Big Star - Live At Lafayette's Music Room-Memphis, TN (2018)

It is well known that Big Star played a one-off promotional show for the Memphis Rock Writer’s Convention at Lafayette’s Music Room in Memphis in May of 1973. It cemented them into legendary status due to the writers who witnessed it and carried the message of Big Star out in their writing, even though the band had only released one album, #1 Record, and were unsure of recording a second after the departure of co-founder Chris Bell. What may not be so widely known is that the trio played the same venue four months earlier with the same power and passion opening shows for the Houston R&B band, Archie Bell & The Drells.

First issued as Disc 4 of the Grammy® Award-winning Keep An Eye On The Sky boxed set, Live At Lafayette’s Music Room sees new light as a stand-alone release, available on CD, Digital, and for the first time, double LP. The performance has never sounded better thanks to new mastering and restoration from the Grammy®-winning engineer, Michael Graves with supervision from fellow Grammy®-winning producer, Cheryl Pawelski.

The 20-track set features material from their debut, #1 Record, songs that would appear on the (not yet recorded) follow-up, Radio City, and choice covers from The Kinks, Todd Rundgren, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and T-Rex. As an added bonus, all formats include a download of a previously unissued interview with Alex Chilton and Andy Hummel from the summer of 1972 with Jon Scott on FM 100. Packaging features new liner notes from Bud Scoppa, who was friends with the band, and in attendance at the 1973 Rock Writer’s show. His most recent work for Omnivore was an integral part of the acclaimed Big Star boxed set Complete Third.

Experience the only known document of Big Star at this pivotal point in their short, but massively influential career. Omnivore is proud to present, Live At Lafayette’s Music Room.