If we’re talking about his resume, Nick Lowe has a long and distinguished career: he produced Elvis Costello’s first five albums, considered among his best work; he’s the composer of classic and much-covered songs like “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding,” “Cruel to Be Kind,” and “The Beast in Me,” the latter of which his former father-in-law, Johnny Cash, borrowed to serve as the centerpiece of the first album, the 1994 acoustic comeback, produced by Rick Rubin, of the Man in Black (Mr. Cash liked that song so much that he later recorded several more of his former son-in-law’s compositions)…
It should also be added that Lowe is a central figure in the UK pub rock, punk-rock, and new wave scene. Indeed, his career offers much to reflect on when we look back. It’s as true as stating that one of the fundamental stages of his career began in 1994 with the album “The Impossible Bird,” inaugurating a path of reinvention as a mature crooner and master of witty words. A master of masters, one might add. And so it continued, with albums from that period, such as “At My Age” (2007) and “That Old Magic” (2011), among the most exquisite albums of his career. Among the recordings of the last twelve years are the Christmas album “Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All Family” (2013), the live album “The Quality Holiday Revue” (2015), and “Walkabout” (2020), all three featuring the American band Los Straitjackets. Since his last visit in 2022, Lowe has reissued two albums – “Nick Lowe And His Cowboy Outfit” (originally from 1984) and “Dig My Mood” (this one from 1998) – and released “Indoor Safari” (2024), this one also with Los Straitjackets.
For their part, Los Straitjackets, formed in Nashville in 1994, are one of the leading bands in American instrumental rock, with surf music as their sonic epicenter. With a solid discography that includes fourteen studio albums, four collaborative albums, and eight live albums, they always take to the stage wearing Mexican wrestler masks. Crisp guitars, seasoned with reverb when appropriate, and a tight rhythm section perfectly complement Nick Lowe’s repertoire, as we witnessed in both 2022 and 2016, the year they also toured five Spanish cities together (that tour was called “Nick Lowe’s Quality Holiday Revue featuring Los Straitjackets”), delivering top-notch performances. Finally, it’s worth mentioning that Los Straitjackets’ next album, “Somos Los Straitjackets,” will be released on September 19th. The first single, “High Wire Act,” is already playing.
Report by Will McCarthy
Article copyright 24/7 Valencia
NICK LOWE + THE STRAITJACKETS (SALA MOON – VLC)
Friday, November 14, 2025
SALA MOON
C/ de Sant Vicent Màrtir, 200
Jesús,
46015 València
8:00 PM (doors) / 8:30 PM (concert)
Launch ticket €25 (+ booking fee). Advance ticket €30 ( movingtickets.com ); €35 at the door. (Box office sales subject to availability)
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