Last Saturday night I saw Nick Lowe live at the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis, and after the show I got to meet him! It was really a great show, very similar to when I saw him last year at the Fine Line. But the acoustics at the Dakota are much better. Nick performed solo, he really should do a solo live album. He really attacks his guitar, I'm surprised he didn't break any strings! The crowd was really great, very appreciative of Nick.
Nick even did a new song, called "I Read A Lot." It was excellent, a sad but gorgeous song about how the narrator reads a lot now that his girlfriend has left him. In introducing the song, Nick said "People fall into two categories when you say you're going to do a new song. They either say, 'I must hear it right away, another nugget of brilliance from this man, how does he do it, when does he sleep?' Or they say, 'How long is this going to take?' I must admit, I fall into the second category." Well, when it comes to Nick Lowe, I definitely fall into the first category! And I'm greedily hoping there's more new songs on the way.
After the show a group of people were waiting by the backstage/green room area, and Nick was signing autographs, posing for pictures, and chatting with people. I was excited, as I had wasted quite a while after the Fine Line show hoping to meet Nick, with no luck. I heard Nick tell the guy in front of me that he was hoping to tour with a band next year, and that he has a best-of coming out next year. I went to the concert with my Mom, who is as big a Nick Lowe fan as I am, and she was pretty excited to meet him too. (She thinks Nick is pretty cute, in addition to being a great singer and songwriter.) So I got to shake Nick's hand and talk to him for a minute, and stand around while someone found a Sharpie so he could sign our CD's. (I had stupidly assured my Mom that Nick would have a Sharpie. He didn't.) I learned that Nick is left-handed, which just makes him that much cooler in my book. (I'm left-handed as well.) Nick is quite handsome up close, with his white hair and piercing blue eyes, but then you know that if you've seen the cover of his album "The Convincer." (Just seeing that CD cover when it came out made me wonder, "Who is that guy?" But I didn't just buy the CD at the time. I should have.) I told Nick, "I think you're one of the great songwriters," because I had to say something to articulate how much his music means to me. He seemed pleased that someone would say that about him, he said, "Thank you very much. And thanks for bringing your Mum along!" What a nice guy!
So that was my meeting Nick Lowe story, here's the set-list, I think I have all the songs, but not in perfect order:
People Change
Soulful Wind
When I Write the Book (so glad he played that!)
Lately I've Let Things Slide
What's Shakin' on the Hill
Long Limbed Girl
Hope For Us All
All Men Are Liars
I Trained Her to Love Me
(after those 2 songs Nick said, "Now we're through the controversial part of the show, we've made it to the other side, which doesn't always happen.")
Man That I've Become
Has She Got a Friend?
I Read a Lot-new song
Cruel to be Kind
I Live On a Battlefield
What's So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding?
Without Love
Rome Wasn't Built in a Day
I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock and Roll
encore:
The Man In Love
The Beast In Me
2nd encore:
7 Nights to Rock
It was a great show and a great night.
3 comments:
I'm so happy you met him! It was a great show, wasn't it? Did you know he's going to be on Austin City Limits on January 31? I can't wait to see that show, by all accounts it was a great taping. I'm just sad that the world is catching up, and now Nick may not "belong" to just the core group of devoted fans anymore. (Selfish of me, I know.)
I definitely have to meet your mom. We have some big things in common (or at least one). Oddly enough, I took my son to see Nick this month too.
Hey, I'm left-handed too! I'm sure that's why we appreciate Nick.
Yeah, I can't wait for the Austin City Limits show! Nick's just at such a peak right now, with his songwriting and performing, it's great to see. I know what you mean, I want more people to like Nick, but I still want to be able to see him in small clubs like the Dakota.
Yes, I think you and my Mom would get along really well!
As Frank Langella once said to me, (he's another lefty) "All the best people are left-handed." It's certainly true that leftys seem to be very creative: Nick, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, etc.
I was lucky enough to see Nick in Madison last month. He was very gracious and seemed genuinely impressed that I had traveled to see him. I'm so glad that you and your mom had a good time.
Post a Comment