Craig Finn and Patterson Hood to play The Lensic with special guest Alejandro Escovedo
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Craig Finn of The Hold Steady and Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers will perform together with special guest Alejandro Escovedo at The Lensic on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
All three are critically acclaimed singer-songwriters, and Finn told the Journal that he has been directly influenced by Hood鈥檚 lyrical story-songs for many years.
鈥淭he thing that鈥檚 really inspiring 鈥� I love how Patterson (Hood) writes a lot of songs about where he鈥檚 from, which is down South. Alabama is where he grew up, and I liked the realism that he infused by singing songs about people he knew from his home,鈥� Finn said. 鈥淚鈥檓 from Minneapolis, not Alabama ... In some ways, you could say that Minnesota is the least Southern state. I thought that was an interesting juxtaposition, taking what Patterson did with his songs and trying to apply it to my life.鈥�
The first time Finn saw Hood perform with the Drive-By Truckers in the early 2000s, it made a strong impression.
鈥淚 had been in a band in Minneapolis, but I鈥檇 moved to New York, and I was not playing music. I went to see the Drive-By Truckers at Bowery Ballroom, and I immediately knew I had to be in a band,鈥� Finn said. 鈥淚t was one of the best shows I鈥檇 ever seen. So, I went home and started a band, hoping that at some point the band would be something that could play with the Drive-By Truckers.鈥�
That band became The Hold Steady, which Hood eventually heard and was impressed by.
鈥淲e were mutual fans of each other鈥檚 bands,鈥� Hood said.
By 2008, they were on a national tour together.
鈥淎nd Patterson and I have been friends ever since,鈥� Finn said.
The pair toured again as solo acts in Europe with Centro-matic鈥檚 Will Johnson in 2012. That tour was a success, and Finn and Hood both enjoyed the experience.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been talking about doing something like that again in the U.S. ever since, and this was the perfect time,鈥� Hood said.
Finn and Hood both put out new albums this year, so the timing made sense for another double-bill tour. Finn鈥檚 album, 鈥淎lways Been,鈥� which he released in April, was produced by Adam Granduciel of The War on Drugs and earned praise for its layered sound and intimate feel.
Hood鈥檚 鈥淓xploding Trees and Airplane Screams鈥� was also critically acclaimed, with Stephen M. Deusner of Pitchfork calling it 鈥渉is most adventurous solo release 鈥� and his best.鈥�
鈥淭his solo album pulled me way out of most of my comfort zones, which was artistically great and also allowed me to have some very special guests,鈥� Hood said.
Produced by the Decemberists鈥� Chris Funk, 鈥淓xploding Trees鈥� features guest vocals by alternative country singer Lydia Loveless and Waxahatchee鈥檚 Katie Crutchfield.
鈥淟ydia and I are old buds and have toured together a ton. When I wrote the song 鈥楢 Werewolf and a Girl,鈥� I had to have Lydia be the voice for the other part of that duet,鈥� Hood said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been a huge Waxahatchee fan for years and have always wanted to sing with Katie.鈥�
For their Santa Fe concert this month, they invited Texas-born singer-songwriter Escovedo to perform alongside them.
鈥淗e鈥檚 literally a personal hero to me, and I鈥檓 psyched to play a show with him,鈥� Hood said.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a real hero of both Patterson and I, an incredible songwriter and an incredible personality,鈥� Finn said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 really inspirational.鈥�
Finn and Hood both spoke about the country鈥檚 current political climate, with Finn characterizing it as 鈥渕ore divided than ever.鈥�
Hood鈥檚 music is often described as Southern rock or country rock, genres which are not often associated with left-leaning politics, but Hood has always been an outspoken proponent of progressive causes and ideals. He said his music has never had trouble finding an audience, though.
鈥淥ur most political (Drive-By Truckers) album was 鈥楢merican Band,鈥� and it became one of our most successful, as was the three years of touring it inspired,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have zero interest in the 鈥榮hut up and sing鈥� crowd, and if you don鈥檛 want to hear what we have to say, I don鈥檛 want you there. Life鈥檚 too short.鈥�
Hood also noted that red states are a lot more politically mixed than many people realize.
鈥淚 have found that there are a ton of people feeling like we do, and giving them a voice within our music can lead to some beautiful things,鈥� Hood said. 鈥淩emember, even a state like my home state, Alabama, that went MAGA by 60% still has well over a million people who are fiercely opposed to what is happening.鈥�
Even if his political views were to cause some fans to turn away, Hood said he would continue speaking out.
鈥淥ur politics isn鈥檛 like being a sports fan,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 life or death consequences to what our government is doing and we鈥檙e going to speak our minds. It鈥檚 very much why we鈥檙e here.鈥�
Finn鈥檚 lyrics, meanwhile, are much less explicitly political.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 tend to write political songs, but I do write songs about people who are trying to do their best and aren鈥檛 quite making it. And I feel like you see more and more of those people,鈥� Finn said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e writing songs about people who aren鈥檛 wealthy and people who aren鈥檛 making it, in some ways, that is political ... It鈥檚 just not hitting you over the head with it.鈥�
Both musicians are excited about playing in Santa Fe.
鈥淚 am looking forward to this show very much,鈥� Hood said. 鈥淭his will be my first time playing solo in New Mexico.鈥�
Finn played in Albuquerque in 2024 and in Santa Fe 10 years earlier.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to being back. Santa Fe is pretty amazing,鈥� Finn said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been attracted to the light there.鈥�
