Grace Potter and the Nocturnals SELL OUT Orlando Theater

Orlando FL

March 6, 2011

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals rolled into Orlando FL, home of the mouse on Sunday March 6. According to the Box Office the pre-sale sold 1000 tickets but by the end of the night Potter announced from the stage that this was her “first sold out show in Orlando.” Hopefully for the young rocker from Vermont this will be the first of many sold out shows in Central Florida.

The doors opened to the lobby a little after 7pm and the show was scheduled to have Justin Jones kick the night off at 7:30pm. After hanging out in the very crowded lobby for 30 minutes, the doors were opened and the crowd rushed to get their spots in front of the stage.

This venue had a raised stage and photo pit, unlike the show in St. Petersburg where the fans could rest their arms on the stage and were as close as fans can get to performers, but no one seemed to mind the short distance to the stage.

The 1:45 minute set was opened with “Oasis”. As Potter made her way to the B3 she grabbed what appeared to be lyric sheet (some new cover??), tore it off the B3 and whipped it to the side stage. This was the first of many little incidents for their last night in Florida.

During “Sweet Hands”, guitarist Scott Tournet’s amp died. I’ve always known this guitar slinger was electric but who knew he could fry an amp!! Luckily Jonathan Tyler and crew were still in the house and not headed north to Tennessee, a VOX amp was borrowed from bassist Nick Jay; after some fumbling on stage the song went on.

Next up “Only Love” and guitarist Benny Yurco, who at times this night looked like he was channeling Angus Young of AC/DC, broke a string and “grabbed the first guitar (he) saw” changing weapons flawlessly on the fly.

Potter prefaced “Apologies” by saying she’s “had a lot of requests for this one” and that “it’s a Sunday kind of song but please don’t let it stop you acting like it’s Saturday night!”

The acoustic treat tonight with Tournet, Potter and Yurco on acoustic guitars was “Treat Me Right.”

Before “Medicine”, Potter said she hates this time of night because “it’s time to say goodbye.” Tonight there was a fifth Nocturnal on stage, special guest, former WWF wrestler Mick Foley joined in on the five way drum solo,. He came out towards the end of the song and played the cow bell (John Carr, you’ve been replaced!) and gave bassist Catherine Popper, who must weigh 90 pounds wet, a huge hug! The size contrast was dramatic!

Yurco came out and started Heart’s Nancy Wilson acoustic solo intro to “Crazy On You” weaving in a little Zeppelin too for good measure. The rest of the Nocs and Potter joined him and Potter scorched the stage with her presence and vocals totally killing the song.

Another great show from this little band with the big sound from the woods of Vermont and as Potter said “I hate this time…time to say goodbye.”

Set list:

Oasis

Only Love

Money

222

Ah Mary

Apologies

Goodbye Kiss

Low Road

Treat Me Right (Acoustic)

Joey

Hot Summer Night

Why Don’t You Love Me? (Beyonce cover)

Paris

Medicine (with guest Mick Foley, former WWF Wrestler on Cow Bell!)

Encore:

Crazy on You (Heart cover)(Yurco solo intro)

A few more photos from the show...

Opening Acts:

Justin Jones, a singer out of Washington DC finally took the stage a little after 8pm and played a quick four song set with lots of banter with the crowd. He opened with “The Gutter”, then commented “I’m digging how quiet it is, last night (in Fort Lauderdale) I had to tell the crowd to shut the fuck up!” Next he sang a song about his daughter “Little Fox.” Then asked the crowd for volunteers, a volunteer to be a designated driver to Chapel Hill NC; some not so sober guy said yeah and Jones asked “Do you have an operating credit card?”; this raise laughter from the audience. Two more songs and he was gone.

Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights burst onto the stage around 8:30pm and played a 45 minute set. I saw them in St. Petersburg Friday night so when I heard the chords, I knew Led Zeppelin’s “Bring It Home” was about to kick in. These guys (lead singer, guitarist Jonathan Tyler, guitarist Brandon Pinckard, drummer Jordan Cain and bassist Nick Jay and girl—Emotion “Mo” Brown) do the song proud. With Bullet mike in one hand and a harmonica in the other Tyler jumped into their song “Devil’s Basement”, a great swampy, kiss-ass song with back and forth solos between Tyler on harmonica and Pinckard on his red Harmony guitar. They ended their set with a great rocking song, “Gypsy Ways” to which the crowd could be heard singing along. The band returns to the Orlando area—check their website for more information.