“After our first performance, I wasn’t sure they would have us back,” jokes Lucero vocalist Ben Nichols from Riot Fest’s Rise Stage, referring to the band’s 2014 appearance in Humboldt Park. It’s Friday night, and the band have just finished their sound check. To my right is a person who’s clearly come straight from work, muddy boots still on, standing alone and tall. To my left is a leather jacket with tassels that blow in the wind as the temperature drops. I sneak a peek at their white cowboy boots and red lipstick. Lucero makes music for sad cowboys, but today, we are all happy.
Active-duty military and veterans make up just one of the followings Lucero have amassed over the years. “All Sewn Up” pays homage to tattoos, which has resulted in a Lucero fan tattoo cult. “The tattoo guys, the BMX guys—I’m not sure exactly how we picked them up. But we have these sort of subcultures,” Nichols told Vice. “Our fan base is definitely made up of the entire spectrum of political views. We’ve got a little bit of everybody coming to the shows.”
