September Gurls with Susan Cowsill and the Watson Twins
Hey, long-time lurker, first time contributor to the mighty 17. This was also my first time at SXSW. I’ll just share one performance.
After four days (and nights) of carnivalesque goings on, the last show I caught at SXSW was a pretty forceful and moving return to reality. Alex Chilton, which you surely know by know, is gone, days before his scheduled performance with Big Star. The rest of the band chose to go on, with the help of a cast of friends.
Publicist Heather West began the set, reading a eulogy written by Chilton’s widow Laura. Then the current incarnation of the band, Jon Auer, Ken Stringfellow and Jody Stephens, launched into Back of a Car. The first guest up was Meat Puppet guitarist Curt Kirkwood joining on Don’t Lie to Me and In the Street. Then, reverting to a trio, came I am the Cosmos.
The pattern continued through the rest of the show, alternating between the trio and guests. There were a lot of rumors before the show about who might appear. In the end though the guest list was free from A-listers and scene stealers. Although a fan standing next to me had strong opinions on those worthy (original member Andy Hummel, Sondre Lerche) and those unworthy (Evan Dando, M Ward) of sharing the stage, to my ears everyone delivered for Alex and for the songs.
So much of SXSW feels fleeting. The temptation to limit even a really good show to half the set so you can check someone else out was, for me anyway, constant. Not this one. The truth of it is I am not a Big Star devotee, I don’t know all the songs by heart. But the force of the music was incredible. Heightened by the occasion it may have been, but I’ve never been in the presence of a greater cause for reverence.
I couldn’t figure out why the bartender was so resolute in ignoring me after the show- I’d gone the entire set without a beer and was really ready for one. Then I realized that it was after 2am. Over two hours had gone by and I’d spent nearly every second of it focused on the stage. Once or twice I looked around. Many were singing along. I caught a glance that seemed to say can you believe how fucking great this is?
Set list and featured singers:
1 Back of a Car (Jon Auer)
2 Don’t Lie to Me (Jon Auer)
3 In the Street (Curt Kirkwood)
4 I am the Cosmos (Jon Auer)
5 When My Baby’s Beside Me (Chris Stamey)
6 Big Black Car (M. Ward)
7 Way Out West (Jody Stephens vocal, Andy Hummel guitar)
8 Daisy Glaze (Ken Stringfellow)
9 Jesus Christ (Mike Mills)
10 For You (Jody Stephens)
11 I’m in Love with a Girl (John Doe)
12 The Ballad of El Goodo (Sondre Lerche)
13 Thirteen (Jon Auer)
14 Feel (Ken Stringfellow)
15 Thank You Friends (Chuck Prophet)
16 Nightime (Evan Dando solo)
17 Try Again (Amy Spease)
18 September Gurls (Susan Cowsill, Watson Twins)
Thank you very much for sharing this moving account. I so wish I could have been there. But if I couldn’t, I’m grateful people of your caliber and quality of attention were.
Much obliged.