Let’s face it. It’s almost the 2020’s, and some of us rock and rollers are pushing our sixties. And unless you own a fat 401(k) or have inherited a trust fund, we all will probably be calling it in to work every morning well into our seventies. But getting older makes it tougher to get up in the morning for work after a late night out. So what can an aging live music fan do?

Are you ready for this? Cracker came on at 6pm and were finished at 7:30pm. Music City Mike was home in his pajamas before the time when the City Winery shows usually begin! What a great mid-week treat for us old rock and rollers who need to get to bed early. (There was a separate admission for local bass man extraordinaire Victor Wooten at 9pm.)

As for the music, sometimes it’s just plain fun to see a guitar-based band rock out to songs that you haven’t heard in a while, but to which you still remember each and every word. That’s exactly what Cracker delivered. In addition, they wove in some welcome and sweet-sounding country-flavored tunes from their latest record, Berkeley to Bakersfield, embellished by the added touch of Matt “Pistol” Stoessel on pedal steel.

Led by its two lone-surviving key original members David Lowery and Johnny Hickman, the band gave us those five big hit songs that were all over 90s alternative rock radio and shows like MTVs 120 Minutes: “Get Off This,” “Happy Birthday to Me,” “Euro-Trash Girl,” “Low” and the #1 Modern Rock Radio track “Teen Angst.”

Both of the band’s elder statesmen were in top form. Notably, Lowery sang as well as he ever has, and Hickman played his familiar leads just the way you wanted to hear them.

Before we knew it, the set was over, and the small but satisfied crowd went home in the daylight. And we all woke up fresh in the morning!

SETLIST:

1. Seven Days
2. California Country Boy
3. Euro-Trash Girl
4. Almond Grove
5. Where Have Those Days Gone
6. Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)
7. Wedding Day
8. Low
9. El Comandante
10. Happy Birthday to Me
11. Sweet Potato
12. This is Cracker Soul
13. Get Off This
14. St. Cajetan
15. One Fine Day
16. Gimme One More Chance

BAND:
David Lowery–vocals and acoustic & electric guitars
Johnny Hickman–electric guitar, harmonica and vocals
Bryan Howard–bass
CoCo Owens–drums
Thayer Sarrano–keyboards
Matt “Pistol” Stoessel–pedal steel guitar