Tag Archives: Lucero
Sometimes You Get a Little Wet
July 10th, 2010
Tonight’s Lucero show (with J. Roddy Walston and the Business and Johnny Corndawg) at The Beach at Governors Island is rain or shine. In the event of an electrical storm or high winds, management will work with local authorities to protect the health and safety of both the artists and audience. In the event of lightning, this may include short delays of the performance. Just letting you know. Knowledge is power.
Lucero Hits The Beach at Governors Island (Plus a Free MP3)
July 9th, 2010
Lucero, out of Memphis, has been expertly combining country with punk and rock since 1998. They’re as much known for their red-hot live shows as for frontman Ben Nichols’ raspy, evocative growl. And the best news is, as part of the Gone to Governors series, Lucero (above, playing “I Can Get Us Out of Here Tonight” for Fuel TV) is playing for FREE tomorrow night at The Beach at Governors Island.
And as an added bonus, Converse, the Gone to Governors sponsor, is offering you a free MP3 download of “All Summer,” featuring Kid Cudi, Rostam, of Vampire Weekend, and Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino, here.
Governors Island Ferry Information Update
We encourage everyone to come early and enjoy The Beach. If you are on the island before the show tomorrow, get to The Beach venue by 5:30 p.m., as concert wristbands will be distributed earlier. Governors Island ferries will run from the Battery Maritime Building until 5:30 p.m. There will be no boats to the concert departing from the Battery Maritime Building after 5:30 p.m. Dedicated concert ferries will depart after 5:30 p.m. from Pier 11, located at the corner of South Street and Wall Street in lower Manhattan. Wristbands will be distributed at the ferry departure point on a first-come, first-served basis, starting at 5:30 p.m.
A Rowdy Night at Music Hall
March 31st, 2010Lucero – Music Hall of Williamsburg – March 30, 2010
Perhaps the best thing about going to a Lucero show is knowing exactly what you’re going to get—a rambunctious set of everyman tunes that makes you want to throw your arm around your best buddy and buy another round. Last night’s Music Hall of Williamsburg show was no different. The Memphis-based, whiskey-logged Southern soul-punkers played a set in support of their current release, last year’s 1372 Overton Park, an album that impressively adds horns to the band’s trademark sound. Played live, songs like album-opener “Smoke” and “What Are You Willing to Lose?” and “The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo” all benefited from the brass section, making them much more rock and less country, leading to lots of dancing in the crowd. However, it was singer Ben Nichols’ voice that provided some of the best moments, as was the case when Lucero played album-closer “Mom” (a heartfelt reassurance that though they may mistakes, they were raised right) and the always highly anticipated cover of Jawbreaker’s “Kiss the Bottle.” —Kirsten Housel
Photos courtesy of Kirsten Housel
See Lucero Next Tuesday at Music Hall of Williamsburg
March 26th, 2010
The Memphis rock quintet Lucero’s sound converges at the badass intersection of country, punk and rock. They’ve been putting out quality music since 2000, and their sixth studio album, 1372 Overton Park, was released last October. Led by singer-guitarist Ben Nichols’ gravely, Jameson-soaked voice, Lucero is a tour de force live band—playing close to 200 shows a year—that shouldn’t be missed. So don’t. Come see Lucero (above, performing “Johnny Davis” on Fuel TV) next Tuesday at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Get yourself some brown liquor, say hello to Eddie Bruiser and see if you recognize Nichols from MTV.com’s $5 Cover.
See Lucero at Webster Hall This Saturday
October 13th, 2009
Like a bastardized version of a Donny and Marie song, Lucero is a little bit country and a little bit punk. Led by charismatic singer-guitarist Ben Nichols, the band has been putting out albums since their debut, The Attic Tapes, was released in 2000. Their eighth album, 1372 Overton Park, came out last week. (You can stream it here.) And to celebrate, these road warriors are touring the country again. They bring their gritty, roots-y music to Webster Hall this Saturday—and they’ll have horns with them, so you know it’s gonna be good.
(See Lucero, above, playing “I Can Get Us Out of Here Tonight” on Fuel TV.)
Lucero – Music Hall of Williamsburg – April 18, 2009
April 20th, 2009
(Photo: Wes Frazer)
After seeing so many bands in skinny ties or skinny jeans, it was a relief to see a group of dudes from Memphis with tattoos, beards, hats and T-shirts ripping it up onstage at Music Hall of Williamsburg just ’cause it was Saturday night. Lucero’s sound is a mash-up of a rootsy country twang, dueling rock guitars and straight-up punk, kind of like Southern rock on three-quarters speed. (To be clear: not at three-quarters speed, but on three-quarters speed.)
The audience was loud and rowdy from the beginning. Whether it was enthusiastically singing along, crowd surfing (“That doesn’t look comfortable,” remarked Ben Nichols, guitarist and lead singer), hooting and hollering, fist bumping, fist pumping, man hugging or beer tossing (and not always empties), the audience was a force itself. Lucero, fortunately, was also a force. With two guitars (including a Gibson Flying V!), a pedal steel, a bass, drums and keys, the band easily filled the room with their big sound, often jamming together rather than taking extended solos. Occasionally, like on Nichols’ solo material he’d “accidentally released,” the band employed a sparer—though no less lively—sound with just three musicians onstage.
Nichols, the ever-chatty frontman, should star in his very own reality show. He has an endearing stage presence, especially while drinking straight from a bottle of Jameson (“God, that tastes good!”) and while continually thanking the crowd for indulging him in songs from his own album. After one of those songs, he even added: “I was almost too drunk to sing that one.” And by the end of the toe-tapping, hip-shaking, head-nodding show, it was hard for everyone else to not feel too drunk, too. —R. Zizmor
