This one's a bit of a whopper, if only in terms of sheer length (and size, should you opt to download the lossless FLAC version of this set). No, this isn't
Big Star, not as they were in their first go around in the '70s, or even in their reunion iteration in the 1990s and beyond, when at best they only boasted 75% of the original lineup. Truth be told the most recent incarnation of the group, now billed for rare live dates as
Big Star Quintet, is more of a glorified tribute, merely with only drummer
Jody Stephens on board from the original roster. But as far as tributes/homage/legacy acts are concerned, BSQ are veritably all three, perpetuating the tradition of one of rock and roll's most epochal yet neglected entries.
Performing on the 50th anniversary of Big Star's second LP, 1974's
Radio City, for a Jersey City, NJ audience on August 22, 2024 the BSQ lineup consisted of Stephens,
Mike Mills (R.E.M.), J
on Auer (Posies),
Chris Stamey (Db's), and
Pat Sansone (Wilco, Autumn Defense) all of whom pass the mic around. In addition to hitting every number on
Radio City (in album sequence), they manage to approach
#1 Record in it's entirety, lick the edges of
Third/Sister Lovers, and even take the late Chris Bell's classic 1978 single "I Am the Cosmos" for a spin around the block 31 songs total, performed with the utmost reverence to the original compositions, albeit exuded with the kind of passion and vigor Big Star's relatively brief back catalog deserves. And to think BSQ pull of the whole enchilada so flawlessly without two of
Radio City's key architects,
Alex Chilton (d. 2010) and
Andy Hummel (d. 2010) on board is illustrative of how these songs have endured despite Big Star's paltry album sales in the '70s, and not really enjoying exhaustive reexamination and exposure until almost two full decades later. It's unclear what future (if any) touring agenda Big Star Quintet are plotting, so this well-recorded audience tape is something to savor. Many thanks to whomever tracked and shared the files for this one.
The FLAC version will take up approximately 1.36 GB, so I'm making a drastically less sizable MP3 adaptation available as usual. Full track list below.
01 Feel
02 The Ballad of El Goodo
03 Don't Lie To Me
04 The India Song
05 O My Soul
06 Life Is White
07 Way Out West
08 What's Going Ahn
09 You Get What You Deserve
10 Mod Lang
11 Back of a Car
12 Daisy Glaze
13 She’s a Mover
14 September Gurls
15 Morpha Too
16 I'm In Love With a Girl
17 Watch the Sunrise
18 My Life Is Right
19 Give Me Another Chance
20 When My Baby's Beside Me
21 Blue Moon
22 I Got Kinda Lost [Chris Bell]
23 Nightime
24 Jesus Christ
25 Try Again
26 ST 100-6
27 I Am the Cosmos [Chris Bell]
28 Thirteen
29 In the Street
30 You And Your Sister [Chris Bell]
31 Thank You Friends
Jody Stephens: drums, vocals
Jon Auer: guitar, vocals
Chris Stamey: guitar, keyboards, vocals
Pat Sansone: guitar, keyboards, vocals
Mike Mills: bass, keyboards, vocals
5 comments:
No slight on any of the giants involved here, but Luther Russell really should be playing in this band...no-one's ever come closer to LX's guitar tone, for mine.
Was this broadcast on WFMU?
Thanks so much for this awesome post.
This sounds like a fantastic show -- thanks for sharing!
Potentially, but that wasn't my immediate source for it.
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