Nick Lowe

This was on my 'bucket list' of acts to see. Nick Lowe was one of the first 'new' acts I was getting into as I had just turned 13 that year. His 'Cruel to Be Kind' was the song that 'started' things off. The post-punk revolution was taking over, the Eighties with these influences along with new wave, glam metal, hip-hop, were all emerging and the dumbbell disco duck deluge was heading straight to the dumpster where it belongs. Many of the great Nick Nuggets were played, this was one show where you knew all the songs and coasted along for the pleasant ride through the memories. I had seen (and briefly met) Los Straitjackets at the local Rumba Club a few years earlier that decade so I already knew they're good. Nick picked a terrific backing band for his tour, and it was cool of him to let them showcase their talents a couple of times with brief sets (they're a surf/instrumental band on their own). In the wake of the demise of several of my favorite stars and bands (esp. the ones I grew up) - Motorhead (saw them in 1996) followed by David Bowie and Prince (never got to see them), I went on a blitzkrieg of concerts of music acts that stand out and played important 'soundtracks' to my life; incl. ZZ Top, X, Phil Collins, Front 242, Brian Wilson, George Clinton, Little River Band, Cheap Trick, Bryan Ferry, Bruce Springsteen, (Jeff Lynne's) ELO, Heart, Sting + Peter Gabriel (together!), Kool and the Gang and so many others. Then in 2020 we had to deal with the Covid pandemic and unrest. And many of my favorite musical acts (incl. some that I've seen before) are gone. Seeing Nick Lowe during the autumn of 2019 brought things a bit full circle for me music wise and I was happy to catch his show, with Los Straitjackets with him. I'm glad I got to see this rock'n'roll super trooper who has highlighted a good portion of my life. It was unforgettable and wonderful.