Nick Lowe at Country Music Hall of Fame
—Nick Lowe has been a regular in Music City in the last year or so, opening for Wilco at the Ryman Auditorium and being feted at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Still, it was a real treat to see him deliver a decades-spanning acoustic set at the Mercy Lounge Saturday night.
The 64-year-old Lowe has aged gracefully, with wry observational songs replacing the buoyant rock songs of his early years. His intimate performance meant every lyric resonated, particularly those of “I Read A Lot” and “House for Sale,” heart-rending tales of lost love.
The most surprising audience reaction came during “I Trained Her to Love Me,” a dark and chilling song about a manipulative man who seduces and then abandons. The audience found this hilarious, and a bemused Nick played to it.
Lowe didn’t neglect his catalog. ” Old favorites included “Without Love,” “When I Write the Book,” “Heart,” “Raining” and his sole hit “Cruel to Be Kind.”
“What’s So Funny (about Peace, Love and Understanding?” is his best copyright and though his current rendition isn’t the full throttle rocker recorded by Elvis Costello, the spirit is intact. “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock and Roll)” was a particular treat.
Nick Lowe remains an extraordinary songwriter and a compelling performer. He’s not to be missed.
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