To Do: Lucero
by Aaron Sarlo • February 9, 2017
Little Rock fans of Ben Nichols’ rustic brand of roots rock will be giddier than Batman with a throat lozenge to know Lucero is in town this Friday night. The Nichols brothers (Ben, rock star, and Jeff, exalted director of “Mud” and “Loving”) have forged a great, glowing path in American pop culture, with raw talent, hard work and determination. Lucero’s many successes notwithstanding (the band is adored among the multitudes, including one Rachel Maddow — Rolling Stone reported that Lucero was her favorite artist), the band still occasionally plays smaller, more intimate venues. Along for the ride at Revolution is Esmé Patterson, whose new record, “We Were Wild,” has been making the rounds among critics and fans since its release last summer. (Ahhhh … last summer. Remember the innocence?) Patterson is a veteran of the music biz, having spent a decade toiling in it with her criminally underrated folk outfit, Paper Bird. Four records deep into that band, and after years of exhaustive touring, Patterson decided to forge ahead as a solo artist. She had a brief partnership with millennial catnip Shakey Graves. The press kit says, “You might remember her collaboration with Shakey Graves, which accrued over 15 million streams and landed TV performances on Letterman, Conan and Leno.” I don’t, but if you say so, press kit. Then, in 2016, Patterson released the “subtly charming” (Rolling Stone again) “We Were Wild,” and it was off to the races, or the cold, lonely highways, as it were. The Rev Room is known for its live sound, so with these two outstanding acts, this should be a hell of a good show. (8:30 p.m. Revolution. $20-$25.)