This last year I have been mainly going through a (generally velvet but with occasional sandpaper) divorce which is in its final stages now. In the last few months in particular I’ve found that Nick Lowe’s albums (from The Impossible Bird onwards especially) resonate with me strongly. Massively looking forward to seeing him with the fantastic Los Straitjackets in Hull in June.
https://www.hullboxoffice.com/event/nick-lowes-quality-rock-roll-revue-starring-los-straitjackets/
Yes, sounds like a good show, looking at the recent setlist from them. Wish he was playing somewhere a bit easier for me to get to on the train. Hebden Bridge is the nearest to us, but I don’t drive and I reckon I have less chance of talking the wife into this one as Teresa May had of talking Parliament into her EU deal. Hopefully he’ll do Leeds or, better still, Sheffield next time.
Hopefully – just checked his website again and noticed there’s a date in Frome, Somerset which I don’t think was there when I booked my ticket. Not much use to either me or you by the sounds of it but does look as though other dates are being added. Hope you can get one that suits.
They weren’t all announced at once (I bought my ticket to the London gig before the MK one was announced) but I don’t think there have been any more added for a couple of months.
I’m really looking forward to seeing him again, he’s probably the person I’ve seen over the longest period as (summer 1977.. or maybe 78 being the 1st time).
Especially looking forward to him in a rocking band again and better still… no seats!
This might be another thread, but your comment rang a bell @johnw .
Sure enough, you were similarly excited about this being a standing gig over on the ‘gigs of 2019′ thread. I’ll tolerate a standing gig if I have to, but I’d much rather have a comfy seat. No back ache after the first hour or so, somewhere to put my coat, no crowd milling about me, talking while they do it, my other half, who stands about 5’ 2″ will get a decent view (a big consideration that one), and so on and so on.
Standing gigs might have their place for acts you want to bop to, but I don’t think Nick, whom I like very much, falls into that category. Otherwise they don’t have anything to recommend them do they? Even the rock hard pews of Union Chapel, the last place I saw Nick Lowe as it happens, are preferable.
Can’t disagree about some of the downsides but the last few times I’ve seen NL have been at the stables in mk which is an awful soulless place possibly because the seats are so big and comfy. It takes a lot to drag me to the union chapel because it’s so uncomfortable and it’s not very solo gig goer friendly with the pew free for all. I can’t think of a single seated gig I’ve been to that I wouldn’t have preferred standing at…. but then I’m tall and usually go on my own.
Oh I love the Stables. I don’t equate “soul” with standing at the back of some shed in North London surrounded by dickheads talking. The Stables has great sound, is comfortable, good beer and is 30 mins drive avoiding an additional 30+ quid to get there. Give me souless!
Yes, I struggle with standing these days, due to the old spinal cord tumour and whatnot, but back in the day I probably still preferred sitting, depending upon the act and the venue (i.e. what the view and sound from the seats would be). Having said that, I stood for nearly every gig I went to last year, but suffered for it over the next few days. Mostly it was because the venue didn’t offer seating, but for Christine and the Queens at Manchester Apollo I wanted to be down near the front, so it was my own fault. Holmfirth Picturedrome is great for standing though, as it’s a sloped floor like Brixton Academy. When I saw Gary Numan at Sheffield student union the floor was flat and I was near the back, as I didn’t have my wife with me to hold on to, so it was difficult to see cos of all the ruddy mobile phones!!
NL is one of the few people I’d go out of my way to see live. The gig I’m going to is at Jubilee Central in Hull which seems to be quite an intimate venue. But what puts me off concert-going in general is mobile phones and the sense of people not being in the moment but recording it (with themselves in it, natch) to share later. Or just people going for a drink or a piss every five minutes. It’s hard to get immersed in an experience in such circumstances. But it is what it is and sometimes I’ll judge that the positives of seeing an artist I admire outweigh the aforementioned irritants.
In case the above comes across as holier-than-thou I fully admit I’m also guilty of the above behaviours on occasion. If I was to meet Nick I’d probably go for a selfie rather than an autograph or (heaven forbid) an entirely unrecorded and undocumented handshake / conversation, just to prove that I had met him.
Dagnabbit! The missus agreed to go, but the sodding show has sold out! Next time then.
Yes, some of his songs certainly give off a whiff of a world weary misogyny as may be brought on in your condition
😉
Saw him as support to EC at Blenheim last year, just him and his guitar. Delightful gig. Is he using Los straitjackets as his backing band? I know there is the YepRoc link and they are quite fun alone: I have there Rock en Espagnol album (and Play favourites, for that matter) as they are essential fodder for covers junkies like me. Then of course there’s this:
Having gone through something similar (or exactly the same), I also have appreciated his relatively recent run of albums.
Seen him live a couple of times and actually met him at the Albert Hall after he played there about a decade ago. Nice guy.
Jealous! Nick Lowe would be great to have a pint with, as I bet he’s full of good stories. I read a great interview with him in Rolling Stone recently. I was excited to see a book is coming out in August called Cruel To Be Kind: The Life and Music of Nick Lowe, but it’s a biography, rather than an autobiography. Should hopefully still be a good read though.
Didn’t get much of a chance to talk to him, not to name drop but Ron Sex-smith introduced me to him, “Dai, this is Nick, Nick, this is Dai!” I did know who he was …
I don’t know much of Nick Lowe’s music. Any particular recommendations? I have The Convincer and am quite fond of the track Homewrecker.
Honestly there’s so many but on a personal level this song has resonated with me hugely in recent months…
Los Straitjackets are a hoot and a scoot, so looking forward to seeing them both together. Youtube signs are good:
Yep. Took me a while to get used to their Lucha Libre wrestling masks but I now think they’re cool.
https://youtu.be/WT-YamEJ3TQ
Will be seeing him at Red Rooster festival in Suffolk – been every year to this great event!
Absolutely love this Rockpile film. Envious of the bold Nick as he ingested industrial quantities of acid in his early years, followed in the late 70s / early 80s by a similar intake of booze and powders. I assumed he would be teetotal now but apparently not. I’ve read interviews where he talks of ‘not being able to carry on like he used to’ while still liking a drink. If I get a chance I’ll ask him what his magic formula is! Carlsberg don’t do rock careers, but if they did they’d look pretty much like Nick Lowe’s. Top bloke.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lII5UptbIf0