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FeedThe Box Tops? In Niagara Falls?! Friday?!?
I have tickets to see the Box Tops this Friday at the Seneca Niagara Casino. Think about that statement for a second.
The Box Tops? "The Letter," "Neon Rainbow," etc.? With Alex Chilton, the Memphis maestro mystery man behind Big Star? Performing at the Bear's Den? This Friday?!
Apparently, yes, it's all true, and comes on the heels of what has been a time of heavy activity—in Chilton terms. Big Star actually performed in New York last Wednesday—see the New York Times review here—and this is hot on the heels of Rhino's amazing Keep an Eye on the Sky box set, which you may have seen in Spree's just released Holiday Shopping Guide. We've also mentioned Spree contributor Bruce Eaton's book on Big Star's Radio City. (Bruce has a nice Big Star blog going here.)
I'm a relative Chilton newbie; I think I'd heard the Replacements' "Alex Chilton" before I'd heard Big Star or the Box Tops. But even so, I'm thrilled about Friday's show, mainly because I have absolutely no idea what to expect. According to the seemingly official Box Tops site, this is the only announced tour date. Oddly, the reunion announcement appears to have been broken by Drum Media, "Sydney, Australia's weekly free music paper." It all adds up to a colossal "Huh?"
Admittedly, some of the Times review gives me great pause. ("Mr. Chilton rarely appeared fully committed," wrote Jon Caramanica. "In between many songs, he’d pull his glasses out of his front pocket, put them on, then bend over, presenting his bald spot to the crowd as he presumably read from the set list taped to the stage near his feet.") But I think this will be fascinating, and perhaps one of those you-shoulda-been-there shows. Or maybe it will get canceled before Friday.
