Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets bring the Quality Rock & Roll Revue to North Denver
November 19, 2021
Photos: Billy Thieme
At 72 years old, Nick Lowe held a magical power over a packed Oriental Theater for nearly two hours last Tuesday night, appearing easily 50 years younger. And, backed by one of instrumental rock’s most endearing group of masked tunesmiths, he was the picture of suave, perfect pop genius.
Backing up one of rock ‘n roll’s classiest frontmen may be the only scenario in which Los Straitjackets might be less than 100% in control of a venue from the moment they stroll on the stage – but the combination with Lowe proved even better, and more powerful than usual.
From the opening strum of Lowe’s “So It Goes” through the encore, the two entities formed a cohesive, brilliant pop machine. Alternating between tunes we’ve all rocked to for the better part of the last five decades and the raging, reverb-soaked & surf-based music that Los Straitjackets have become famous for, the machine had a full house swaying, twisting, jumping, and bouncing.
Nick Lowe held a magical power for nearly two hours, appearing easily 50 years younger than his age.
All of that energy and dancing wouldn’t have been so unusual, if that crowd’s mean age was the same as it was in Lowe’s shows 30 years ago. This crowd’s baseline was easily late 40’s & 50’s (I should know – I myself am beyond the latter half of that spread) – and plenty were more mature. But their love for this classically crisp twang, perfectly paired words (and hair), and positively shimmering pop tunes seemed to have the power to shave off decades and inspire.
Rolling through Lowe’s tunes old and new, including “Ragin’ Eyes,” “Lately I’ve Let Things Slide,” “I Live on a Battlefield,” and “Somebody Cares for Me,” Lowe and the masked musical luchadores kept turning out lively, hopping tunes
Los Straitjackets did not disappoint with their own mini-set.
At the show’s midpoint, Lowe excused himself from the stage to “…take care of a few things” backstage, leaving the show for Los Straitjackets to take over. And they did not disappoint. After opening their mini-set with “Kawanga” (a song worth the price of admission on its own), they entertained us with a rippin’ version of “Pacifica,” covers of Shocking Blue’s “Venus” and Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” (so much better than the original), and crowd favorite “Itchy Chicken,” before welcoming Lowe back onstage. It was like having two full shows, featuring two of the classiest bands around.
The supergroup then rounded the night out with almost another full set, including the rousing “Half a Boy and Half a Man,” “Love Starvation,” and “Trombone.” They added “Lay It On Me Baby” and the melancholic “Blue on Blue,” all before getting to “Cruel to Be Kind.” All of this, and never once did Lowe show his age, and neither did the crowd.
