April 2011

Ben Nichols of Lucero is embarking on a quixotic motorcycle trip through the South with a guitar strapped to his back.  While most musicians would take time off to relax between their band’s tour dates, Ben is spending his vacation on two wheels and in front of small crowds of Lucero’s most loyal fans. I, being one of these cult fans for many years, couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see Ben perform solo – even if it was on Easter Sunday in a spooky room called Purgatory at Masquerade in Atlanta.

I stepped onto a back deck outside Masquerade where much of the pre-show crowd congregated to take in the beautiful 70 degree evening under the stars.  Ben chatted with some fans and then briefly with me and HearYa longtime friend, Tim Sweetwood, who handles booking and promotion at Masquerade. I’d seen Ben perform solo only once before at our SxSW 2010 party and he killed it, but this night was different. Away from the hustle of SxSW, he (not surprisingly) seemed more serene. He had a rough draft of a set list in his mind that included most of the songs from his Last Pale Light In The West solo EP, but the majority of the show was driven by requests from the crowd.

In a day where bands are “social” with fans via Facebook and Twitter, but sometimes move through set lists with military-like discipline,  it was refreshing to see a musician and his fans determining the course of the night together, with mutual admiration for one another. And collaborative alcohol consumption. At one point in the night, Ben was handed a tin flask from a fan and he asked “What’s in it?” Before the fan could answer he said, “Fuck it, I’ll drink it.” Such was the night. Ben would perform a crowd favorite, sip (or gulp) bourbon, chase with a coke, and repeat. If he had trouble remembering words to the song requests, he’d get cues from the crowd before starting each verse.

Highlights from the two hour long set were everything from Last Pale Light In The West, Bikeriders, Sixteen, Kiss The Bottle, My Best Girl, Nights Like These, Slow Dancing, and covers of Townes Van Zandt and Joey Kneiser (of Glossary). The Kneiser cover was particularly special. If you haven’t already, download Joey’s solo album for free here. Ben introduced the song by saying that “Bruised Ribs” is a song he wished he’d written and that Joey offered these for free because they were “just some acoustic songs he threw together.” Ben sarcastically said something like “that fucking asshole,” then played the song.

It’s that humble, accessible stage presence that draws me back to every Lucero show. Ben feeds off of the crowd’s energy and strives to deliver a collaborative experience.  He remarked that he was shocked that so many folks came out to see him (the show sold out). It may be time for Nichols to recalibrate his expectations.  He may be underestimating the loyalty and passion of Lucero fans, even on Sunday night religious holidays.

You can get a taste of the night in the (low quality) video I took below.

Joey Kneiser – Bruised Ribs

Live Video: Ben Nichols – Toadvine (live at Masquerade in Atlanta)

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