You’d think the recent revival of CBGB as an airport restaurant would be sufficient humiliation to convince New Yorkers to let go of their old haunts. But no. Hot on the heels of the Mudd Club rummage sale and the 50th anniversary celebration of Max’s Kansas City comes another 50th anniversary celebration of Max’s Kansas City.
This one, at the Cutting Room on Jan. 14, is being billed as a tribute to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, with some of Lou’s collaborators and a proper tribute band churning out his songs. Among the performers who’ve played with Reed in the past are guitarist Mike Rathke, bassist Ellard-James “Moose” Boles, drummer Michael Suchorsky and sax player Marty Fogel, whose memories of Reed are included in the recent bio, Dirty Blvd. Other notable guests will include Patti Smith’s guitarist Lenny Kaye (who also played at the Mudd Club event), Marshall Crenshaw, poet Anne Waldman, and Love Goes to Buildings on Fire author Will Hermes, who’s working on yet another bio of Reed.
Advance tickets are no less than $60 — plus a $20 food/drink minimum — but you’ll be helping out Max’s charitable programs for musicians in distress and at-risk youth.
If you just can’t swing that, maybe go watch the love of Lou’s life, Laurie Anderson, perform a free concert for dogs at 11:30 p.m. tonight in Times Square.