Nick Lowe at Zankel Hall

Last Friday, October 17, 2008, Nick Lowe performed live at Carnegie Hall! The show, which took place at Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, kicked off the 2008-09 season of the “WFUV Live at Zankel” series. It was an absolute pleasure to host the show, being that I have been a huge Nick Lowe fan  going back to the first time I heard songs from Labour Of Lust on the radio. It was the third time I’ve met Nick, having interviewed him back in 1994 and hosted an excluse live performance for WFUV at Bennett Studios in Englewood, New Jersey in 2007. Nick performed solo and acoustic, which is the best way to see him live. Since 1990 or so, Nick has made a smooth transformation from the bass playing, New Wave pop “Basher” to mature country pop troubadour. Nick was happy to be playing a classy venue like Zankel Hall at Carnegie, reminiscing about some of the dives he’s played over the years and remarking that even Zankel’s backstage area was very clean and neat! Nick played for about an hour and fifteen minutes, delivering song after song from throughout his career. Here is the setlist, with original album source:

People Change (At My Age, 2007)

Soulful Wind (The Impossible Bird, 1994)

When I Write The Book (ROCKPILE, Seconds Of Pleasure, 1980)

What’s Shakin’ On The Hill (Party Of One, 1990)

Long Limbed Girl (At My Age, 2007)

Lately I’ve Let Things Slide (The Convincer, 2001)

Has She Got A Friend? (The Convincer , 2001)

All Men Are Liars (Party Of One, 1990)

I Trained Her To Love Me (At My Age, 2007)

I Read A Lot (new song)

Cruel To Be Kind (Labour Of Lust, 1979)

Heart (ROCKPILE, Seconds Of Pleasure, 1980 and Nick The Knife, 1982)

Man That I’ve Become (Dig My Mood, 1998)

I Live On A Battlefield (The Impossible Bird, 1994)

Hope For Us All (At My Age, 2007)

Without Love (Labour Of Lust, 1979)

Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day (At My Age, 2007)

I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock And Roll) (The Rose Of England, 1985)

What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace Love And Understanding (BRINSLEY SCHWARZ, The New Favourites Of Brinsley Schwarz, 1974)

ENCORE (dedicated to the late Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops):

The Man In Love (At My Age, 2007)

Heart Of The City (Pure Pop For Now People / Jesus Of Cool, 1978)

The Beast In Me (The Impossible Bird, 1994)