This week, a new CD and DVD release hit] stores that celebrates the musical legacy of Big Star’s Third.
When songwriter and guitarist Alex Chilton passed away two days before he was scheduled to perform at SXSW with Big Star in 2010, a multitude of famous friends and collaborators traveled to Texas to perform the show in his honor.
Thank You Friends: Big Star’s Third Live collects performances from a show in 2016 at Glendale, CA’s ALEX Theatre that featured much of the same ensemble, along with numerous new guests.
Those performing at the show included Big Star member Jody Stephens, Big Star alumni Ken Stringfellow, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Jon Auer of The Posies, Let’s Active’s Mitch Easter, and Chris Stamey of the dB’s.
Other guests include Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Pat Sansone, Robyn Hitchcock, and members of Yo La Tengo, Tom Petty And The Heartbreaakers, and more.
This star-studded band was joined by a full chamber orchestra, directed by writer of the original orchestrations.
Watch four performances from the DVD below, including "Kizza Me" and "When My Baby's Beside Me" with vocals from Jeff Tweedy, "In The Street" featuring Brett Harris and Mike Mills (R.E.M.), and "Thirteen" featuring gorgeous vocals from Skylar Gudasz. You can order the CD / DVD set here.
"Kizza Me:"
"When My Baby's Beside Me:"
"In The Street:"
"Thirteen:"
