An unusual gig for Van Dyke next month

[rn57]

http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/emmylou-harris-rodney-crowell-punch-brothers-conor-oberst-kronos-hardly-strictly-bluegrass-2015-09-17

From Oct 2 to Oct 4, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, a free fest in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, is going on. One of the performances is of an ensemble led by Jody Stephens, the last surviving Big Star member, doing that band's third album. It's been touring for a while - the others involved include Mitch Easter and Chris Stamey. For this performance Van Dyke is conducting the backing strings. Also with Steve Earle and Robyn Hitchcock as guest vocalists. The festival's site doesn't say what day or time this part of the show happens so I guess you'd have to check later.

[The Heartical Don]

http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/emmylou-harris-rodney-crowell-punch-brothers-conor-oberst-kronos-hardly-strictly-bluegrass-2015-09-17

From Oct 2 to Oct 4, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, a free fest in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, is going on. One of the performances is of an ensemble led by Jody Stephens, the last surviving Big Star member, doing that band's third album. It's been touring for a while - the others involved include Mitch Easter and Chris Stamey. For this performance Van Dyke is conducting the backing strings. Also with Steve Earle and Robyn Hitchcock as guest vocalists. The festival's site doesn't say what day or time this part of the show happens so I guess you'd have to check later.

Sounds extremely appealing to yours truly, a huge and longtime VDP aficionado. Not only is the song material here tremendous; if VDP is involved in the string arrangements too (which I think he is), it might well be a unique occasion, something to cherish, in the form of a precious memory, or, which I hope, in some well-recorded format.

Keeping fingers crossed then, from a Dutchman who can't be there, however much he would like to.

[chaki]

Also another Big Star/Beach Boys connection are Alex Chilton's fantastic Love You covers!

I Want To Pick You Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evuWI44bRmU

Solar System: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK8fOnD2yos

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/emmylou-harris-rodney-crowell-punch-brothers-conor-oberst-kronos-hardly-strictly-bluegrass-2015-09-17

From Oct 2 to Oct 4, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, a free fest in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, is going on. One of the performances is of an ensemble led by Jody Stephens, the last surviving Big Star member, doing that band's third album. It's been touring for a while - the others involved include Mitch Easter and Chris Stamey. For this performance Van Dyke is conducting the backing strings. Also with Steve Earle and Robyn Hitchcock as guest vocalists. The festival's site doesn't say what day or time this part of the show happens so I guess you'd have to check later.

I thought this thread would be about him touring with Mike's band

[the captain]

Just saw that this show will be in Minneapolis at the legendary First Ave next week, with local guests involved, here as well (Dave Pirner from Soul Asylum probably most prominent among them). The touring band includes not only Stephens and the Stringfellow-Stamey band, but Mike Mills from REM and others.

http://www.startribune.com/a-big-one-for-big-star-lovers-at-first-avenue/329177601/

(My contribution to this really belongs in the General Music forum, being Van Dykeless, but hey, Chilton was not only a fan but one-time might-be Brother candidate and Carl Wilson friend per Rob Jovanovic's "Big Star: The Story of Rock's Forgotten Band.")