Two songs into this Lou Reed disc, I was skeptical. During "Paranoia Key of E" and "Turn to Me," Reed looks mechanical, as if he's just putting in time at the ol' 9-to-5. But he changes everything around with the next track, "Modern Dance," and from that point on he's engaged, enjoying himself, and (most important for us) entertaining.

The DVD captures a show from Reed's tour for Ecstasy. The tracklist centers around that album, and arguably includes only one of his hits, the closer "Perfect Day." If you don't know that album, though, you shouldn't be turned away because Reed and his three bandmates will win you over.

Right in the center of the video, "Romeo Had Juliet" marks one of the recording's peaks. Reed focuses the intensity he's been building and delivers a performance that will make fans of New York stick around for "Dirty Blvd." and "Dime Store Mystery" and convert those who don't know the album.

The show really sails away on the extended "Tatters," during which Reed gives up lead-guitar duties to Mike Rathke, who tears up the stage, much to the other musician's delight. This song also shows the careful camera work and artistic framing that went into the visuals. It could have shown up as a hackneyed image, but the growing smoke coming from Reed's cigarette and surrounding his face works as a memorable depiction of a tight band's performance (perhaps it's the image's very familiarity which gives it its strength).

The band closes, of course, with "Perfect Day," which might a crowd-pleasing way to go out, but it's certainly not the disc's finest moment. This performance is a concession -- the show isn't about a greatest hits presentation (as far as Reed had hits) and it has no nod to the VU (unless you count the Cale-collaboration "Smalltown"). It is, however, a great capsule of a particular period in the career of one of those artists.