Cracker’s David Lowery and Johnny Hickman (Photo by Bradford Jones)
Why front one band when you can front two? That’s surely the philosophy of David Lowery — guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and mathematician — who heads both Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven. As is David’s habit in the past several years, he’s bringing both bands to 9:30 Club for a double bill on Saturday, Jan. 18.
In Cracker, of course, the character of the music is driven by the mighty guitar of Johnny Hickman. And Camper Van Beethoven owes heavy debts to its longstanding members, including co-founder and bassist Victor Krummenacher, violinist and guitarist Jonathan Segel, guitarist Greg Lisher, and drummer Chris Pedersen.
But surprisingly, the most recent David Lowery album is a solo album, In The Shadow of the Bull, released last year. “I just wanted to let you know that I am releasing a new album July 6th. I recorded it at home over the last few months on a $300 Tascam Portastudio. I did get Drew Vandenberg to mix it and Jason NeSmith to master it. So it sounds pretty good!” David said in announcing the record.
“This is the first part of a multi-disc musical autobiography,” he added.
Watch David Lowery perform “Plaza de Toros” live on WFPK via YouTube:
In a review for Exclaim!, Patrick Flanary praised David’s storytelling talents.
“Lowery navigates hindsight toward rock bottom and back again, somehow twisting dark memories into campfire sing-alongs. In the Shadow of the Bull is more wry reckoning than sentimental journey. And its heartbreaking conclusion is hardly an ending — Lowery has many chapters yet to tell in his calculated confessional,” Patrick wrote.
Cracker
Camper Van Beethoven
9:30 Club
Saturday, Jan. 18
Doors @ 6pm
$25
All ages