vtsnowbird26 wrote:

03:47 PM, Jan 27, 2008 |

Date of Concert: 1/22/2008 | Location: New Orleans, LA

I've been saying this about this band for months - here's a more eloquent review from a first timer to a Nocturnals show - I couldn't say it any better myself! http://goodandrecklessandtrue.wordpress.com/2008/01/26/grace-potter-and-the-nocturnals-live-at-the-parish/ Good and Reckless and True Musings on music. Artists You Should Check Out -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Live at the Parish January 26, 2008‘08 is sure getting off to a great start. Tuesday brought along my first show of the year - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at the Parish, down here at the House of Blues in New Orleans. And seeing as how BLOWN AWAY I was by the show, it won’t be the last time I see them this year, for sure. It was my first GPTN show. Before Tuesday, I only knew This Is Somewhere, and a few songs off of Nothing But the Water. I had heard a lot of good things about their live show in the past. A good friend of mine saw them play with Gov’t Mule, and had nothing but great things to say. But none of that prepared me for the ass-kicking RAWK of GPTN show. I got there nice and early, so as to get a really got spot in the room. And I did, right in front of Grace’s Hammond. It was already shaping up to be a great night. Opener Brandi Shearer didn’t go on as planned, which meant that Grace and the boys came on a little bit earlier. As soon as the band walked on stage, I was reminded why I’m such a huge fan of live music. There was an electricity in the crowd that I haven’t felt at any other show in a very long time. And I got the feeling that this wouldn’t be like any other show I’ve been to. They came storming right out of the gate, opening the set with “Here’s to the Meantime”, “Ah Mary”, and “Mastermind”, all from This Is Somewhere. Then, they preceded to get a little funky with “Treat Me Right”, before getting into “Ain’t No Time”, a song that Grace said was written about our fair city of New Orleans. But then, it was back into full-on, ass-kicking rock mode, with “Sweet Hands” and “Joey” from Nothing But the Water. Like I said, before the show, I only knew This Is Somewhere, and a few songs from Nothing But the Water. And “Sweet Hands” and “Joey” were not a few of those songs. But as soon as they started them up, I was rocking out to them, like they were tried and true favorite songs of mine. Electrifying. Then, they preceded to blow me away with one of my favorites from This Is Somewhere, “Big White Gate”. I find the recorded version to be incredibly moving, and the live version even more so. It’s one thing to hear Grace’s emotional vocals and guitarist Scott Tournet’s tasty slide playing blaring through your speakers. But imagine you experienced it live like I did, just feet from the band. Right in front Grace’s Hammond. Just incredible. They followed that up with another selection from This Is Somewhere, “Stop the Bus”. The next three songs they played were all unreleased, and they included “Sugar”, which Grace said they had only written the night before, at Sun Studios in Memphis. They returned to songs from Nothing But the Water with “Ragged Company”. This was definitely a highlight of the night for me. This has always been one of my very favorite GPTN songs. And Grace mentioned before the song that it wasn’t one they played a whole lot, but they got a special request for it. Seeing as how it was my first time seeing them, and it’s one of my favorite songs (and I wasn’t the one who requested it!), it was very awesome timing. Following “Ragged Company”, they covered “Who Knows”, a Jimi Hendrix tune. They followed that up with “If I Was From Paris”, an outtake from This Is Somewhere. They ended the set with “Watching You”, and then FLOORED everyone in the room with “Nothing But the Water”. They had everyone, and I mean EVERYONE stomping and clapping, and singing at the top of their lungs. I have never been a part of such an energized crowd. They left the stage to absolutely thunderous applause. For the encore, they came back and, in the spirit of New Orleans, covered Dr. John’s “Right Place, Wrong Time”. And with that, the show was over. From the time they walked on the stage, and electrified the crowd with “Here’s to the Meantime”, to when they blew us all away with “Right Place, Wrong Time”, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals were ON. There was no doubting that. Grace just tore it up the entire show with her great organ playing and amazing vocals. Scott played some of the tastiest licks and riffs I’ve heard in quite some time, but really rocked it and layed it on thick and heavy when the song called for it. Bryan Dondero on the bass kept everything steady and rocking, just like the best bass players should. And Matt Burr was just an RIDICULOUS behind that drumkit the entire night. After the show, I got the chance to meet Grace and Scott. Let me tell you, they couldn’t have been cooler and nicer, or more genuine and down-to-earth. Really, they’re such great people. It’s one thing to get an autograph, or shake the hand of a musician that you like. But when musicians from one of your favorite bands actually takes a few minutes to meet with you, to talk to you, maybe get a picture or two, it really means a lot. And you don’t come across that too often. So if you’re not familiar with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, well, GET familiar with them. Go buy This Is Somewhere and Nothing But the Water. And keep listening to them to the point where you think you’re slowing burning a hole through the CDs themselves, like I am. And check out Original Soul and Live Oh Five while you’re at it. And just go see them live. You have NO idea what you are missing out on. I mean, really. NO idea. Grace, Scott, Bryan, and Matt, thanks so much for an unforgettable night. SETLIST : Here’s to the Meantime Ah Mary Mastermind Treat Me Right Ain’t No Time Sweet Hands Joey Big White Gate Stop the Bus Margery Belladonna Sugar Ragged Company Who Knows (Jimi Hendrix) If I Was From Paris Watching You Nothing But the Water —————————– Right Place, Wrong Time (Dr. John) And by the way, “Falling or Flying” is my ringtone now. What can I say? They truly made believers out of me. « Whew!