Mono recordings were out of fashion by the time The Velvet Underground released Loaded in 1970. But mono mixes still appeared exclusively for promotional copies of the record. Now, the singular force and revealing intensity of Loaded in mono—particularly the blistering guitar solo and Lou Reed’s aggressive vocal tone on “Rock And Roll,” the warbling walk of “Sweet Jane” and the bristling emotional aching of “Lonesome Cowboy Bill”—can be heard without dropping hundreds on the rare vinyl. The mono inclusion punctuates the fact that the Loaded: Re-Loaded box set is more than just a 45th Anniversary release. Instead, this six-disc offering goes deep into the vaults and includes two live concerts. The demo disc is particularly revealing. These raw, more-or-less complete versions allow a glimpse into the creative minds at work here. Changes are readily apparent, from subtle tweaks in instrumentation or lyrics to wholesale reworkings. Long considered one of the Velvets’ best concert performances—though Reed ironically quit the band that same day—Live at Max’s Kansas City is presented in the proper order, and in its entirety, with four additional tracks, including “Candy Says” and a sizzling “White Light/White Heat.” Captured at Philadelphia’s Second Fret in May 1970—six months before Loaded was released—the second concert, taken from an audience bootleg, puts listeners inside a typically sweaty and captivatingly dark Velvets gig. Plus, for the advanced auditory sensation, disc six features assorted DVD audio mixes to blow the mind. Velvets fans won’t be disappointed.