(Picture courtesy of Can You See the Sunset from the Southside)

I’ve seen Lucero a few times, but have never had the pleasure of arriving sober. This night was a first. I was dealing with sick offspring and my friend Moish sent Mrs. Moish off to a social commitment, so we arrived late and unfortunately missed Bobby Bare Jr. The benefit for you is that you’ll get a somewhat lucid review of the show.

We walked into the Metro and headed directly to the bar. Never anticipating seeing any of the band members, we just about bumped into Ben Nichols who was casually conversing with fans. He really seems to be a very easy-going guy. I know a few others that have hung with Ben pre and post-show and all have had only positive things to say about him as a person.

My buddy, Foster, took an immediate shine to bassist John C. Stubblefield. He kinda looks like Will Ferrell doing an over-the-top impersonation of a musician, but he takes the stage ready to perform with full energy. Stubblefield started off the show in what looked-like a Members Only jacket, zipped all the way up to his neck. By show’s end, he was in a sleeveless t-shirt and you could tell he was running out of steam. He was also drinking about six beers at the same time, but never seemed to miss a beat.

As for the actual show, it only took a few songs to realize that there isn’t a band out there today that gives more in a performance than Lucero. They leave nothing in the dressing room and tear through their set with reckless abandon. This night’s show was more unique because Bobby Bare Jr.’s keyboardist sat in with them. The keys added a nice touch, especially to the tunes that Nichols typically sings on his own such as “The War.”

Visit Can You See the Sunset From the Southside for more coverage including pictures, his notes and mp3’s from the live show (Thanks for posting). Here are two of the tracks…

Lucero - I Can Get us Out of Here Tonight (Live at the Metro)

Lucero - The War (Live at the Metro)