On Thursday, 16 January 2025, Cracker played to a sold-out crowd at the State Theatre inFalls Church, Virginia on a very cold night. Not surprised it’s a sold-out show since this is their home turf. The demographic comprised largely of Gen Xersout for the late weeknight show to hear the soundtrack to some of their best times in the1990s.
On this night and tour, the band included David Lowery on rhythm guitar and vocals,Johnny Hickman on lead guitar and vocals, Bryan Howard on bass, and CoCo “El Tractor”Owens on drums. Cracker’s Johnny Hickman opened the show. And both Cracker andHickman were joined by Chicago-based violinist/fiddle player Anne Harris, who just mayhave stolen the show with her talented musicianship, energetic stage presence, andundeniable charm.
To the uninitiated, Cracker are known for a string of 1990’s rock radio hits that include“Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now),” “Low,” “Get Off This,” and “Euro-Trash Girl.”But make no mistake, this band is more than just a few catchy songs with some greatlyrics, they’re what you get when you combine punk, country, blues, folk, and psychedeliawith great songwriting, smart lyrics, and positive energy.
The band delivered a no holdsbarred onslaught of their back catalog, even dipping into Lowery’s Camper Van Beethovensongs, and none of that was lost on the crowd who danced, sang, drank, and celebrated anight that made them young again even if for just a few hours. Harris performed a solowhere she played and sang a beautiful piece that the crowd delivered a huge round ofapplause before Cracker ended the show with three encore songs.
Be sure to catch Cracker in Athens and Woodstock, Georgia in March followed by Morrison, Colorado in June.