Who Knows

- not from Northampton but still.

More later, let’s just say this was an AMAZING live show. This is what Rock N’ Roll is all about. How and sweaty truth played loud to lovers of music. My wife and I were right up front, sometimes leaning on the stage, sometimes a few feet back, just soaking it all in. If there was any doubt that the band might be becoming too “polished” on the heels of their latest release that thought was buried by the ripping loud distortion emanating from Scott’s Fender Reverb amplifier. In some respects this was a Scott Tournet showcase, Grace spent much of the show behind the B-3 while Scott wailed at center stage. Slow, fast, rock, blues - the band handled it all with aplomb. Grace can go from exuding buckets of soul to rocking out on the guitar to oozing raw sexuality at the drop of a hat. I can count about 10 times during the show when I simply broke out in laughter - the emotion that hits me when I’m overwhelmed at how amazing something I’m watching is.

If you’re anywhere near Baltimore, MD I would highly recommend the next two shows at the 8×10 club. It might not be too long before access like this is hard to come by.

The following review is from Tedheadone @ The Grace Potter Message Boards

Turned loose from the shackles of the current, constrained six song set list opening for Gov’t Mule, GPN turned out, turned on, and turned up, for a memorable two hour powerhouse of a set last night in the old barn, the Pearl St ballroom.

Like a balloon on a long string- cut- the sky was the limit in a night that featured a new song, new wrinkles, new twists, and new fans. Pearl St is the step up, capacity wise, in NoHo from The Iron Horse. I love that place, but the band is a bigger sound for a bigger room, and bigger crowds- tonight about 350 fans paid $12.50, getting big bang for the bucks.

But first, a word about Scott. Speachless. There. That’s the word. I am running out of superlatives. The new Tele he introduced last night is one lucky guitar. This guitar will go around the world, thrilling celebreties, royalty, and you and me. Imagine the poor Telecaster that still hangs on the wall of the store today. A void on the wall next to it, where Scott’s new buddy used to hang. Lonely. It might go home with some hacker that rarely picks it up.

Before the show, word filtered out around the merch table that last night, at The Higher Ground, Martin Sexton covered Ah Mary. Amazing, Grace!!

I took my spot edge of the stage near the B-3 and settled in. Opener Amity Front gave a nice set, wide ranging, and as James from Colrain said. “Got The Band’s vibe” You will know James if you see him, he bears a striking resemblance to a young Jerry Garcia. I bet he gets tired of that, but a factsafact. James was at the Mule show in Boston the night before, the Champlain show, and several others as well.

Highlights tonight: Grace was in fantastic voice throughout. One of the benefits of working short sets with Mule, is it saves the best for GPN fans!!

Honestly, each song was a gem..

MasterMind: Scott had a nice pickin piece in the intro and the song seamlessy morphed into..

Treat Me Right: funky version. Bryan also picked up a new guitar for the show. He found a Univox like the one he borrowed and used on several songs in the studio. He likes this guitar, and it obviously likes him. Its a beauty, they make beautiful music together, and he drove this version.

Ain’t No Time: Grace nailed lyric “Purple mountains majesty’s turned all black and blue”. We spoke later at The Basement, a tiny club where opener Amity Front went to play . I said to her, “wow, the lyrics PMMTABB were, like” and at the same time we both just reached our hands up to the sky to demonstrate. On the same wavelength. She said, “yea, I realized that I just wasn’t giving that the emotion that it needed” Grace (like I have said here), that is the megaton lyric of the album

Stop The Bus: Matt added a new kind of double bass beat in the intro. I am sure there is a better, technical way to describe it. Scott.

Falling or Flying: what can I say, a special song, I felt the love.

Apologies: quieted the crowd, not completely.

Meantime: Guy next to me said, after the song, what a great job Bryan does on this. Amen, brother!

Belladonna: Bryan, again. matt at the end.

Out on The weekend: A softer, Neil Young cover. Bryan said they had played it before, but it had been a long time. First time for me.

Lose some Time: Duo with scott. This song brought as close to ahush as you are goona get with 350 alcohol fueled folk after 11 PM

Over Again: Scott and The amazing crescendo of furiosity. Man!! Actually, this was the first of 5 songs that scorched the night to a crisp.

You Don’t Know: Grace movin/groovin. At the end, just when you thought it was over, Matt with a “one more time” or, if i could paraphrase..”This song ain’t over till I say its over!”

Paris: I’m goin there..

Watchin You: Grace movin/groovin

NBTW: Grace had her guitar, put down the tambourine, and gave an electric intro (NBTW I). The looks on the Nocs faces was great- Whoa! let’s seewhere THIS goes!

Encore Big white Gate. Dedicated to woman next to me, Nancy, headed in for serious surgery, not the best prospects, who has just internalized this song. Touching Moment.

Team effort tonight, for sure, Dan had things under control on stage. Mark had things under control out front. My sound was monitors and amps, Aya said it sounded great at the merch table, but Mark said there was a muddy whole on the right from the stacking arrangement. Mark and Dan work there asses off, just like the band, just like Jen, to bring us, the fans, a fantastic evening

After the show, later, the band showed up at tiny club, I said hello/goodbye and have no idea if they were coaxes onstage. Grace was gonna rest her voice.

And off they go on tour with Mule. Watch for West coast and Canadian dates to be added.

set list

Ah Mary
Mastermind
Treat
Ain’t No Time
Bus
Falling
Apologies
Meantime
Belladonna
Out on The weekend
Lose some Time
Over again
You Don’t Know
Paris
watchin You
NBTW
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Big White gate