Street Hassle: Songs by Lou Reed

Aram Bajakian is a guitarist, composer and educator, who performed with the legendary Lou Reed during his 2011 and 2012 tours. In addition he’s toured with Diana Krall, Madeleine Peyroux, and his known for his work with John Zorn and Dalava, the groundbreaking band he co-leads with Julia Uhlela. In this second concert of the weekend, Adam will turn his attention to Lou Reed’s songs.

A ticket to this show includes free admission to Faraway, So Close! at 3:30 pm. To claim your Faraway ticket, select the available add-on when you add this VIFF Live show to your cart.

I admit that when I started playing with Lou, I wasn’t familiar with his oeuvre. While die hard fans might get pissed about this, it allowed me to visit the music from a fresh perspective. I wasn’t star-eyed. And hey, Laurie Anderson has also admitted to not knowing his work before they started dating. When I got the gig a close friend whose parents were part of the Warhol scene in the late 60s said “Make sure you play Street Hassle with him.” Sure enough, it was already on the set list. That song, and others, like “Sad Song” from Berlin, became so emotionally intense to play that at one point I even questioned whether I wanted to keep on the tour. But the music and the lyrics and the spirit behind them are so profound. I knew I was a part of something I would never experience again. Lou’s albums have been frequently maligned by the press. With Lulu, his final opus, it was hard to believe that the reviewers who canned it listened to the whole album. How could they without having mentioned “Junior Dad,” one of Lou’s most vulnerable and devastating works. With this concert I’ve invited some vocalists who I think are up to the task of interpreting Lou’s songs. I asked them to pick some lesser known songs, and I’m excited to hear how we play them. I have a feeling Lou would be too.

Aram Bajakian

About Faraway, So Close! (Wim Wenders, 1993, 144 min), screening May 17, 3:30pm at VIFF Centre

Wim Wenders’ follow up to Wings of Desire is a quirkier affair. Beginning a few years after Damiel (Bruno Ganz) hung up his wings to settle down with Marion (Solveig Dommartin), the film follows the angel Cassiel (Otto Sander) as he too becomes mortal. Life doesn’t throw him any great romance, however – instead, he finds himself in a confounding mystery thriller. We get jokes, whimsy, hijinks and escapades; and we get Lou Reed strumming a new song. Reed, Nick Cave, and Laurie Anderson all contribute to the soundtrack.