This was a much awaited set last night...



Nick Lowe, f. Geraint Watkins, Belcourt Theatre, Sept. 21, 2004.

This is another artist I don't know how I missed for so long. Most know of him either through his hit, "Cruel to Be Kind" or because of his marriage to Carlene Carter. Some also know him as the guy that produced Elvis Costello in his early years. Others may also know that he wrote "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding."

I'm somewhat at a loss for words. It was a flawless set; yet, it's one of those things that I think you really had to experience in order to "get" it. Suffice it to say that at 53, Lowe is still a master of his own tunesmithy, and that the fact that he didn't sell out a venue the size of the Belcourt is but a single testament to the criminal underappreciation of this artist.

(Sidebar: Steve Winwood, Chuck Mead, Gillian Welch, and Dave Rawlings were spotted in the audience.)

Recommended:

Party of One: Set including a cast so tight a cat couldn't scratch it; Bill Kirchen on guitar, Ry Cooder on guitar, Dave Edmunds on guitar and co-producing, Paul Carrack on piano.

Also, if you can find it, 16 All Time Lowes is a good career retrospective.