When Past & Future Collide

John Cale—cofounder of the iconic downtown band, the Velvet Underground—takes his talents to Brooklyn for a trio of shows at BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House. First up is “Life Along the Borderline: A Tribute to Nico” (Jan 16), in which Cale and yet-to-be-announced artists perform songs from the late singer and muse’s catalog. (Cale collaborated with Nico on the first Velvets record and on her solo LPs, including her chilling, subdued debut, 1967’s Chelsea Girl.) After that, Cale joins the Wordless Music Orchestra for a complete performance of his sprawling, textured 1973 pop opus, Paris 1919, and tracks from his back catalog (Jan 18, 19).