This past Friday night I headed to the Taft Theatre to see Grace Potter and the Nocturnals for the fifth time since 2006. I can still remember my first show of theirs at the Wakarusa Music Festival that was so full of energy especially for a hot evening in Kansas. The second time I saw Grace and her band perform was at another music festival, Mile High in 2008. It wasn’t until 2011 that I finally saw a headlining show. However it never seemed to matter if it was a headlining show or not, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals were always ready to deliver a high energy rock and roll show.

Landhorne Slim & the Law

Opening the show this time around was Landhorne Slim and the Law. We arrived after they had already taken the stage for the 45 minute set, but I heard enough of their sound to say though I enjoyed it somewhat, I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it again. That’s not to say that they aren’t entertaining and accomplished musicians, because it seems that they are, but the alternative country style of music is not really what I’m most interested in.

Grace Potter on Keys

Though Grace Potter now plays a lot more guitar than she used to, she started off the night on the keys before launching into the opening track of the night the title track of her latest album The Lion The Beast The Beat. I’m not very familiar with this latest release but it is pretty clear to me that it is much more rock and roll than the previous release that was a little more on the pop side of things. I particularly liked the track “Runaway” from the latest offering, as well as an easy highlight for me, the always rocking “Ah, Mary” a track off This Is Somewhere, released in 2007.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

Other highlights in the main set included a short cover of Bill Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands” as well as Neil Young’s “Down by the River.” I also enjoyed hearing a quieter old track in “Ragged Company,” which was re-released with Willie Nelson as a bonus track. The set closing “Stop the Bus” had the sold out crowd singing along and wanting more.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

The encore started with the power ballad and chilling “Apologies” with soaring vocals from Grace. Up next was a solo performance on the guitar of Nothing But the Water (I) which went right into one of my all time favorite songs by the group, “Nothing But the Water (II).” Sure it is an always predictable combination, but there is no way one could be played without the other. This was followed up with their biggest hit from their self titled album from 2010, “Paris (Ooh La La)” which had nearly everyone up on their feet and dancing along. After the final song of the five song encore, “Medicine”, the band had played another 40 minutes on stage after an already lengthy set. What a night!