An Evening at The Sun Rose with Luke Spiller

 December 5, 2025

The thing about Luke Spiller is, you never know where or when he'll turn up.  AAMN photographer and chief editor, Barry Sigman and I enjoyed a brief encounter with him before the show as we were setting up the photography equipment.  There, standing majestically at the bar, clad in a long black coat, shod in silver snip toed boots, stood the enigmatic singer//songwriter/poet.  His deep-set eyes, accented by smokey eyeliner looked straight into mine.  Extending his hand, he introduced himself like someone does at a party, "hi.  I'm Luke," he said softly in his charming British accent.  So sweet and unpretentious.  Does he really think we don't know who he is? I thought.  "Yes.  we KNOW who you are!" I exclaimed.  All I could think of to say was, "enchanted!"

The Sun Rose lounge only seats about 150 including standing room and standing room only it was as Struts and Luke fans alike, filed in for the show.  The merch table sported a couple of unusual items not typically sold; ash trays and wine cork screws.  Clearly anachronistic but in line with Luke's avant-garde lifestyle.  Entering the stage around nine-ish, pianist John Levine and guitarist/manager Nick Perri, followed by Luke.   A roar of applause from the intimate audience and the music began starting with Devil in Me.  I closed my eyes at times just so I could isolate his on-stage presence from the sound quality of his voice.   Luke draws the listener in and connects them with his soul as his tone ranges from a crimson passion to a pink whisper, all in the same song.  No need for an acid trip with lyrics like let's astral plane the strawberries and cream. Worth an honorable mention were the sweet strains of a cello, played by young local musician by the name of Clinton.  Beautiful. 

As the evening burned on, he strategically mingled songs everyone knew along with some slice of life "napkin" songs he wrote straight from the heart such as "I'm With Her But I'm in Love With You."  Of course the night wouldn't have been complete without his respectful and yet original version Queen song "Love of My Life".  Again, I closed my eyes during part of this song.  Was it Freddie?  No, but it darn well could have been his son or a close relative!  That being said, it is Luke who puts his final signature on any cover song, no matter who the artist.is. 

As he introduced his next song, I saw out of the corner of my eye, a lovely statuesque young girl with cascading gossamer hair walking with stealth toward the stage.  Luke introduced his lovely girlfriend Kendra as they embraced.  A big awwwww from the audience and they broke out into a duet singing a medley of Chris Isaak's Wicked Game and Pretty Vicious.  The two songs melded like macaroni and cheese!  Their interaction on stage was a sweet and tender moment.  Isn't love grand?

But enough fluffy sentiment.  It was time for a Struts song and who doesn't like to sing along with Could Have Been Me?  It's like asking, who wants ice cream!  Phone cameras rolled, hands waved and swayed and whether you could sing or not, including yours truly, we all knew the words and sang along.  Luke makes you feel as if you're at a house concert.  So personal.  So engaging. 

This was the last song before the proverbial encore.  As Luke and his entourage left the stage, the house lights stayed dim.  You knew there was more.  The crowd stayed mellow though.  Not alot of clapping, stomping or chanting.  I could only surmise that they were satiated by a well-crafted performance.  But it wasn't over.  No. Far from over.  Luke appeared back on stage lugging a bottle of some alcoholic beverage and sat down to play his guitar.  The audience cheered.  He said how thankful he was to have the opportunity to express himself individually as a solo artist.  The next song he played was just that: an outward expression for where he is in life.  His voice, so delicate and passionate I could only wonder; was his throat dripping blood sweat and tears or liquid gold?  

The grand finale ended with Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes and Wine: a melancholy "Queenish" tune that is the flagship and namesake of Luke's debut solo album. There was a pregnant pause after he sand the words, "I don't mind:" and then, a dramatic ending singing the words from "Bohemian Rhapsody...any way the wind blows...Victorian Rock at its finest.  I have no doubt Freddie would surely approve.