Big Star - Live at Performance Center, Cambridge (MA) 1974

[@EricMVan]

This was a private tape, made on a very good portable cassette-recorder boom box, by a friend of mine, at a show we attended together; afterwards we and two other friends (including Erik Lindgren, later of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic) went backstage and talked to Alex and the band -- we seemed to be the only four Big Star fans in attendance! It was my friend's possession for many years until the tape broke, and he gave it to a friend to repair ... it never made its way back to him successfully.

[@fsmith4127]

There, Stoned 14 Year Old ,,

[@Unreissued]

legendary

[@johnflushing9328]

What a great tape! Glad it was salvaged because I'm pretty sure my daughter was conceived to this...

[@michelcollet]

This is awesome!!! Sounds great on tape!! Massive gratitude for having access to such a precious moment in music history! Thank you buddy man!

[@davewestner]

@Eric M. Van I am here listening specifically because Erik Lindgren was just telling about this night. In fact, I am in the middle of writing him an email about how it sounds like you guys were the only ones there. Heard y'all had a nice time hanging with them after their set.

[@EctInc]

They should've been filling stadiums with songs like this.

[@Oh_I_Will]

Adhesive Boi they Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda signed with a better record label...one that knew how to promote them

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@@Oh_I_Will The sad truth about the music business.

[@michelcollet]

True!

[@Balonious_Crunk]

This is great but Big Star really needed a second guitar player. It's a shame Chris Bell left. This is fantastic though. I also love how they cover The Velvet Underground's Candy Says on this and Femme Fatale on Third. It's like a clash of two Cult bands.

[@kelechi_77]

September Gurls sounds so heavenly here, just like the studio version, they were a jangle pop/alternative rock band before that was a thing!

[@muncher64]

I saw them perform this at The Agora in Toledo, OH. It was great.

[@enthronedking]

"O My Soul" is really great, tight drumming, unique guitar melodies. Big Star are always talked about as these quirky underated geniuses...which is true; but they were also just a fucking good rock band.

[@christopherellinor5704]

My god, there is no one i have ever heard play their guitar like Alex Chilton does here on ""Way Out West"

[@JacksonBetz]

This version of September Gurls is GOLD

[@mfpendle]

This is the best thing on KZbin. Period.

[@michelcollet]

Algorithms are not altogether that bad after all.

[@franklearned1897]

though I am thankful for this post, I feel compelled to mention that more than one member of the band has referred to this set as one of the worst in band history. They played a 2nd set that night that was allegedly one of their best as an answer to what they considered;this, as one of their worst....and this is damn good....just imagine if we were exposed to more

[@guitarkat99]

Sounds like all of 15 people in attendance. What a shame, these guys RULED.

[@johnspokus]

According to the book Alex Chilton: A Man Called Destruction, they played 2 sets that night. This is the first, and the band thought they sucked (I disagree). They played their second set after Badfinger, and played much better, but only 2 or 3 people stayed to hear it.

[@christopherthomas7253]

redrick2030 Yeah, I'm reading that now. It suggests this show was a fiasco, but it's sounding way better than it's made out to be. Good quality recording, too.

[@jimmorone1631]

redrick2030 Agree with both of ya'll. Read in Man Called Destruction that they blew the first set, but sounds awesome. What a solo on In the Street.

[@tomcallanan1078]

Not at all. There was a rumor that The Beatles were Badfinger and the place was packed.

[@talileali]

Wish I coulda been one of those 15!

[@damon744]

Okay, two songs in I have detected guitar licks from Wilco's AM and REM's Murmur. Influential does not even begin to describe... melodic, fucked up, original. #endurancewriter

[@sixbladeknife44]

Not to mention Elliott Smith...

[@andrewayres795]

"Box full of letters" is the lick Wilco echoed "In the Street", eh?

[@henryrt08077]

@@andrewayres795 Box full of letters also sounds influenced by Blue Ash "Abracadabra"

[@marksaltveit]

@@andrewayres795 The title might be a reference to the Box Tops?

[@russellvoigtlander5408]

Wow, another gem! Thanks for this. I agree with the comment if this is bad, their bad is great! Thanks guys, you were truly overlooked and under appreciated!

[@mrkessler]

Needs a more accurate photo - Bell was long gone by this point.

[@emmetrigg71]

So was Hummel this is with John Lightman

[@GiorgosDimitriadisArtist]

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@matthewshacallis5486]

AWESOME. O My Soul, Way Out West, September gurls....so good.

[@TheCumberlandGap]

This live version of 13 is great

[@starcruizer1]

I love this very informal, yet beautiful set as it cuts through.

[@TallowSound]

man this is awesome!

[@thereminjames]

Such incredible music. I can't believe how empty the room sounds. This tells so much of the story

[@dmc5301]

Damn. Good stuff, and good sound too, especially if this was recorded on a boom box! Even on borrowed instruments, they sound great! So sad they never had success at the time..

[@MikeyD347]

I kind of like the extra harmonies from Alex Chilton on Way Out West.

[@paulrob55]

I was at this show!

[@somethingpeppier9067]

just read the bit about this set in A Man Called Destruction, was expecting this to be absolutely horrid based on everyone’s memory. It’s not the best I’ve heard them sound this lineup-but nowhere near as awful as everyone seemed to make it. I can definitely feel their frustration though. Thanks for uploading this!! So special!

[@TheCheapVibes]

How ironic that 2 of the most star-crossed bands in rock and roll history played together on this bill? Of the original 4 members of Big Star, only drummer Jody Stephens is still alive. And the tragedies that plagued Badfinger have resulted in Joey Molland being the only survivor of the "classic" period for that band....

[@Krasim765]

I couldn't agree more - of all the wonderful bands from that era that have survived and are still gigging, to me there isn't anything that would match these 2 bands on a concert bill in our time...........bummed that it took me so long to turn on to Big Star, but thanks for the upload, close my eyes and I'm almost there :)

[@williamjackson1408]

Great observation. I was at this show.

[@gordongrant444]

Badfinger headlined this show?!!!

[@theoriginalchefboyoboy6025]

sweet cover of baby strange on 2nd song! one cult band covering another. how cool is that!? /rockon /thumb makes one wonder if there's a hidden cover of Thirteen by Bolan somewhere on the planet

[@gordongrant444]

Alex apparently loved Bolan

[@williamjackson1408]

I saw Big Star open for Badfinger at the Paradise Boston in 74. Max power trio! Agree they need(ed) a second guitarist/vocalist overall, but the bare bones heavy of these songs was just great. Is this the same show?

[@gordongrant444]

Alex' playing on September Gurls is deftly brilliant (e.g. hear the suspended chord at the end of the chorus). Beautiful.

[@lavallee1963]

Absolutely fantastic document. Thank you.

[@talileali]

What a Great Concert! Big Star owned it live! And that you have this one is a real treasure! Thanks for uploading this GEM! Love it! Simply love it! Christmas came early this year thanks to You, for so many of us who simply loved this band!!

[@sabinakangerud8759]

Isak Borg you are my hero.

[@talileali]

Ditto Kiddo!

[@DistantLights]

Man it's wild that they covered Candy Says in 74...

[@kelechi_77]

Such a hip band

[@OnlyGoodMusic_]

Nah, I don't agree, the velvet underground was already a widely known band in 1974. Remember that Lou Reed became famous as a solo artist and was touring all over the world. In addition, there were already covers of velvet in 1966 or 1967.

[@tonix100]

this is great. Big Star were an amazing band.

[@paulrob55]

Cool T. Rex cover.

[@christopherthomas7253]

Word.

[@gordongrant444]

Did the Beatles reunite and do a cameo to end the set?!

[@kevinquinn4499]

This is an amazing gift of a performance! Even with just three of them.

[@pegboy77]

This is amazing!! The Kinks covers.....wow!! Good surprise on NYE. BTW - I think "way out west" could possibly be my favorite Big Star song. So jangly...so relateable.

[@gibsoneb3]

Too bad Chris wasn’t there - that said, fantastic performance.

[@michelcollet]

This rocks!! Thanks for the upload. Legend

[@johnpmolloy9032]

badfinger was the headliner?

[@nocarbonfootprint9120]

"Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do...I can't find my capo..."

[@AD-bm8mq]

They were too far ahead of their time

[@ivansimjanov5607]

This is awesome... sounds like they’re playing in the lounge room!

[@goodtimefolkrock]

not enough Chris Bell .....Alex Chilton dominated this group instead of being more "Lennon and Mcartney" about it....they wouldve been totally famous (in their own time i mean) ....Alex Chilton's ego drove Chris bell out of the group and over the edge.... Chris Bell was a true pop genius and the more talented of the two IMO

[@FilmsForWebsites]

Holy cow! Nice post. Cheers!

[@christopherthomas7253]

Thanks. That's the WLIR radio broadcast, if I recall correctly. I have that one somewhere. I was just wondering if I could order a CD of this Cambridge recording off the web or if I have to wait for the record fair to come around so I can get a bootleg. Maybe I don't strictly speaking *need* them both, but what the heck? Besides, this one has the T Rex cover. :) Nice story, Eric M. Van!

[@daisyglaze1817]

Oh, to have been there. Unfortunately I wasn't born til 5 years later. What I wouldn't give to see Big Star live in the early 70's. Really glad to be able to hear this live recording though. It's so good. Thanks!

[@JackSlugman]

I wanna call ya. I wanna ball ya.... All night long. Ahh. When T-Rex oversaw the spiritual development of the 70's.

[@baliscotsurf]

any live stuff with the original line up with Chris Bell. To me he was the icing on Big Star's cake ....most of the flour too

[@johnspokus]

They played live only a few times with Chris Bell. They only "toured" in support of Radio City.

[@anthonyhunt701]

Plus, Chris had terrible stage fright. Alex said "it was like being in The Beatles after we quit touring" Is there ANY recorded examples of Big Star mach 1 (Chris, Alex, Andy and Jody) of them playing live?.............

[@rosedore]

Thank you for posting! I loved this!

[@philregular1465]

i love mod lang

[@baliscotsurf]

alex with a stinging lead

[@leonaltmark2852]

In my opinion they are acquired taste to most. To me they spoke on first listen. Never before or after there will be this seemingly sloppy and beautiful music happen again. Chris and Alex RIP.

[@JFernandoSosa]

Great Band!!!, I love them!!

[@MrTorontoJim]

Great recording for 1974. Did not really listen to this band back then but now I would. Just started checking them out. Thanks for posting this.

[@pacorroca]

Love it

[@SashaKimbell]

Just goes to show that it’s not the best equipment you need. If a band has talant, it shines through, period.

[@AngryShredder2004]

This was on the same tour with Badfinger, right?

[@jamesmccown2024]

I was just reading about this show in 'A Man Called Destruction'. This is the show where they opened for Badfinger, twice. Judging from Alex's comments, this must have been the first show of the evening, before they watched Badfinger's set and came roaring back to life for the second.

[@mikepress2167]

I draw comparisons to them and Badfinger a lot! (in my mind) really!

[@jackjust9020]

I can here some Zeppelin influence at 4:03. Any one agree?

[@kmsantus]

I believe Big Star was the opening act for Badfinger here at this show. Very nice. I have the Badfinger show as well.

[@MikeyD347]

Anyway you would post it?

[@kevincampbell5785]

Two power pop creators

[@gordongrant444]

Stuff of legend

[@georgebethos7890]

This is great 👍 thank you for posting

[@johnpmolloy9032]

opening for badfinger?

[@rockinricktrio]

listen to the music ,Merry Christmas BABBIES

[@darylcumming7119]

The mid seventies.

[@richardwallace6313]

I was not really paying attention, still working at midnight on a fucking Saturday, and did not notice that there is no video, but it sounds great.

[@brianmckinley3084]

Richard Wallace 428-6268 c CHILTON

[@btrav667]

Nice T Rex cover.

[@Nancoman]

Magic

[@christopherthomas7253]

Has this had an official release?

[@richardphillips6392]

Great work, man.

[@nocarbonfootprint9120]

Best songs

[@semipro1100]

Is this really the only live recording from the 70’s of them? :(

[@zachsmith3]

No! There are some more

[@averyadrian1534]

TRex cover

[@robtho1]

Wonderful!

[@boogiewoogie9770]

Recording pitched too fast?

[@zachsmith3]

Sounds fine?

[@gordongrant444]

I think it's right. Alex' voice was a bit higher then.