Francisco Chronicle, May 27, 1966.
- Gimmicky 'Explosion'
by Philip Elwood,
in San Francisco Examiner, May 30, 1966.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 52).
- The Lion Ship
by Joan Chatfield-Taylor in San Francisco Chronicle, May 30, 1966, with 2 photos (Nico & Andy Warhol).
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 53).
Sterling Morrison: We actually built the light show at the Fillmore. Bill Graham didn't, nor did any San Francisco entrepreneur. When we showed up, Graham had a slide projector with a picture of the moon. We said, 'That's not a light show, Bill, sorry.' That's one of the reasons that Graham really hates us. (1983)
John Cale: In San Francisco, we played the Fillmore and no one liked us much. We put the guitars against the amps, turned up, played percussion and then split. Bill Graham came into the dressing room and said, "You owe me 20 more minutes." I'd dropped a cymbal on Lou's head and he was bleeding. "Is he hurt?" Graham said. "We're not insured."
[in Shards of Velvet Afloat in London by Robert Greenfield in Rolling Stone magazine, February 18, 1971]
Ralph J. Gleason: If this is what America's waiting for, we are all going to die of boredom, because this is a celebration of the silliness of cafe society... The Velvet Underground was really pretty lame... Camp plus con equals nothing. (The San Francisco Chronicles, 1966)
Bill Graham get back to the EPI shows at Fillmore in Rock Palace King Cools It With Jazz, an article by Leonard Feather, in Los Angeles Times March 10(?), 1968. |
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June 21-June 26 held over July 3, 1966
Poor Richard's, Chicago, Illinois
1363 N Sedgwick St, Chicago, IL 60610
Google Maps
Exploding Plastic Inevitable
These shows were without Lou Reed who was at New York's Beth Israel Hospital for hepatitis, and without Nico who took off for Ibiza at the beginning of June. Angus MacLise was on drums, Maureen on bass, Sterling and John on lead vocals. The engagement - originally June 21-26 - was held over July 3rd.
Poster: letterpress on cardboard with printed paper sticker, 22¼ x 14" (56.2 x 35.6 cm). Reproduced in Andy Warhol - 365 Takes (take #43) and in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 152, cat. 63); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 115).
Handbill: text printed on black or white paper. Reproduced in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 64)
Announcements:
- Andy Warhol and His Marvelous Fun Machine
by Michaela Williams, in Chicago Daily News, June 10, 1966 (p. 34). Unattributed clipping, in Scrapbook Vol. 10 Large (p. 62) Warhol Archives.
- From The Music Capital Of The World in Billboard, June 25, 1966 (p. 38): "Andy Warhol's "Exploding Plastic Inevitable" show, embracing a rock group called The Velvet Underground, comes with its troupe of 10 to Poor Richard's tomorrow (21). The Group plays while underground films roll, stroboscopic lights stream and dancers writhe."
Google books
Setlist: reproduced in c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (p. 32); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 114).
Reviews:
- Warhol's Brutal Assemblage | Non-Stop Horror Show
by Michaela Williams in Chicago Daily News, June 22, 1966 (p. 34).
Excerpt reprinted in the liner notes of The Velvet Underground & Nico gatefold cover.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 57).
- Pop Revue - Way Out? Very In?
by Susan Nelson in The Chicago Tribune, June 29, 1966, with a photo by Bart Malinski (with Moe Tucker playing bass, and John Cale).
reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 111); in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 58); reprinted in All Yesterdays' Parties - The Velvet Underground In Print 1966-1971 (p. 21-23).
- Warhol's 'Exploding Show' Stirs Psychosis in Chi's Offbeat Poor Richard's
in Variety, June 29, 1966.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 59).
- Chicago Happenings
by Larry McCombs, in Boston Broadside, July 1966
reprinted in Zig Zag no. 41; in All Yesterdays' Parties - The Velvet Underground In Print 1966-1971 (p. 24-27).
"the music is lost in the chaos of noise. Are there children chanting or singing? ... Then it goes on and on and on... you wish it would stop".
- An 'Experience'-Warhol Version
by Susan Dooley, unattributed clipping, in Scrapbook Vol. 10 Large (p.70), Warhol Archives.
- On Film: a teenager meets Andy's gang
By Bill Stamets, in Chicago Reader, November 13, 2003.
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/on-film-a-teenager-meets-andys-gang/Content?oid=913806
John Cale: "In Chicago, I was singing lead because Lou had hepatitis, no one knew the difference. We turned our faces to the wall and turned up very loud. Paul Morrisey (later the director of Trash) and Danny Williams had different visions of what the light show should be like and one night I looked up to see them fighting, hitting each other in the middle of a song. Danny Williams just disappeared. They found his clothes by the side of a river, with his car nearby... the whole thing. He used to carry this strobe around with him all the time and no one could figure out why till we found out he kept his amphetamine in it."
[in Shards of Velvet Afloat in London by Robert Greenfield in Rolling Stone magazine, February 18, 1971]
June 23, 1966
Film: Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable, by Ronald Nameth. The film soundtrack offers two songs recorded in Chicago.
Audio: film soundtrack, B, 10 minutes. Sources: Orange Disaster LP (1-2), Searchin' For My Mainline 3-LP and 3-CD (1-2), A Symphony Of Sound 2-LP (1-2), Ultra Rare Trax Vol. 3 CD (1-2), Caught Between The Twisted Stars 4-CD (1-2), Dispatches From The Dream Factory 3-CD Disc 1 (1-2).
- Heroin (5:14)
- Venus In Furs (3:24)
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Late June/early July 1966
Playboy Club, Chicago, Illinois
116 E Walton St, Chicago, IL 60611
Google Maps - Wikipedia
Photo: in Playboy Club magazine VIP, subtitled "A recent fashion show-happening at the Windy City warren, sponsored by Mod shop Mat At Ease, featured the nouvelle vague entertainment troupe "The Velvet Underground," touting the most modern in way-out wearables". Reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 119).
Sterling Morrison: As for "Playboy," they hired us to play in the club at a noon fashion show - the clothing was given to us by a mod shop in Old Town. It was written up with a picture in their VIP magazine.[in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 49)] |
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Summer/Fall 1966
The Factory, New York City, New York
231 E 47th St, New York, NY 10017
Google Maps - Wikipedia
The Velvet Underground And Nico (a.k.a. A Symphony Of Sound)
Film: by Andy Warhol, 67 min, 2 reels, B/W. A video tape of 2nd reel circulates unofficialy. A pirate "audience" screener video (recorded during a film projection) also exists, and it has the complete film. The complete film is now available officialy on VHS (2002) and DVD (2004), released by RaroVideo Visioni Underground.
Audio: film soundtrack, 53 min. Sources: A Symphony Of Sound 2-LP, Searchin' For My Mainline 3-CD, A Walk With The VU 5-CD (all those records have actually the 20 minutes of Velvet Underground music offered on reel two), A Symphony Of Sound LP.
- Untitled jam track (53 minutes)
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August 31-September 4, 1966
Chrysler Art Museum, Provincetown, Massachusetts
356 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657
Google Maps - Wikipedia
Exploding Plastic Inevitable
Posters: 2 different.
- Screen print on heavyweight paper, 13¾ x 15¾" (34.8 x 40 cm). Reproduced in Peel Slowly And See booklet (p. 77); in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 152, cat. 64); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 69).
- Letterpress on coated cardboard, 22 x 14" (55.6 x 35.6 cm). "IT'S ANDY WARHOL'S EXPLOSION!" text (only 2 known copies to exist, one is at Chrysler Art Museum). Reproduced in c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (p. 5); in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 152, cat. 65); in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (p. 69); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 118).
Ads:
- in Provincetown Advocate, August 25, 1966 (p. 4):
Coming August 31 thru September 4 | Andy Warhol | "Velvet Underground"
- in Provincetown Advocate, September 1, 1966 (p. 3 & 4)
  
Photo: Hugo (see back of The Velvet Underground And Nico LP).
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November 3, 1966
Music Hall Ballroom, Cincinnati, Ohio
1241 Elm St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Google Maps| Streetview
The Exploding Plastic Inevitable
Music Hall Ballroom was originally the old Topper Club.
Flyer: made of plastic with clear lettering . 8½ x 5½". It states that it is "designed by Brody". Reproduced in c/o The Velvet Underground catalogue (p. 33); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 133).
Newspaper article: Warhol At the Topper Nov 3rd by Larry Patterson in University of Cincinnati News Record, October 27, 1966 (p. 18).
Ads:
- in University of Cincinnati News Record, October 27, 1966 (p. 27).
- in University of Cincinnati News Record, November 3, 1966 (p. 19).
Reviews: Something Was Inevitable by Doug Snyder in What Goes On fanzine, issue #5. Also in Cincinnati Sunday Pictorial Enquirer, January 8, 1967:
"THE SCENE: The room is huge, dark, crowded. Pinpoints of colored light dart from around the walls, reflected from a mosaic-mirrored ball that hangs from the ceiling. At the far side of the room, on stage, is the Velvet Underground, polka-dotted, pinstriped, booted, wide-belted, dark-spectacled musicians. With them, twisting, turning, leaping, getting the message, is dancer Gerard Malanga. Walking among the tables toward the stage is Nico, tall, casual, stunning in black velvet pea jacket and loose-legged lavender pants.
THE SCREEN: Behind the Underground, three films are projected simultaneously on the same screen. Sharing the screen at various time, are members of the Underground sitting at tables and standing along a wall, a pair of lips, Nico's profile, Gerard's staring face, two men binding another to a chair, an ear. Like most home movies, the films are intimate, jerky from the hand-helded camera, and made up of disconnected images. Unlike most home movies, they are way out.
THE SOUND: At first it is the amplified throb of single, disconnected guitar notes. Thirty minutes later these have been resolved to a rythm. Soon after come drummer, guitarist, singer and violinist, and the result is a resounding folk rock.
MAKING IT HAPPEN: Feeling the beat, casting his gyrating shadow on the screen behind, giving off his own light flashes from a rhinestone necklace, making it all happen, is Gerard. He works with a bullwhip, sliding it along the floor, cracking it in the air with a choreographic frenzy.
HAPPEN?: What happened at the happening was a high gear bombardment of sound, lights, movement, and constantly changing images. ...Whether anyone was turned on or off by the event, whether anything happened besides the happening itself is beside the point. Dig?"
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November 4, 1966
Valley Dale Ballroom, Columbus, Ohio
1590 Sunbury Rd, Columbus, OH 43219
Google Maps | Streetview
Ads: all the same in University Student Newspaper The Ohio State Lantern, October 28 (p. 8), November 1 (p. 2), November 3 (p. 2), November 4 , 1966 (p. 7).
The Lantern Online Archive
Press articles:
Review: Something Was Inevitable by Doug Snyder with photos by Al Brandenberger in What Goes On fanzine issue number 5.
Photos: by Al Brandenberger. 4 shots available in What Goes On fanzine issue number 5.
Audio: audience recording, 105 minutes. Taped by Dick Felton. It also circulates under false pretenses as "Lawrence, Kansas, 1966" or "Cleveland, 4/11/66". The best source is the Move Back! 2-CD set which offers an unedited version of this legendary recording. Some versions of that tape have one minute edited out in the middle of Waiting For The Man. Also at the end of that song you can hear two barkings which are not on the original version - maybe a version dubbed "through the air" with a microphone in front of a speaker playing the original tape with some bonus noises: the barking dog...
Doug Snyder: "This time one of us - Dick Felton - took a tape recorder. (...) Their equipment manager Dave Faison helped us with an extension cord for our mono recorder. (...) The tape Dick made of the concert ends with him saying, "I'm scared to play it back. I really am." Dick's tape has been bootlegged many times over the years - but never by him. The best known boot is Velvet Underground 1966, which was put out by Bernd Baierschmidt. The LP had Melody Laughter on one side, and The Nothing Song on the other - but were just called "side one" and "side two". Bernd's girlfriend was the mysterious cover girl. Bernd died as the result of a motorcycle crash a couple years later, so I can tell this about him. He had been the one to see the Velvets before the rest of us - probably before anyone else in Ohio, and for years was the cultural arbitrer of Cincinnati from his perch at Kidd's Books. (...) A few months after the EPI came to Ohio, Bernd Baierschmidt and Dick Felton took the Valleydale tape to New York. They called the Factory and asked for Andy. The voice said, "This Is Andy." They took Andy Warhol the tape, and he made a copy."
Sources: 1966 LP (1, 9), The Warlocks/The Falling Spikes LP (2-8), Legend LP (2, 3, 5, 6), Songs Of Cave CD (2-8), Down For You Is Up LP & CD (2-8), A Symphony Of Sound 2-LP (1 - excerpt), Live In Columbus CDs part 1 & 2 (1-9), EPI/1966 2-CD (1-9), Move Back! 2-CD (1-9), Caught Between The Twisted Stars 4-CD (1-9), Move Back! 2006 Remastered (1-9).
- Melody Laughter (28:26)
- Femme Fatale (3:43)
- Venus In Furs (4:53)
- The Black Angel's Death Song (5:28)
- All Tomorrow's Parties (7:25)
- I'm Waiting For The Man (4:32)
- Heroin (8:57)
- Run Run Run (8:51)
- The Nothing Song (32:00)
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November 5, 1966
MountainLair, Morgantown, West Virginia
West Virginia University, Maiden Ln, Morgantown, WV 26505
Google Maps | Wikipedia
The Exploding Plastic Inevitable
Poster: reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 120)
Audio: tape listed in What Goes On fanzine, Best of 1&2 issue, 15 minutes (incomplete), C+. Status: unconfirmed, uncirculated. |
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November 6, 1966
Masonic Auditorium, Cleveland, Ohio
3615 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115
Google Maps
The Exploding Plastic Inevitable
Ad: in The Plain Dealer, October 30, 1966: "Belkin Production presents in person Andy Warhol with his smash N.Y. scene The Exploding Plastic Inevitable Featuring The Velvet Underground & Nico As Featured In Life Magazine". Reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 70).
Review: What Happened? NOTHING! by Stan Anderson in Cleveland Press, November 11, 1966 (p. 3, 1-page with photos by Bernie Noble).
John Cale: "We worked the Masonic Hall in Columbus Ohio. A huge place filled with people drinking and talking. We tuned up for about ten minutes, tuning, fa-da-da, up, da-da-da, down. There's a tape of it. Played a whole set to no applause, just silences."
[in Shards of Velvet Afloat in London by Robert Greenfield in Rolling Stone magazine, February 18, 1971] |
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November 12, 1966
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Mentioned in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 65).
Press article:
- The Warhol Happening
by Barry Hale, in Toronto Telegram, November 14, 1966.
- Velvet Underground in Hamilton
by Barry Lord in artscanada no.105, February 1967, 3-page article on the Velvet underground performing at McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario Canada with 10 photos by Ian MacEachern of the EPI including Gerard Malanga, Nico and Sterling Morrison. The text was reprinted in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 65).
Photos: Ian MacEachern (see above). Available in The Velvet Underground - An Illustrated History Of A Walk On The Wild Side (6 b&w photos, p. 70-71). |
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November 14, 1966
unknown venue, Toronto, Canada
Tape: listed in What Goes On - Best of 1&2 fanzine, 35 minutes (incomplete), B-. Status: unconfirmed, uncirculated.
Press article: The Warhol Happening by Barrie Hale in Toronto Telegram, November 14, 1966. |
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November 17-20, 1966
Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum, Highland Park, Michigan
1120 W State Fair Ave, Highland Park, MI 48203
Google Maps | Wikipedia
Dick Clark "Caravan of Stars Tour"
Mentioned in Up-tight - The Velvet Underground Story (p. 65). Hosted by Dick Clark, the Velvet Underground played on the same bill with the Yardbirds. This show is also documented in the book Yardbirds by Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty. The book confirms that the Yardbirds covered Waiting For My Man on stage. |
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December 4, 1966
Action House, Island Park, New York
50 Austin Blvd, Island Park, NY 11558
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Night Beat Magazine presents Freak Out '66
Poster: 13 x 10½ inch double sided poster. Reproduced in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 177).
Handbill.
Photos: by Tim Boxer. Available in:
Getty Images
- Studio Voice Vol. 224, August 1994 (1 b&w, p. 54)
- MOJO 104, July 2002 (p. 117)
- White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day book (1 b&w photo, p. 122)
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December 10-11, 1966
YMHA Auditorium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
401 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Google Maps
Philadelphia Art Festival
Poster: letter press on coated poster board, 22 x 12" (55.9 x 30.2 cm). Reproduced in Andy Warhol - 365 Takes (take #43); in Warhol Live catalogue (p. 152, cat. 69); in The Velvet Underground - New York Art (p. 134).
"A mixed-media discotheque complete with Andy Warhol and underground films.
First there'll be different underground films each night, then Andy Warhol, himself, and his rock group, The Velvet Underground And Nico. Then they flash lights on you and everything and turn you into wallpaper. Then you're supposed to go out of your mind. The critics aren't wild about this but only the Arts Council has the nerve to do it".
Ad: same as poster, in Philadelphia Enquirer, December 4, 1966.
Reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 83).
Press articles:
- A Warhol 'Happening' In YMHA Auditorium
in Philadelphia Enquirer, December 4, 1966.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 82).
- Art Council sets Weekend bill of Underground films
in Philadelphia Enquirer, December 4, 1966.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 83).
Reviews:
- Andy Warhol: Pop Goes Fizzle | Underground Happens in Philadelphia With Little Fallout
by John Lombardi, in The Courier Post, December 12, 1966.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 85).
- Warhol 'Happening' Hits Like a Noisy Bomb
by Judy Altman in Philadelphia Daily News, December 12, 1966 - with 2 photographs by Elwood P. Smith, one of Nico holding her son Ari. The article mentions shows in Washington, Boston, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Morgantown W. Va.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 86); reprinted in All Yesterdays' Parties - The Velvet Underground In Print 1966-1971 (p. 37-39).
- Handy Andy
in Women's Wear Daily, December 13, 1966.
reproduced in The Inevitable World of The Velvet Underground (p. 87).
Photos: by Nat Finkelstein in Les Inrockuptibles Hors Série - The Velvet Underground (p. 48-49, 68); in MOJO 124, March 2004 (p. 66).
Maureen: I remember one show in particular, at the Jewish YMCA at the Philadelphia Art Festival. Each artist was supposed to bring something representing his art. Everybody brought their two little pictures except Andy - he brought us, these 13 freaks. |
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Thanks: Gordon Lyon & Aral Sezen, Callie Angell, Steve Nelson, Tom, Esther Robinson, Michael Prosser, Alfredo Garcia, Mark Sturdy, António Neto Alves, Marc Skobac, Gavin Roberts, Tom Z.
by Olivier Landemaine
last modified: May 3, 2012
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