Major Love, Big Star

This may have been the last 'proper' Big Star concert ever. A tribute to the peerless Memphis act, billed to play a Saturday headliner in Austin, but then challenged by the death of Alex Chilton on March 17. No-one would have questioned a cancellation, but instead, a series of his old friends have rallied to play those tunes at Antone's and to carry the memory.

You feel for drummer Jody Stephens, who is now minus Chilton and Chris Bell, who died in 1978. There's consolation in the brief return of original bassist Andy Hummel, but also in the arrival of Mike Mills from REM, who sings 'Jesus Christ' with trembling aplomb. Evan Dando is also up there, plus Chuck Prophet, Joe Doe and Chris Stamey, who remembers Chris Bell on 'I Am The Cosmos'.

There's a touching statement from Alex's widow and a strong appreciation of just how unique the Big Star sound was. Tuneful but wracked, those songs are deep into the fabric of rock and roll, and when The Watson Twins step up to chorus on 'September Gurls', the hurt is absolute