Community Corner
Summit High Hosted Velvet Underground's First Show
A new coffee table book about The Velvet Underground features facts about the band's first live show at a Summit High School dance.
The Velvet Underground is well known for being endorsed by the eccentric Andy Warhol and for its iconic lyrics about popular culture. The band is almost always associated with New York City and the art scene, and almost never with Summit. However, a new book released by Rizzoli Publications highlights a little known fact: that the band's first ever live show was at a Summit High School dance.
It was December of 1965, and The Velvet Underground was opening for the Myddle Class in the high school auditorium, for a low cost of $2.50 per ticket. The show was the very first for the legendary drummer Maureen Tucker.
It was then that they made the move to New York City and teamed up with Warhol to become one of the most talked-about underground bands of its time.
Find out what's happening in Summitwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The book, edited by Johan Kugelberg, is only available in select stores or online. It features never-before-seen art work and photographs, as well as handwritten lyrics from Lou Reed. Rare press clippings and reviews are also included in the 352-page hardcover.
Fans of the band can order the essential collection off of Rizzoli's Web site, rizzoliusa.com.
