I never travel very far without a little Big Star...

So this was a week from musical heaven; it was Big Star week in New York - at least, that's how I dubbed it last Friday, as a lot was going on.  Sunday, the 30th was a magical night of music at Central Park's Summer Stage with an all-star performance/presentation of Big Star's 3rd, plus a lot of the music from #1 Record and Radio City.  I was extremely fortunate to have press credentials and covered the show for Rock NYC; I sat by Chris Stamey's wife and daughter and had the opportunity to exchange pleasantries with Mike Mills, Mitch Easter and Ken Stringfellow.  The show was incredible - each performer made the songs their own and took the music to another stratosphere.  Simply beautiful and awe-inspiring.

Monday was the invitation-only to the screening of Big Star:  Nothing Can Hurt Me, which we'd seen in its original form last November.  I had to beg off the after-screening party at the old CBGB's due to sheer exhaustion - so I missed my chance to see a scaled-down version of the previous night's show, but I desperately needed sleep...!  I managed on Tuesday to write the live review and Wednesday night was the official premiere.  Had a fortunate chance meeting with a great musician who played in one of my other favorite bands and had a fantastic time.  Spoke to some great people from the movie and went home on a higher spiritual plane.  I couldn't resist temptation and rented the movie on cable when I came home Friday night - rounding off Big Star Week in joyful fashion.

It's one thing to love a band, but it's another to have their music and everything surrounding them so ingrained in one's psyche.  But that's how Big Star is for me.  And now, I understand, for a lot of other people as well.  And for that I'm even more grateful.