Having seen the Lowe-ster only a few nights before in Dallas,
I was naturally very interested in Dede's post.  A few comments:

> > Many of you probably know that Nick is no
> longer what
> > you'd call a pop/rock act - he's basically decided that he's too old
> for
> > that stuff and can afford to do what he wants, which apparently is a
> sort of
> > cross between loungey (though tasteful) crooner ballads and
> Memphis-style
> > R&B.

I still thought his show here rocked... I mean, maybe not in the
same sense as an AC/DC arena show rocks, but still...


> The opening act (as has been mentioned) was Memphis R&B/blues
> legend
> > Dan Penn, accompanied by fellow legend Spooner Hawkins (was that his
> last
> > name? Sorry, I have trouble getting past "Spooner")

Spooner Oldham.


> > Anyway, Nick came out by himself at first, wearing a nice suit (with
> no tie)

Yep, same outfit...


> > Nick was the only one actually standing up throughout the
> show, and
> > despite his advancing age his voice sounded as great as ever and he
> didn't
> > nod off even once.

Very funny... at 49, he's not exactly about to go into Geritol
withdrawal.  If you want to see somebody OLD playing rock 'n roll,
check out the Stones next time they launch one of their mega-tours.
But as for Nick's voice -- yes, it was awesome.   He's never sounded
better.


> Indeed it was Donnalley who, despite being the
> youngest
> > person on stage by a good 60-70 years, was the least animated and,
> probably,
> > the least impressive player...

Yeah, that guy looked like he was about to go to sleep any time...


> > Anyway, after doing a few more tunes like the new "Faithless Lover"
> and "Man
> > That I've Become," Nick actually switched to the *bass guitar* for
> several
> > numbers, prompting gasps from the assembled throng, whose enthusiasm
> could
> > only have been tempered by their having seen the frets.

Whoever wrote the above seems shocked at the idea of Nick Lowe
playing a bass guitar.  He is, however, a bass player.  That's his
instrument.  He played bass when he was in Little Village, and
though I won't swear to it, I believe he also played bass for
Brinsley Schwarz and Rockpile.


> > ...before Nick decided he'd
> had enough
> > of the whole bass thing and went back to the acoustic...

...and then later switched back to the bass...


> > ...and a subdued-though-interesting
> version
> > of "What's So Funny About..."

Subdued compared to what?  I thought it rocked.


> > as well as "I Knew the Bride", and
> finally
> > the obligatory "let's get Dan and Spooner back up here" number (the
> title of
> > which I don't remember either).

Ah... in Dallas, he actually closed with "I Knew The Bride".  I thought
it was the perfect number to finish up with.  It sounded pretty
different from the recorded version on *The Rose of England*, but
it was very good nonetheless.  Anyway, I think getting Penn & Oldham
back up there after that would have been anticlimax.  I'm glad
he didn't.