Schedule-
5:30-6:30 pm- Sam will play a musical leadup playlist of artists that inspired or have been inspired by The Velvet Underground & Nico, including The Feelies, Television, Parquet Courts, The Strokes, and Ought. Free Sam-made Lemonade and Dark Matter Coffee coffee is available to attendees. It's also BYOB.
6:35 pm- Sam gives presentation on The Velvet Underground and Nico, detailing its recording process and lyrical content, detailing its recording process and lyrical content
6:45 pm- Sam drops the needle on The Velvet Underground and Nico

Classic Album Sundays, the most popular and respected classic album listening event in the world, is setting up shop in Chicago to expose your ears to a spiritually-charged musical experience like no other. Saturday Audio Exchange, CHIRP Radio, Dark Matter Coffee, and event organizer Sam Willett will be celebrating the 50th birthday of The Velvet Underground's The Velvet Underground & Nico by listening to it in its entirety on vinyl.

March 2017 marks fifty years since the release of one of most iconic albums of all time. Accompanied by vocalist Nico, the album was recorded in 1966 while the group was featured on Andy Warhol’s Exploding Plastic Inevitable multimedia event tour, which gained attention for its experimental performance sensibilities and controversial lyrical topics, including drug abuse, prostitution, sadism and masochism and sexual deviancy.

While it reportedly took over a decade for the album’s sales to crack six figures, glam, punk, new wave, goth, noise, and nearly every other left-of-center rock movement owes an audible debt to this set. While The Velvet Underground had as distinctive a sound as any band, what’s most surprising about this album is its diversity.

Saturday Audio Exchange, a well-renowned Chicago independent music dealer, will be providing a custom-curated hi-fi audio system to make this experience come to life on vinyl. In attending the event, you will listen to the album as if you are watching a movie- no phones, no distractions, and complete focus on the beauty engrained in The Velvet Underground & Nico. Take a look at the sound equipment Classic Album Sundays typically uses at their events here. 

When the event starts, a vinyl-exclusive playlist, including artists that influenced and have been influenced by The Velvet Underground will be played. Attendees should take this warm up time to take a look around Saturday, visit with our event partners, socialize with new and old friends, and drink beverages. When we have a full house, we will give attendees a ten-minute warning to use the bathroom and make any phone calls before the album starts. Then, Sam will introduce the album drop the needle. From there, your mind should be completely involved with the album and prepared for a musical adventure.