Nick Lowe’s Quality Rock & Roll Review
Featuring Los Straightjackets
25th February 2020
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Mike Beck. Photography by Chris Zwaagdyk.
With love and its many variants on his mind and ingrained in his music, Nick Lowe lives on a battlefield. One of England’s finest and most respected singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1970’s, Lowe has also become a musical journeyman of extensive proportions. Along with a solo career many records and moons long, he’s fronted groups Brinsley Schwarz and Rockpile, co-led supergroup Little Village (with John Hiatt, Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner), and produced numerous records, including several for Elvis Costello (My Aim Is True, This Year’s Model, Armed Forces, Blood & Chocolate etc). Oh, and he’s a bass player too.
On his third visit to New Zealand, Lowe came this time round bringing his luchador inspired, surf guitar backing band ‘Los Straightjackets’, as well as renowned Nashville songwriter John Lauderdale as his Australasian touring support act.
A smaller than expected turnout meant that tables occupied the usually standing room/dance floor area of The Powerstation (just like Lowe’s last visit in 2012). This provided a more intimate experience for all, but at the same time disappointingly omitted advertised New Zealand support act from Christchurch, songwriter Delany Davidson. That songsmith trifecta would have iced the cake.
Having checked Lauderdale in tremendously flared jeans upon his arrival to the venue, it was a slight surprise to see him take the stage dressed in a purple ‘Flying Burrito Brothers’ styled two-piece purple suit. More surprising though was that his outfit was covered in yin yang symbols, rather than traditional sequins. Country music has gone spiritual it would seem (not that it ever hadn’t been).
Performing solo and silhouetted stunningly with some ace mood stage-lighting, Lauderdale proved the consummate storyteller, guiding an attentive audience through nine of his best which included some gem co-writes. A collaboration with Lowe from when the two toured together in 1995, ‘Always on The Outside’ was a highlight, Lauderdale pleading “it’s wrong to be on the outside and looking in”.
Recalling an excerpt from the first biography of his hero Gram Parsons (by Sid Griffin), whereby Parsons broke down while listening to George Jones, terming him, “The King of Broken Hearts” he then played the song itself of the same name. Lauderdale teared-up momentarily with the mention of another influence Robert Hunter, Jim inviting the audience to sing the chorus of ‘Headed for the Hills’; “I can hear ‘em callin.”
Another recollection from ’83 when Lowe called Lauderdale back after he’d sent him a cassette of some of his songs, lending him encouragement; Lauderdale felt inspired and held gratitude for this. Announcing that this was his first visit to Auckland, Lauderdale promised he wouldn’t wait sixty-two years again to return. He sung and accompanied himself throughout on acoustic guitar with great restraint, giving his occasional moments of twang vocal outbreaks added inflection and soul.
Another co-writing effort, this time with Buddy Miller, closed out his fine set; ‘Hole in my Head’, to which Lauderdale exited the stage to a standing ovation. Chatting with Lauderdale mid break, he fondly recalled meeting a youthful Jeff Buckley as a reserved reception clerk, who failed to mention to him that he played music himself at the time. He was to see him again, transformed into a star. A pause ensued; a lot of heart there with that guy.
Enter headline act Nick Lowe, with his now distinctive white-haired quiff and black framed glasses, along with masked conquistadors Los Straightjackets in tow. This unlikely combination has been Lowe’s backing group of choice for a few years now, and the throwback to surf guitar era style combo playing was to give Lowe’s predominantly laid-back catalogue a raw edge.
With Lowe playing acoustic guitar throughout, he fashioned a lively set that covered all the periods of his fifty-year career. Appropriate opener ‘So It Goes’ was the first single released on Stiff records, Lowe’s first single as a solo artist, and included on his debut solo record Jesus Of Cool (1978).
‘You Inspire Me’ was the sole entry from Lowe’s classic Dig My Mood (1998), shifted sideways from its ‘by the fireplace’ country origin, while a single with LSJ ‘Tokyo Bay’ showed just how the lads sound in their pure state. Lowe announced he was handing over the stage to his backing group and then kidded that he may do his accounts or have a bath while he breaks backstage.
Los Straightjackets broke into a bracket of charged instrumentals, recalling the echoes of Link Wray, Duane Eddy and the gamut of 60’s surf-garage. Led by twang talent Eddie Angel (guitar), Greg Townson (gat), Creature from the Black Lagoon masked Pete Curry (bass) and Chris Sprague (drums) played cohesively and had fun with their repertoire. All donning Lucha libre style masks, the guys ripped into wrestling fav ‘Aerostar’, while a reworked ‘Venus’ garnered appreciation from those dancing in the spaces available.
Lowe was to return to the segued hint of ‘I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass’, his highest charting UK hit. Noticeable was the costume change into a mosaic-style shirt that Lowe was sporting (maybe he did have that bath). ‘Half A Boy & Half A Man’ rocked the house, and it was all hands-on deck for Lowe’s biggest US hit ‘Cruel to Be Kind’ (off 1979’s Labour of Lust).
Lowe had earlier announced that “all our songs are, ah really short,” which meant that his set – including LSJ’s bunch of offerings – was a generous twenty-six songs long. His prank that a new law in 2020 prohibits encores, fooled stage techs into turning on the house lights prior to his and the band’s return. Thankfully they did return, and rightfully Lowe closed the evening with his signature ‘(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding’, re-interpreted borrowing the melody of Dylan’s ‘If Not for You’…
Two great song-writers combined, and a lengthy list of great songs drove the night, mixed with the fresh musical flavour and shenanigans from Los Straightjackets (rubber chicken Español style included). At seventy, Lowe is still going strong guns. His longevity and spritely nature is such that more songs and mileage in the tank is a given. Here’s hoping that he journeys back to our shores with more musical goodies before his time is done.
Were you there at the Powerstation to witness this brilliant rock and roll revue? Or have you seen Nick Lowe or Los Straightjackets perform live somewhere else? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Nick Lowe & Los Straightjackets Setlist:
- So It Goes
- Ragin’ Eyes
- Without Love
- You Inspire Me
- Shting-Shtang
- Raincoat In The River [Dig Richards cover]
- Somebody Cares For Me
- Tokyo Bay
- Kawanga
- Aerostar
- Venus [Shocking Blue cover]
- Space Mosquito
- Itchy Chicken
- Breaking
- Half A Boy And Half A Man
- Love Starvation
- Lay It On Me, Baby
- Following Wind
- Blue On Blue
- Here Comes That Feeling [Brenda Lee cover]
- Cruel To Be Kind
- Heart Of The City
- I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock ‘n’ Roll) [Dave Edmunds Cover]
- Sing Sing Sing [encore]
- When I Write The Book [Rockpile cover] [encore]
- (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding [encore]
John Lauderdale Setlist:
- Life By Numbers
- I Lost You
- The Secrets Of The Pyramids
- I’ll Forgive You If You Don’t
- Always On The Outside
- The King Of Broken Hearts
- I Love You More
- Headed For The Hills
- Hole In My Head
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