Which would you imagine is a bigger challenge: Working as a derivatives trader during one of the nations worst economic crises, or trying to reanimate not one but two terrific bands one a cult favorite and the other a former chart-topping powerhouse? Over the past couple of years, veteran songwriter and musician David Lowery has done both. During a brief lull in his music career, Lowery joined a private hedge fund. But then his old career beckoned, and recently hes been jointly fronting both Camper Van Beethoven his jangly 80s folk/pop band that virtually defined the term college rock and Cracker, his 90s rock band that penned a handful of big radio hits, out on the road and in the studio. And from everything weve seen and heard from both entities, the payoff for both Lowery and his fans has been huge. MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG
Thu., Aug. 19, 8 p.m., 2010
