Written by: Geoff Tischman

I caught Cracker live at the Capital Theatre in Port Chester, New York the other night (26 July) and they were fabulous.

Currently touring with Soul Asylum, this lineup of Cracker features original members (and old school chums) David Lowery and Johnny Hickman as well as a killer rhythm section, comprised of bassist Bryan Howard, drummer CoCo Owens and pedal steel player Matt “Pistol” Stoessel.

With ten albums under their belts, the band had plenty of material to draw from. Whether it was well-known numbers like “Low” or “Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)” or the brimming shuffle of “This Is Cracker Soul” and the rootsy “Almond Grove,” Cracker remain one of the greatest live acts on the planet. Lowery has always had charisma to burn and he plays each number with joy and heart, while Hickman is the kind of guitarist who’s as captivating as he is engaging. He reminds me of Roger Federer–he makes the hard stuff look utterly effortless.

Cracker’s set was charged with groove, nerve and soul and they even did a cover of Dylan’s “The Man In Me” with Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner joining them onstage

A truly great night.