Nick Lowe/NY,USA 1984

The DVD “LIVE FROM FIRST AVENUE 2019”, which includes Nick Lowe’s live footage in perfect professional shot footage, has been well received far beyond expectations, and we have been reminded of his deep-rooted popularity. At the same time, the latest footage is great, but we also received feedback from enthusiasts asking if we could also have some of his vintage live recordings. I especially want to hear about his stages in the 1980s, when his solo activities attracted attention in Japan and he gained a passionate following. Therefore, this time the best live sound source of 1984 will be released, but this year he released the masterpiece “NICK LOWE AND HIS COWBOY OUTFIT” and was attracting attention. Therefore, the live performance is accompanied by a backing band, Cowboy Outfit, just like the album. This group was formed by an elite group consisting of Paul Carrack, who left Squeeze, Martin Belmont, who left Graham Parker’s Rumor, and the late drummer Bobby Irwin, who was a long-time friend of Lowe. That’s why it’s worth listening to just the tight and energetic performance in the background. The live performance at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in August that will be released this time is the stage they performed when they opened for their ally Elvis Costello, and although it is about 45 minutes long, it is very much like their stage. The performance progresses smoothly. What is especially noteworthy is its amazing sound quality. The sound image is so powerful that the sound source provider sent it with the proviso that it was a “sound board.” It was an audience recording of the highest quality that he misunderstood. After all, it’s incredibly close. The cheers between songs make you realize that this is Odins. Another appealing thing is the lively performance of Lowe and the group. Among them, the sparkling real-time performance of “Half a Boy and Half a Man,” which was a new song at the time, is truly fascinating. What’s more, Carrack also took lead vocals on “How Long (has this been going on?)” and “Tempted” from the Squeeze era. In front of these fun performances, the audience was very excited, and the best part was that they even got an encore where they played “You’ll Never Get Me Up in One of Those.” The enthusiasm is fun. It is true that Lowe’s activities since the 1980s have had nothing to do with big hits, but it was still a time when his automatic activities bore fruit and he steadily gained fans. Especially when it comes to “NICK LOWE AND HIS COWBOY OUTFIT”, there is no reason why live performance is bad. To begin with, Lowe’s live albums were never released from the 1980s to the 1990s, and his live recordings were quietly distributed among core enthusiasts even in the underground world. Therefore, this release, which captures the stage at the peak of the 1980s with the highest sound quality, is sure to bring tears of excitement to maniacs. The current Ibushi Gin full-throttle stage is also wonderful, but the time when his solo career was at full throttle is still special. It is regrettable that the first song and the encore are incompletely recorded, but this is an audience album that captures the sound quality so high that it no longer matters. Enjoy the blissful 45 minutes that you can finish listening to in no time. Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Queens, NY, USA 18th August 1984 TRULY PERFECT SOUND (46:43) 01. Stick It Where the Sun Don’t Shine 02. Saint Beneath the Paint 03. Marie Provost 04. I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock ‘n’ Roll) 05. Tempted 06. Cracking Up 07. Ragin’ Eyes 08. Half a Boy and Half a Man 09. I Need You 10. How Long 11. Burning 12. You’ll Never Get Me Up in One of Those Nick Lowe & His Cowboy Outfit Nick Lowe – bass, guitar, vocals Paul Carrack – keyboards, vocals Martin Belmont – guitar Bobby Irwin – drums