Grace Potter, at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre
Grace Potter rocked Boston’s Orpheum Theatre last night. Her Halloween show focused on her newer material, classic rock covers, and some of her older material with her usual band The Nocturnals. Despite Potter’s break with tradition, she put on one hell of a rock show last night. Moving around with the agility of a snake in her barely there Halloween costume, she lead her band and her fans through a sight and sound extravaganza.
There were many manic, magic moments, Potter’s highlights included “Stop The Bus,” from her This Is Somewhere CD. Its familiar rolls and twists and turns as the tune works it way to the end are what groove is all about. Potter’s voice rode well over that swaying groove and it all combined to create a tremendous sense of sweet motion.
Potter was extra cool as she sang “Medicine” from her eponymous 2010 album, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. Her persistent chorus was almost hypnotic and her vocal glide, girlish and sensuous at once, moved so smoothly and elegantly over the melody it wasn’t funny. It was also among the few times last night one could feel her neo-hippie chick vibe over riding the straight forward rocker feel.
Potter and her band mates had a blast adding a seven person percussion part to “Paris.” Potter too had gone over to one of the two drum set. They all created a lot of pulpy, peppy, sassy rhythms. This singer also knocked “Paris” out of the ballpark with her amazing ability to make a song feel like its climbing ever higher, ever further into decadence.
“Stars” from Potters’ last CD with the Nocturnals, The Lion The Beast The Beat, was beautifully sung. Potter breathed new life into it last night with her infusion of vocal power during the chorus, making the song arc with a forceful narrative. Her voice reached a level of silky smoothness and sweetness in just the right places, adding more emotive quality as she sang like something that could rival mother nature.
Some of Potters’ choices for cover songs kept things in a classic rock vein and allowed glimpses into what she was listening to when she was growing up in Vermont. She was constantly adding snippets of Screamin Jay Hawkin’s “I Put On A Spell On You” into many of her hits. The singer had fun with AC/DC’s “You Shook Me,” especially with her rhythm guitar work. She rocked right out in the role of Axel Rose belting “Sweet Child O Mine,” reaching vocal highs other vocalists can only dream of. Yet, her most dramatic, exciting, and impressive cover came when the Vermont girl nailed the emotive, vocal power of Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You.” Unlike others who cover this 1970s Led Zeppelin classic, Potter and her band mates played the entire number. She managed to inject excitement and power into it, belting out the choruses, cooing out the verses with sultry tone. This was one of the moments when it was very clear that Potter is one of the most dynamic rock singers of our lifetime.
Title track to her last album with The Nocturnals, The Lion The Beast The Beat, was another highlight. Her vocal here was tastefully self-restrained. Her band mates kept things going. Driving beat. Restless guitars. Organ swirls. All percolated beneath her while she sang up tempo but held back just a bit of her full power vocal, letting a tension build just below the surface. It’s uncanny how Potter can make her voice fit any tempo, tone, color like a glove.
“Instigators,” from the new solo album, Midnight, which Potter is currently touring on, sans the Nocturnals, got more of an edge in concert. Electric guitars got more prominence here than the synthesizer rhythm on the album. After all, it was a rock concert and Potter played up the concept for all it was worth. Potters’ voice remained the star during the number, live and on the CD, and that was all it took for her fans to accept this new kind of material last night.
An “Evil Jam” with her drummer provided more rock show entertainment. Potter kept grinding out the rhythm guitar gruel that used power, tone, and dynamics to match the groove filled motion supplied by her drummer. She used a constant drone from one string to make up the low end notes and both musicians made a lot of sparks with their combined talents.
A huge highlight came when Potter and opening act Charles Bradley performed a duet with his “Heartaches And Pain.” Here, Potter had a duet partner truly worthy of her own vocal prowess. Bradley, inexplicably, never became a huge star even though he has a voice that could have rivaled James Brown. That he had sexual chemistry with a vocalist 34 years younger was another feat. He dared to kneel down and kiss her abdomen while she was belting out this hearty, soulful R&B number. Their exchanges of lead vocals was as epic as the legendary jousting of medieval knights. His soulful drawl. Her sultry, blues belt. Two great tastes that tasted great together.
Speaking of the formidable opening act, Charles Bradley proved a big hit with last night’s Potter audience. It couldn’t be counted how many were in attendance last night to see him specifically, but he certainly provoked quite an enthusiastic response from the crowd. His power, range, and soulful expression indicated he could have had a huge career in music if he hadn’t waited until middle age to start recording.
Potter played to a full house last night, and it’s likely her new tour and more commercially accessible material will make her an even huger name. Let’s hope she gets there. Let’s also hope she goes back to her older Nocturnals material.
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