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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’s lyrical story-songs for many years.
“The thing that’s really inspiring — I love how Patterson (Hood) writes a lot of songs about where he’s 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,” Finn said. “I’m 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.”
The first time Finn saw Hood perform with the Drive-By Truckers in the early 2000s, it made a strong impression.
“I had been in a band in Minneapolis, but I’d 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,” Finn said. “It was one of the best shows I’d 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.”
That band became The Hold Steady, which Hood eventually heard and was impressed by.
“We were mutual fans of each other’s bands,” Hood said.
By 2008, they were on a national tour together.
“And Patterson and I have been friends ever since,” Finn said.
The pair toured again as solo acts in Europe with Centro-matic’s Will Johnson in 2012. That tour was a success, and Finn and Hood both enjoyed the experience.
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“We’ve been talking about doing something like that again in the U.S. ever since, and this was the perfect time,” Hood said.
Finn and Hood both put out new albums this year, so the timing made sense for another double-bill tour. Finn’s album, “Always Been,” 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’s “Exploding Trees and Airplane Screams” was also critically acclaimed, with Stephen M. Deusner of Pitchfork calling it “his most adventurous solo release — and his best.”
“This 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,” Hood said.
Produced by the Decemberists’ Chris Funk, “Exploding Trees” features guest vocals by alternative country singer Lydia Loveless and Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield.
“Lydia and I are old buds and have toured together a ton. When I wrote the song ‘A Werewolf and a Girl,’ I had to have Lydia be the voice for the other part of that duet,” Hood said. “I’ve been a huge Waxahatchee fan for years and have always wanted to sing with Katie.”
For their Santa Fe concert this month, they invited Texas-born singer-songwriter Escovedo to perform alongside them.
“He’s literally a personal hero to me, and I’m psyched to play a show with him,” Hood said.
“He’s a real hero of both Patterson and I, an incredible songwriter and an incredible personality,” Finn said. “He’s really inspirational.”
Finn and Hood both spoke about the country’s current political climate, with Finn characterizing it as “more divided than ever.”
Hood’s 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.
“Our most political (Drive-By Truckers) album was ‘American Band,’ and it became one of our most successful, as was the three years of touring it inspired,” he said. “I have zero interest in the ‘shut up and sing’ crowd, and if you don’t want to hear what we have to say, I don’t want you there. Life’s too short.”
Hood also noted that red states are a lot more politically mixed than many people realize.
“I 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,” Hood said. “Remember, 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.”
Even if his political views were to cause some fans to turn away, Hood said he would continue speaking out.
“Our politics isn’t like being a sports fan,” he said. “There’s life or death consequences to what our government is doing and we’re going to speak our minds. It’s very much why we’re here.”
Finn’s lyrics, meanwhile, are much less explicitly political.
“I don’t tend to write political songs, but I do write songs about people who are trying to do their best and aren’t quite making it. And I feel like you see more and more of those people,” Finn said. “When you’re writing songs about people who aren’t wealthy and people who aren’t making it, in some ways, that is political ... It’s just not hitting you over the head with it.”
Both musicians are excited about playing in Santa Fe.
“I am looking forward to this show very much,” Hood said. “This will be my first time playing solo in New Mexico.”
Finn played in Albuquerque in 2024 and in Santa Fe 10 years earlier.
“I’m looking forward to being back. Santa Fe is pretty amazing,” Finn said. “I’ve always been attracted to the light there.”
