Alex Chilton - Acoustic by Candlight, Live at The Knitting Factory, February 13, 1997
Source: Sony Stereo Recording Walkman > My hard drive > Cool Edit Pro > WAV > FLAC Frontend > FLAC
Liner Notes and Show info:
A wise man once referred to Alex Chilton as the Last True American Hero. After experiencing his February 13, 1997 performance, the second of two, at New York City's Knitting Factory, I am more than inclined to agree.
After an unexpected loss of power, the club's management announced that the second set was canceled and in spite of the grumbles of the audience, refunds were given out. I, and a handful of others, chose to remain in our seats and unexpectedly Alex came out onto the floor. By the grace of the muses one of the audience members had an acoustic guitar, and handed it to Alex on a whim. Alex began strumming,and what began as a brief four song run-through led to over an hour of amazing, and at times, almost ethereal music.
On a nearly pitch-black club floor, Alex played with three small table candles set before him. Opening with an atypical sing-a-long version of Volare, he progressed through an impromptu set of tunes ranging from romantic gems such as Let's Get Lost and My Baby Just Cares for Me to the heartbreakers Only the Lonely and Last Bouquet. To balance out the set, Alex performed a nearly surreal version of Loudon Wainwright III's Motel Blues, and in a transcendental moment that took many of us back to Alex's 1977 Elektra demos sessions, he played brilliant covers of the Beach Boys' Wouldn't It Be Nice and Surfer Girl.
Having seen Alex play live several times before, both solo and with Big Star, this was the first time that I had the chance to encounter the legend behind the man. All of the stories I'd heard, the whispers and innuendo that spoke of his musical excellence were all at once revealed to me in a darkened club with less than a hundred others to attest to this truth. Of any performance that I've ever attended by any musician, this is the one that I will remember for the rest of my time on earth.
Let this recording show that, yes Virginia, or more specifically J.B., there is a Last True American Hero, and Alex Chilton is indeed it!
- Jeff Vargon, August 29, 1998
*Hot Thing from Big Star Live at Tramp's, (New York) recorded November 16, 1996
Track Listing:
Volare
Last Bouquet
Baby I'm Your Man
The F.B.I.s Top Ten
Let's Get Lost
D-I-V-O-R-C-E
Like a Rain in My Heart
If I Had a Hammer
Lovesick Blues
Girl from Impanema
My Baby Just Cares for Me
Motel Blues
Someone to Watch Over Me
Footprints in the Snow
Only the Lonely
Blues Tune
Tastes So Bittersweet
Wouldn't it Be Nice
Surfer Girl
Solar System
What's Your Sign?
I Walk the Line
Goodnight My Love
Hot Thing (Big Star Live Bonus Track)
The Knitting Factory
NYC
Stereo Audience Recording
Hot Thing from Big Star Live at Tramp's, (New York) recorded November 16, 1996
A wise man once referred to Alex Chilton as the Last True American Hero. After experiencing his February 13, 1997 performance, the second of two, at New York City's Knitting Factory, I am more than inclined to agree.
After an unexpected loss of power, the club's management announced that the second set was canceled and in spite of the grumbles of the audience, refunds were given out. I, and a handful of others, chose to remain in our seats and unexpectedly Alex came out onto the floor. By the grace of the muses one of the audience members had an acoustic guitar, and handed it to Alex on a whim. Alex began strumming,and what began as a brief four song run-through led to over an hour of amazing, and at times, almost ethereal music.
On a nearly pitch-black club floor, Alex played with three small table candles set before him. Opening with an atypical sing-a-long version of Volare, he progressed through an impromptu set of tunes ranging from romantic gems such as Let's Get Lost and My Baby Just Cares for Me to the heartbreakers Only the Lonely and Last Bouquet. To balance out the set, Alex performed a nearly surreal version of Loudon Wainwright III's Motel Blues, and in a transcendental moment that took many of us back to Alex's 1977 Elektra demos sessions, he played brilliant covers of the Beach Boys' Wouldn't It Be Nice and Surfer Girl.
Having seen Alex play live several times before, both solo and with Big Star, this was the first time that I had the chance to encounter the legend behind the man. All of the stories I'd heard, the whispers and innuendo that spoke of his musical excellence were all at once revealed to me in a darkened club with less than a hundred others to attest to this truth. Of any performance that I've ever attended by any musician, this is the one that I will remember for the rest of my time on earth.
Let this recording show that, yes Virginia, or more specifically J.B., there is a Last True American Hero, and Alex Chilton is indeed it!
- Jeff Vargon, August 29, 1998