Tributes, Video — March 28, 2011 at 6:33 am

Video: Michael Stipe performs Alex Chilton hit ‘The Letter’ at Big Star ‘Third’ tribute

New York City’s Baruch College played host Saturday night to a star-studded tribute to Big Star’s beloved Third/Sister Lovers album, a performance of the record put together by Chris Stamey of The dB’s and featuring R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe and Mike Mills, plus Matthew Sweet, members of Teenage Fanclub and Yo La Tengo, and surviving Big Star drummer Jody Stephens.

In the clip posted above, Stipe leads the ensemble through a show-closing rendition of The Box Tops’ “The Letter” — the late Alex Chilton’s biggest hit — complete with hair dryer accompaniment. Below, you can see Stipe taking lead on “Kanga Roo,” Mills handling “Jesus Christ,” Sweet and Mills on “September Gurls” and Matt McMichaels leading the group through The Replacements’ tribute “Alex Chilton.”

See more video from the Big Star ‘Third’ concert after the jump…

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