Nick Lowe's still a sensitive man

Nick Lowe from December 2011/photo by Jeff Wheeler

Nick Lowe has been performing in the Twin Cities so much over the past few years, he might want to consider buying a flat in Uptown. But because he was starting a new US tour Wednesday night AND playing at First Avenue, there was a tiny bit of hope that Lowe would dig deeper into his punk-rock bag and go all out.

DIdn't happen. Say what you will about Lowe, but he's sticking to his mellower side. Not that he and his four-piece backing band were boring. But most of the numbers would have worked better in a more intimate setting, like the Dakota, where Lowe was terrific in his last outing there.From what I can tell from recent setlists, he's also sticking to pretty much the same songs he was doing recently in Europe.

Not a lot of surprises, except perhaps for "Raining Raining" from "Nick the Knife." Here's the set list:

1) Stoplight Roses" (solo)

2) "Heart" (solo)

3) "What Lack of Love Has Done"

5) "I've Let Things Slide"

6) "Has She Got a Friend"

7) "I Trained Her to Love Me"

8) "I Live on the Battlefield"

9) "I Read a Lot"

11) "Raining Raining"

12) "Sensitive Man"

13) "Somebody Cares For Me"

14) "House For Sale"

15) "Tower of Strength" (Gene McDaniels cover)

17) "I Knew the Bride"

ENCORE ONE

18) "When I Write the Book"

19) "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding"

20) "Tokyo Bay"

ENCORE TWO