John Cale performed his 1973 album ‘Paris 1919’ in Melbourne last night, little over a year since he first resurrected the album.
The show was split into two halves. The first half was the recreation of the 32 minute album with a starry backdrop gently lighting Cale, his band and Orchestra Victoria. It was during this set that Cale seemed uncomfortable. He seemed to be just another player, enslaved by the rigidity of an orchestra that was overpowering and drowning out their leader’s aging, but brutally pained vocals.
It was during this set that the album’s one stomper, ‘Macbeth’ was inexplicably moved from the fifth song to the last. By accident, or by some kind of attempt at bastardising the original recording so the set could end on a big note? I guess we’ll never know.
Orchestra Victoria really did prove their worth during the string heavy title track, adding a powerful backing track to the absurd chorus; “You’re a ghost, la lala lala lala lala!” but at other times they felt like they were just getting in the way.
After an intermission, the core band came back for a selection of tracks from Cale’s hefty back catalogue.
He had removed his jacket, looked more relaxed and suddenly the show took on a whole new dynamic. Despite responding to audience pleas to play various tracks with a cold “Here’s a couple of new songs,” his versions of ‘Hedda Gabler’ (from the 1977 EP ‘Animal Justice’) and ‘Pablo Picasso’ (from the 1975 album ‘Helen Of Troy’) showed that Cale can still transform a room into a haven of psychedelic bliss when he wants to.
Cale gave a second encore with an almost a capella version of ‘Chorale’, which first appeared on his 1979 live album ‘Sabotage/Live’ that was enough to send shivers down the spine of even the most jaded Velvet Underground tragic.
Despite ‘Paris 1919’ being the perfect album, it was when Cale wasn’t placed in a creative cage that he really shone brightly and despite having nothing to prove, still proves himself worthy of the tag "icon".
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