Cracker will perform a semi-acoustic show at the Sellersville Theater
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
There is something to be said for a band that still makes good music after two decades. The alt-rock/Americana band Cracker has been gracing the music industry for 25 years with 10 studio albums. On Tuesday, June 6, the band will take the stage at the Sellersville Theater for a semi-acoustic show of its ’90s classics and hits from its latest album, Berkeley To Bakersfield.
Cracker cofounders David Lowery and Johnny Hickman have seen it all when it comes to the music business. After multiple gold records and thousands of live performances, the two California natives have managed to stay true to their sound, a unique combination of rock and country. Their 10th album, Berkeley To Bakersfield, released in 2014, incorporates the polar opposite sounds of the California landscape with two separate discs, one for each genre.
Despite being less than a five-hour drive from Berkeley to Bakersfield, the regions couldn’t be further apart when it comes to music. In the late ’70s and ’80s, a harder-edged style of rock emerged from Berkeley while Bakersfield, which Lowery calls the “Nashville of California,” became known for its twangy country music. Both styles have influenced every Cracker record made since the ’90s, and once the writing process for the album was underway, it only made sense to dedicate an entire LP to each.
“It explains Cracker and who we are to the public better than anything we’ve done before,” Lowery said.
Cracker’s summer tour and show at the Sellersville Theater will feature the semi-acoustic Trippy Trio, which includes Lowery and Hickman, along with Pistol on pedal steel. According to Lowery, their acoustic sound has its own enthusiasts and hardcore fans. Attendees can expect to hear all of their favorite hits including Low and Euro-Trash Girl.
Though Berkeley To Bakersfield isn’t exactly a new release, the album still has life on XM stations such as Outlaw Country as well as at their live shows, which the band is constantly working to improve and keep fresh for the audience. Though they’re veterans when it comes to live performances, Cracker doesn’t let the long hours of tour traveling affect the quality of their shows. According to Lowery, he has witnessed the performances of several fellow ’90s bands that didn’t look like they wanted to be there at all. To combat this, Cracker makes sure their hearts are still in the music they’re creating and performing because if they’re just going through the motions on stage, fans can see right through it.
“You have to play the music you want to play, the music that engages you personally,” Lowery said. ••
Cracker’s performance at the Sellersville Theater will be on June 6 at 8 p.m., and tickets range from $25–40. The venue is located at 24 W Temple Ave. in Sellersville. For more information, call 215–257–5808 or visit ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1468762?_ga=2.215049630.862891966.1495743202–1316001621.1491422580.
