The Velvet Underground and Nico: A Symphony of Sound 1966

The film follows the inaugural band practice of The Velvet Underground and Nico, presented as one long, loose improvisation. Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison sketch out the guitar backbone, with Reed playing a Gretsch Country Gentleman and Morrison jabbing away on a Vox Phantom. Maureen Tucker drives a compact, three-piece drum setup, while John Cale handles an electric viola. Nico contributes by bashing a single maraca against a tambourine, as a young Ari—played by Christian Aaron Boulogne—rests at Nico’s feet. The scene includes a moment where Reed demonstrates the lyrics to Venus in Furs, and there’s even an earnest attempt at a full track, There She Goes Again, with Nico taking the lead vocal. As the rehearsal evolves, Cale switches to bass and then uses a wooden frame from a piano to coax feedback, all while Nico experiments with Cale’s Fender Precision Bass. Cale later returns to the viola, and the momentum is interrupted near the end by the arrival of the New York police, reportedly responding to a noise complaint.

The film also offers a glimpse into Warhol’s circle, with appearances by Andy Warhol, Mary Woronov, Billy Name, Gerard Malanga, and Stephen Shore as themselves, integrating the Factory era’s ambience into the rehearsal’s raw energy. This intimate, documentary-like capture underscores the improvisational spirit of the early performances and the way the band members interact in a space shaped by visual art and avant-garde experimentation. The piece was designed to be shown at live Velvet Underground shows during setup and tuning, turning a backstage moment into a window for audiences to glimpse the genesis of a landmark act.