A musical child from an early age, Grace Potter sung in choirs, school musical productions and regional theatre productions while learning to play the piano from her mother. However, she wouldn't form a proper band until she went to college, where she met Matt Burr during an open-mic performance in 2002. Burr would later become the drummer of The Nocturnals, and also Potter's wife, and the duo would later recruit bassist Courtright Beard and guitarist Scott Tournet to complete the first true line-up of Potter's backing band in 2003. Rather than go the traditional route of searching for a label to release their music, the band formed their own label, Ragged Company, to release Potter's 2004 solo debut “Original Soul”.
Potter's second album and the band's first, 2005's “Nothing But The Water”, was also released on Ragged Company but by that point, they'd built up such a name for themselves via their records and their famed live shows, that Potter and the band signed with Hollywood Records in December of the same year. Ever since then, Potter has remained a massively acclaimed name in modern rock, with the seal of approval of everyone from The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach to Kenny Chesney, with whom Potter collaborated with to create “You And Tequila”, a top three hit on the Billboard country charts and to date, Potter's only appearance in the top forty of the Billboard Hot 100. She's an artist who's achieved far more in the first decade of her career than most achieve in a lifetime, and she's got so much more to offer as well. For that, Grace Potter comes highly recommended.
Tift Merritt brings to the live music scene something that I think it has been missing as of late. With all of the fast paced, high intensity rock, metal and electronic dance music shows that have been all around the country, Tift Merrit brings us back to the initimate, soft live show experience that we have been desperately missing.
When I saw Tift Merrit live, I immediately knew that I had found a gem. The soft vocals, the soothing guitars, drums and background instruments were a real delight. The small venue couples with this intimate sound to really create a soothing and relaxing concert going experience. The sort of country-style infused soft rock lends itself to a sort of naturally relaxing and emotional journey through the music.
I was completely entranced throughout the musical progression, and I believe that is exactly what Tift Merrit was aiming to do with this unique sound and style. I know that I and the rest of the audience walked away feeling great after seeing such a passionate and emotional performance. The way that the entire band is able to come together with the audience as they take us through this journey is really an amazing experience. I will definitely recommend Tift Merrit to family and friends, and anyone that enjoys slower paced, authentic music.
I was thrilled at a recent chance to catch the amazing Grace Potter and her band, The Nocturnals. Accompanied by a slightly incompliant best friend, I was determined to change his mind about this amazing group. He stopped protesting quite so much when he saw her, though. She is quite the hottie. And I’d like to think he changed his mind about the music, as well.
Always and incredible evening of music, this band looks like they stepped out of another time, mainly the sixties. And in some ways, they sound like a mix of the best of the psychedelic sixties, the hard rocking seventies and a bit of the glam metal of the eighties.
However you describe it, the music sounds fresh and exciting and this was true of this show as well. Grace’s soulful voice is always compared to Janis Joplin’s and this is not untrue but there is also a sweet melody to it that Janis, legend that she is, was lacking. Barefoot and beautiful, as always, Grace is the undeniable focal point of this group. Her band is super talented but let’s be honest, they would be playing covers in a bar somewhere without Grace’s energy and talent to lead them. It was an incredible night of music, as always and I think she has a new fan!