Meet the Night Sweats: Guitarist Luke Mossman

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats will release their self-titled debut album this Friday on the legendary Stax Records. This week’s Westword cover story details Rateliff’s long history in the Denver music scene. But every member of the band has been a notable contributor to the city’s creative community. Over the next several days, we’ll introduce you to them. 

Past Denver Bands: Achille Lauro, Hello Kavita, Centennial, Megan Burtt and Blake Brown

Current Denver Bands: Science Partner and Covenhoven

Instrument in The Night Sweats: Guitar

Bio: Luke Mossman started playing piano at the age of six. When he was ten he got a guitar, and he’s played both instruments ever since. Before getting into rock music, Mossman played jazz. During his college years, he lived in a house with Ezra Darnell, who played saxophone and later guitar in Hearts in Space, and Bridget Law, who would later play violin in Elephant Revival. Darnell took Mossman to see Engine Down and the Dismemberment Plan at the Climax Lounge in 2003, which helped convert Mossman from a fan of prog-oriented rock bands like Rush to a follower of bands with more of a focus on songwriting and on texture over technical skills. Mossman later lived in a house with Matt Close, Jon Evans and Brian Joseph of the band Caesar in Arms. A Caesar fan, he convinced the trio to join him and his brother Ben for the experimental pop band Achille Lauro. When the latter folded, Mossman found himself playing with multiple music projects, including a now-decade-long stint with a wedding band, solo classical guitar gigs, and guitar and piano instruction. Mossman had jammed with Nathaniel Rateliff prior to joining the Night Sweats, but in May 2015, Rateliff called him with an offer to tour Europe for three weeks. His first show with the band was June 8, 2015, at the hi-dive.