Lucero kick Christmas off early this year when they play Minglewood Hall Saturday night. The band will play two sets — one acoustic and one electric — and a portion of the night’s proceeds will go toward an undisclosed charity. More than 1,500 people attended Lucero’s Family Picnic this summer, and a turnout that size on Saturday is a safe bet. 2015 saw a new record from Lucero called All a Man Should Do, and singer Ben Nichols described it as an effort that took 25 years of mistakes to get done, in addition to calling it the album he’s wanted to make since he was a teenager. All a Man Should Do was recorded at Ardent Studios with Ted Hutt (a producer the band has worked with multiple times) and features a cover of the Big Star classic “I’m in Love With a Girl.” Jody Stephens is featured on the recording of that track, and one can only hope Lucero brings him onstage for a live version this Saturday. While they might be a national treasure to alt-country fans nationwide, Lucero is still definitely a Memphis band, and the upcoming Christmas show as well as the block party are testaments to their love for the Bluff City.
Jamie Harmon
Lucero
After releasing All a Man Should Do, Lucero hit the road. Currently on tour in the South, the Family Christmas gig will serve as a homecoming show as well. The band is also set to tour Europe extensively early next year, presumably making Saturday’s show the lone local Lucero show in the immediate future. If you feel like starting the party early, the second annual “Deck the Hall” event that benefits Le Bonheur kicks off at 4 p.m. at Minglewood. Ben Callicot, Drew Erwin, and more will perform. Both events are all ages.
