The combination of veteran Brit pub-rocker Nick Lowe and Nashville surf rockers Los Straitjackets doesn't make any sense at first glance. Lowe has never really been one for flamboyance on stage; a dapper shirt and pants is his usual get-up. So the idea of him sharing a stage with these Tennessee titans, all sporting startling Mexican wrestling masks, is a bit odd.
The thing is, when you actually witness it, and hear the wonderful noise that they create together, it makes all the sense in the world.
To be fair, this is nothing new. Lowe and Los Straitjackets have been touring and recording together since 2019. Clearly, and perhaps against the odds, this is a match made in heaven. Despite the aesthetic gimmick, the Los Straitjacket fellas are tremendous musicians. Alright, it's not that weird after all.
The pairing performed at the Troubadour on two consecutive nights, and we were at the first. The room, an L.A. institution, was sardine can-packed, making it difficult to maneuver around the place at all (never mind actually take some photos).
The set was a career-spanner for Lowe. The brilliant "So it Goes" kicked things off, and we would later get new wave classic "Heart of the City," his version of "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love & Understanding" (popularized by his pal Elvis Costello), and his original version of "Cruel to be Kind" (a hit for Letters to Cleo).
There was time for some Los Straitjackets interludes--manic versions of "The Theme from the Magnificent Seven" and "Bird Dance Beat." That afforded Lowe the chance of a breather. The show ended with Lowe alone on stage, strumming though Costellos's "Alison" (which Lowe produced).
It was a beautiful way to conclude a stunning set.
