Polydor/ Universal Music Enterprise is releasing a four-disk box set of live Velvet Underground material performed in November and December of 1969. Comprising 42 tracks including nine previously unreleased recordings, the collection is called The Velvet Underground: The Complete Matrix Tapes.
The shows took place during two residencies at separate San Francisco venues between the release of the band's self-titled LP and the following year's Loaded, according to Pitchfork. Lou Reed and his band were recorded on a simple four-track device at San Francisco's The Family Dog and The Matrix, which was a former pizza parlor turned performance space started by Jefferson Airplane's Marty Balin.
The two gigs took place November 26 1969, which is the same day that President Nixon authorized the Vietnam draft lottery, and Thanksgiving of that year, November 27.
Many of the tracks have been released in previous years on various live albums including 1969 The Velvet Underground Live, Bootleg Series, Vol. 1: The Quine Tapes and the Super Deluxe Edition of the band's self-titled reissue. This new box set marks the first time all these recordings as well as the nine new tracks have been all in one place for fans.
Those new additions include versions of "Some Kinda Love," "Sweet Jane," "After Hours" and more. You can find the full track list below.
Fans who invest in the box set will also be treated with liner notes written by Rolling Stone Editor David Fricke.
The label also announced another release slated for later this year, the reissue of Loaded on the album's 45-year anniversary. Velvet fans can expect that anniversary album on October 30. With Reed's death back in 2013, you can likely expect many more reissues and box sets commemorating the legacy of his music.
Listen to the band play "I'm Waiting For The Man" Live at The Matrix in 1969.
Disc One
01 I'm Waiting For The Man (Version 1)
02 What Goes On (Version 1)
03 Some Kinda Love (Version 1)
04 Heroin (Version 1)
05 The Black Angel's Death Song
06 Venus In Furs (Version 1)
07 There She Goes Again (Version 1)
08 We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together (Version 1)
09 Over You (Version 1)
10 Sweet Jane (Version 1)
11 Pale Blue Eyes (Version 1)
12 After Hours (Version 1)
Disc Two
01 I'm Waiting For The Man (Version 2)
02 Venus In Furs (Version 2)
03 I Can't Stand It (Version 1)
04 There She Goes Again (Version 2)
05 Some Kinda Love (Version 2)
06 Over You (Version 2)
07 After Hours (Version 2)
08 We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together (Version 2)
09 Sweet Bonnie Brown/Too Much
10 Heroin (Version 2)
11 White Light/White Heat (Version 1)
12 I'm Set Free
Disc Three
01 We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together (Version 3)
02 Some Kinda Love (Version 3)
03 There She Goes Again (Version 3)
04 Heroin (Version 3)
05 Ocean
06 Sister Ray
Disc Four
01 I'm Waiting For The Man (Version 3)
02 What Goes On (Version 2)
03 Some Kinda Love (Version 4)
04 We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together (Version 4)
05 Beginning To See The Light
06 Lisa Says
07 New Age
08 Rock and Roll
09 I Can't Stand It (Version 2)
10 Heroin (Version 4)
11 White Light/White Heat (Version 2)
12 Sweet Jane (Version 2)
