PHOTOS: JULIA LOFSTRAND | Grace Potter sauntered on stage in hot pants and a sparkly cape, strapped with a flying V—the very embodiment of a rockstar.
We spent Grace Potter’s record release day with the woman herself, celebrating her ascent as the queen of modern disco with her new album, Midnight. Potter’s debut solo record displays her finely tuned skill for songcraft and places a pop sheen atop her rock and Americana gumbo.
Grace’s live show is also a reflection of someone who is a true master of her craft. The woman has been touring for 10 years which has made her a performer who melts both minds and hearts. She’s explosive and there is no greater feeling and nothing more contagious than seeing her lost in the music—the moment where the spirit takes over. Grace had many of these moments throughout the show at the Fonda Theatre last Friday evening which spread to her adoring crowd, inducing dancing, shaking and complete abandon.
Her set was a mix of fan favorites including “Paris Oh La La,” “Medicine,” and the heartstring tugger, “Apologies,” from This is Somewhere.
Although the new songs have a bit pop sheen, don’t write off the smokin’ hot blonde as just another girl chasing the pop princess scepter—Grace Potter has a rock ‘n’ roll heart. Her most disco influenced song on Midnight turns into a live scorcher of noise, distortion, and wailing. And how about the break Grace took roughly a third of the way through the show when she absolutely massacred her flying V—alone on stage—accompanied later with drums alone courtesy of Matt Burr.
This year Grace had the honor of opening for the Rolling Stones and joined them on stage for a smokin’ version of “Gimme Shelter,” and her band cleverly rounded out the show with a version that left us in a puddle—ears ringing, brains buzzing, and souls refreshed.
