Concert Review: Grace Potter at House of Blues

Grace Potter
Photo by Madeline Robicheaux

Hypnotizing with her mojo hair, Grace Potter brought cosmic vibes to Houston’s House of Blues.

It is a well known fact if you knew me back in 2009 that I was a truly dedicated fan of Grace Potter (with her band The Nocturnals). Being a fan for as long as I have, I believe this past Friday’s show was my 30th-ish show. People always ask,”Why do you go to so many of her shows,”and if you have ever been to a Grace Potter show, the answer is obvious. Her performances showcase her love not only for the stage, but for music in its entirety — causing a religious experience for her audience.

Grace Potter
Photo by Madeline Robicheaux

Grace Potter
Photo by Madeline Robicheaux

To be honest, Potter’s latest album, Midnight, was not one of my, or other fans I spoke to, favorites. The album was directed toward more of a pop genre, carrying away from the alternative/rock genre we love and adore. However, looking back on her career, this genre change is not anything new, and what stays the same is her ever-changing live performances and her consistent energy that drives the audience wild (and always coming back for more).

With all being said, Friday’s performance was in true Grace Potter form. Lots of gyrating dance moves, soulful rock vocals, sexy attire, and hypnotizing hair flips. Starting right on time, her intro music consisted of church like bells while she graced the stage in a “Stevie Nicks-ish” sort of entrance and opened up with oldies such as “Medicine” and “Parachute Heart,” and even treated the crowd with a brand new tune.

Grace Potter
Photo by Madeline Robicheaux

The highlights of the show were her performances of “Loneliest Soul,” which she mashed in a cover Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love,” followed by “Low Road,” which I’ve heard that Grace wrote while in Austin, TX a few years back. Her band left the stage to give Grace a little one-on-one time with a guitar solo for “Nothing But the Water,” and a costume change that included a glow-in-the-dark fringe kimono. Midway into the show, Grace encouraged the crowd to have a little costume change of their own by teasing that she would continue to take articles of her clothing off, only if the audience would follow suit.

Grace Potter Photo by Madeline Robicheaux

Closing the show with three encores, Grace Potter left Houston on a musical high and wanting more of her mesmerizing mojo. To quote her exiting words, “Nothing puts me under a spell like Houston does,”and I think we can all agree that the feelings for us are the same for Grace Potter.

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By Madeline Robicheaux