The Lowe-down on Nick
Peter T.
location: New Hampshire
listening to: Too much of everything!
registered: 1999.05.20
posts: 3029
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Ed,Nick Lowe played to a sell-out crowd in Londonderry, NH last night (200 people, give or take). He was solo for all but one song. My wife and I knew only 3-4 tunes (I confess I never purchased the compilation that you touted) but that didn't detract from enjoying the offerings. Here are my thoughts:He is a professional through and through. Almost every song/story draws the listener into a world of humor, heartbreak, romance, or some sort of sinister shenanigans. Sometimes they are all stirred into the same song stew. His articulation and inflection are exceptional; his voice is an instrument unto itself. The banter between songs kept things moving a long at a brisk pace. He probably could make a living doing stand-up. Highlights were a new one ("I Read A Lot", as well as "What's So Funny...", "Cruel To Be Kind", and "I Knew The Bride...". But many other tunes were just simply terrific!On the down side, he only played for 75 minutes. Additionally, his opener, a killer guitarist named Bill Kirchen, was only used for one song. And they have a long history of playing/touring/recording with each other so I think they missed a real collaborative opportunity that would have kicked the show to a higher level.Nevertheless, I'm grateful that an artist of this caliber stopped by to play for a very appreciative audience. I hadn't seen Nick since he opened for Elvis Costello in Boston in what must have been 1978. He really has aged like a fine wine.Peter T.
Peter T.
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Ed,Nick Lowe played to a sell-out crowd in Londonderry, NH last night (200 people, give or take). He was solo for all but one song. My wife and I knew only 3-4 tunes (I confess I never purchased the compilation that you touted) but that didn't detract from enjoying the offerings. Here are my thoughts:He is a professional through and through. Almost every song/story draws the listener into a world of humor, heartbreak, romance, or some sort of sinister shenanigans. Sometimes they are all stirred into the same song stew. His articulation and inflection are exceptional; his voice is an instrument unto itself. The banter between songs kept things moving a long at a brisk pace. He probably could make a living doing stand-up. Highlights were a new one ("I Read A Lot", as well as "What's So Funny...", "Cruel To Be Kind", and "I Knew The Bride...". But many other tunes were just simply terrific!On the down side, he only played for 75 minutes. Additionally, his opener, a killer guitarist named Bill Kirchen, was only used for one song. And they have a long history of playing/touring/recording with each other so I think they missed a real collaborative opportunity that would have kicked the show to a higher level.Nevertheless, I'm grateful that an artist of this caliber stopped by to play for a very appreciative audience. I hadn't seen Nick since he opened for Elvis Costello in Boston in what must have been 1978. He really has aged like a fine wine.Peter T.
