Nick Lowe at Helsinki Hudson (photo Seth Rogovoy)

Review by Seth Rogovoy

(HUDSON, N.Y., August 22, 2013) – A friend may have said it best when he turned to me midway through Nick Lowe’s superb solo concert at Club Helsinki Hudson on Wednesday night and asked, “Is this what it would have been like if Buddy Holly had lived?”

Probably. Mix in a little Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison, and a good dose of Beatles and other British Invasion pop music, and yes, Nick Lowe is in that great tradition of country- and roots-influenced, hook-laden rock ‘n’ roll. All sweet-voiced, minimalist – one man, one acoustic guitar played straightforwardly with no effects other than a bit of reverb – with perfectly crafted gems of pop songs that seemingly pour out of him with the greatest of ease.

And add to that a winning, low-key personality that also makes every sparse word count, that betrays no longing or regret or even a hint of narcissism, but only emanates good humor and joy in his work, as Lowe performed a generous set of his original material before a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd at Helsinki that seemingly included every worthy musician (he’s a musician’s musician, you see) from a 50-mile radius, including his one-time musical collaborator Graham Parker who was seen hanging out at the bar having a terrific time watching his old pal from the Old Country (that’s England to you).

Nick Lowe at Helsinki Hudson (photo Seth Rogovoy)

Lowe was a charming frontman who kept the hits and obscurities coming – as he said, most of them are only two minutes long, so if you don’t like one, before you know it he’s onto the next. Fortunately there wasn’t much not to like, from the opening number, “Heart,” to the final encore, a tender, quiet version of Elvis Costello’s “Alison” – a nod to his long-time collaboration with that other English rock singer-songwriter (Lowe produced that song, which appeared on Costello’s first album, as well as the latter’s first five albums).

Lowe only interrupted the flow a few times, and when he did he told fascinating stories, such as the failure of Diana Ross’s Peter Asher-produced cover version of his song, “I Live on a Battlefield.”

What was perhaps most illuminating about Lowe’s performance was hearing such well-known now-classics as “Cruel to Be Kind” and “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” (made famous by Costello but written by Lowe) in the context of Lowe’s overall output. They took on new meaning and resonance – the former more profound and logical, the latter more sincere, really a gentle, quizzical protest song without the satirical bite of Costello’s interpretation.

But mostly Lowe was victorious through his sheer songcraft, talent, confidence as a performer, and his remarkably sweet voice. How incredibly lucky we were to hear him in the intimate confines of Club Helsinki Hudson, a place he clearly enjoyed – no, loved – playing.