Lucero makes a triumphant hometown return this week after an extremely successful two-month tour in support of the band’s latest album, the
Southern-rock-and-soul tour de force Women & Work. Back in town, the band — which has grown from its core-four up to eight with the addition of keyboards, pedal-steel, and a two-man horn section — will play two big shows this week. The first will be a special Opus One performance with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, in which the current big-band Lucero format will get a lot bigger. Lucero’s roots included a lot of violin and upright bass and their current sound is pretty big already, so here’s betting that this will be a fruitful match. The Lucero Opus One concert is at Minglewood Hall on Thursday, May 3rd. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25; half-price for students.
Then, on Sunday, May 6th, the band will return to the Hi-Tone Café — the venue that helped launch them — for an afternoon cookout and concert that will also feature locals the Dirty Streets and Alabama-based up-and-comers Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires playing outside at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. Lucero will perform on the indoor stage at 8 p.m. Food from the grill will be free. Tickets are $20. Doors open at 5 p.m.
