Win a Lucero poster (hey darling … do you gamble?)
Gravelly-voiced, unrelentingly rocking Memphis band Lucero engenders the most rabid of fans, and for good reason. Their songs pulse hot and true with the heart of rock and roll (yes, Huey, it is still beating).
Lucero comes through Denver on Tuesday night on their “Ramblin Roadshow & Memphis Revue” tour, in support of their sixth studio album 1372 Overton Park. The album is their major-label debut, and was produced by Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem). After a series of near misses, I think this time I will finally make it to be baptized into the cult. The show is rumored to be daunting in its intensity, but I hope mostly it won’t hurt.
To celebrate with us, talented Denver poster artist Alan Peters (Jupiter Visual) has offered a pair of posters to Fuel/Friends readers. The posters are three-color screenprints, 13″x20″ on kraft brown enviro-cardstock. They’re pretty damn cool.
TO WIN: The new album is named after the Memphis loft where the band used to live and make music, but also enviable: in the ’70s, 1372 Overton Park was a karate dojo where local resident Elvis Presley, among others, took lessons. Tell me a story in the comments about a place you used to live. I’ll pick two winners on Monday night before I go to bed.
Nichols is one of the finest writers we have of music to accompany bitter disillusionment and heartbreak, but Lucero’s best songs also burst forth with a sort of irrepressible hope — here, in the shiny Memphis horns.
1372 Overton Park is out now; see you Tuesday at the show.
“So what if all my heroes are the losing kind?
We ended up with nothing, but we put up a fight.
Well come on little darlin’, can’t you cut us all some slack?
‘Cause the winners they all took off babe, and they’re never coming back…”
What Are You Willing To Lose? – Lucero
(from the new album)
Hey Darling, Do You Gamble? – Ben Nichols of Lucero, solo
(great song with a Townes Van Zandt backstory, from this earlier post)
PS: This Lucero song is still one of my favorites from them — or from anyone for that matter. It’s made it onto near every mix CD I’ve made for the past 3 years.
LUCERO FALL 2009 TOUR DATES
Oct 23 – Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN *
Oct 26 – Aggie Theatre – Ft. Collins, CO †
Oct 27 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO †
Oct 29 – The Crocodile – Seattle, WA †
Oct 30 – Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR †
Nov 1 – Mezzanine – San Francisco, CA †
Nov 4 – The Casbah – San Diego, CA †
Nov 5 – The Clubhouse – Tempe, AZ †
Nov 7 – Longhorn Saloon – Ft. Worth, TX #
Nov 8 – Fun Fun Fun Fest – Austin, TX #
Nov 9 – Meridian – Houston, TX #
Nov 10 – Alabama Music Box – Mobile, AL #
Nov 12 – Club Downunder @ FL State Univ. – Tallahassee, FL #
Nov 13 – Czar – Tampa, FL #
Nov 14 – Lizzie McCormick Stage – Orlando, FL #
Nov 15 – Café Eleven – St. Augustine, FL #
Nov 17 – Visulite Theatre – Charlotte, NC #
Nov 18 – 40 Watt Club – Athens, GA #
Nov 19 – Valarium – Knoxville, TN #
Nov 20 – Orange Peel – Asheville, NC #
Nov 21 – Headliners – Louisville, KY #
* with Amy LaVere and Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm
† with Jack Oblivian and John Paul Keith & the One Four Fives
# with Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm and The City Champs
Name: Heather Browne
I used to live in a cement floored house with a tin roof. It was in a small village in Cameroon while I was a Peace Corps Volunteer. There was no running water, so I had to “shower” with water heated on my stove and put in a bucket. It also meant I had to use an outhouse. Thankfully, there was electricity so I was able to listen to cassettes that my sisters sent me (REM, Pearl Jam, OutKast etc.). One of the most memorable things that happened there was when my neighbor’s kids were over (all < 5 years old) and I threw in Radiohead's Kid A. The youngest just stared at the stereo during the opening notes and then just busted out dancing. Once I started laughing the rest of the kids joined in and I had a toddler dance party in my living room.
brian s. — October 23, 2009 @ 8:22 pm
that is a *completely* fabulous story.
browneheather — October 24, 2009 @ 7:21 am
I haven’t lived anywhere too exotic or different – just the normal routine of hometown, college, a post-college escape (Washington DC) and then back home again. That would be Little Rock, Arkansas – also where Ben Nichols is from. I’m proud to call it my home – great city, thriving culture/art/music scene with just downright good people. We are so proud of Ben and Lucero and other local bands making it: such as American Princes, Moving Front, etc.
Ben mentions my favorite dive bar (which is also his favorite) – Whitewater Tavern – in ‘Darken My Door’: “Whitewater Tavern nights/old songs and cheap red wine.” You’d love this place, Heather. Small, run-down, cheap and filled with true music lovers. Lucero has plays here often and Ben does some solo sets as well. They’re more known for their cheap beer (particularly PBR) but I’m a fan of the red wine. The first time I went I ordered wine and they gave it to me in a stem glass which was just wrong. So now I request red wine in a plastic beer cup. It’s just that kind of awesome. If you’re ever in central Arkansas you will have to come by WWT.
Christy — October 26, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
contest closed! congrats to brian and christy for great stories.
browneheather — October 26, 2009 @ 9:54 pm
Are they touring with horns?
Ted — October 27, 2009 @ 9:32 am
I believe yes.
browneheather — October 27, 2009 @ 9:56 am
[...] Müeller, to take in the booze induced glory known as Lucero. (Lucero Concert Poster taken from Fuel Friends by Denver artist, Alan [...]
Lucero ::: Ogden Theatre ::: 10.27.09 — October 29, 2009 @ 5:38 am