After twenty-four days of work in a row Catherine invited me to go out for some live music. I didn't expect anything from the Welsh part of the Velvet Underground. The last record I bought and listened to by him was Music for a New Society which I saw him touring for more than twenty years ago in the Bochumer Fabrik. I was disappointed at the time. The concert was a little bit too bittersweet and opera-like but okay. The expectations were too high though.

When I arrived at the Mousonturm I had to smoke a cigarette before entering the hall. Smoking was prohibited inside. That reminded me of something I heard about John Cale on the radio a while ago. He was producing a band which was taking drugs all the time. I think it was the Happy Mondays. And he didn't allow them any drugs when they were recording in the studio. No ecstasy, no spliffs, not even a beer. What a tyrant!

In the beginning we were next to the speakers and the music coming out of them was some distorted viola stuff. I bet it was him. Then the band arrived on stage, John took his viola and they played the only song I recognised immediately tonight. It was Venus in Furs. Cold shivers were running down my spine. It was totally unreal. As if the last 40 years had never happened. John had this grumpy old man expression which didn't leave his face up until the end. The other band members could have been his grandchildren. A curly bassist moving in a 70s way, totally immersed in his playing. A handsome blond guitarist with jeans which were too large for him who created sounds you wouldn't think of coming from a guitar. And a bold black ferocious drummer who was getting bored during the slower numbers.

John Cale doesn't have a style. He switches between styles like chamaeleons alter their colour. Down on the back of his white sweatshirt it said Change. Probably his motto for life. After the hard-rocking, tight pieces in the beginning, he and his band played some extremely funky songs in the vein of Prince. Even John sang in falsetto. Then they performed Gideon's Bible from 1970s Vintage Violence in a long atmospheric planante version. My fave of the night. The kind of new age which doesn't age. After there was a song which sounded like a cover of Randy Newman's You Can Leave Your Hat on. It wasn't though, I guess, it was stolen, or unconsciously inspired if you wish. Then they played two progrocky pieces from Hobo Sapiens, they sounded like concept songs, I found them annoying. The new material on the other hand was extremely hard-rocking, especially the second last song which turned into a jam session finishing with the line "Good Night." Like a Sister Ray of today.

The first concert ever where I missed some kind of ear protection. How can this guy's ears bear the noise he and his band make? I don't know what he sipped out of his cup after each song but it must have been something strong. Strong and non-alcoholic.