Live in Italy (Lou Reed album)


Live In Italy is an album by Lou Reed recorded live over two nights in September 1983 using the Rolling Stones Mobile Unit. It was issued on vinyl only in Germany, UK and Japan. At the time, Reed and his band were on a world tour to promote the album Legendary Hearts. A live video, A Night with Lou Reed, filmed at a New York concert, was also released to coincide with the album. The video omitted the songs "Betrayed", "Sally Can't Dance", "Average Guy" and "Some Kinda Love"/"Sister Ray" from the 10th show, while adding "Don't Talk to Me About Work", "Women", "Turn Out the Light" and "New Age" from the 7th.
In 1996, the album was reissued under the title Live in Concert.

Reception

From contemporary reviews, the NME wondered why the majority of the songs came from Reed's Velvet Underground years, asking if it was, "because in Robert Quine, Lou Reed has at last found another simpatico guitarist, and he's just delighted to spar with him on "Sister Ray" and all those other great old songs which, frustratingly, just haven't been played right for years?" Ken Tucker of The Philadelphia Inquirer gave Live in Italy a five out of five star rating, declaring it "a wonderful encapsulation of Reed's career" finding Reed's vocals "tart and witty" and that "his phrasing loses very little subtlety in this huge-arena context."Tucker also praised Robert Quine who "delivers some of the finest, roughest, most caustic rock guitar playing I've ever heard."

Track listing

All songs written by Lou Reed except as indicated.

Side one

  1. "Sweet Jane"
  2. "I'm Waiting for My Man"
  3. "Martial Law"
  4. "Satellite of Love"

    Side two

  5. "Kill Your Sons"
  6. "Betrayed"
  7. "Sally Can't Dance"
  8. "Waves of Fear"
  9. "Average Guy"

    Side three

  10. "White Light/White Heat"
  11. "Some Kinda Love / Sister Ray"

    Side four

  12. "Walk on the Wild Side"
  13. "Heroin"
  14. "Rock & Roll"

    Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.
Production