It's been the better part of a year since Troy has seen Grace Potter and the Nocturnals‚ and judging by the size of their growing fan base‚ they couldn't have come back soon enough. Lining up outside Revolution Hall‚ dozens of people were impatiently waiting to get out of the crisp‚ cold air on this autumn night‚ anxious to hear who we've all come to know and love-Grace Potter.

Via the internet‚ I heard a few tracks from the evening's opener‚ Nocturnals guitarist Scott Tournet's side project‚ Blues and Lasers. The band features fellow Nocturnals bassist Bryan Dondero and drummer Matt Burr‚ as well as second drummer Steve Sharon and second guitarist Benny Yurco. After having checked out some of their songs online‚ I was thoroughly impressed and excited to see them live. Who knew Grace wasn't the only Nocturnal who can sing?! For the set‚ Scott took the saddle and sang soulfully over gritty‚ bluesy‚ trance-y jams. These boys can really captivate the audience‚ with a very authentic sound that you don't hear often these days -- briefly‚ I thought we time-warped back to the rawness of 1970s rock. With two drummers on top of the bass‚ the rhythm section was heavy and driving in full force. The addition of Benny on second guitar also lends a nice voicing on top of Scott's playing. And of course‚ Scott's way with the telecaster gives the band the perfect voice for the music -- crunchy and bright‚ cutting through with trance-blues melodies. He really knows how to make that guitar sing.

The energy in the room was so present that you could taste it when Grace Potter took the stage and greeted her audience: "Well‚ well‚ well. We meet again." They kicked off with a powerhouse‚ "Sugar‚" a newer tune they have been doing. Grace's vocals‚ like always‚ were packed with a punch‚ as she wailed out like they've been playing this tune forever.

One thing that you can always expect out of a GPN show is a few tasteful covers thrown in the mix. Added into the setlist‚ which came as a surprise to me‚ was Dr. John's "Right Place‚ Wrong Time." Of course‚ the Nocturnals are good at choosing great songs that no one would ever think of -- and what a great pick. Grace's B-3 rocked the introduction‚ and some joyful dancing from the audience ensued.

Later in the set‚ the band switched it up a bit‚ with Scott taking on the drum set‚ and the rest of the Nocturnals joining in on a full-band drum solo‚ which the Nocturnals are known for. This is always such an electrifying part of the show that seems to pull in the entire audience.

After their set was completed‚ the audience demanded the band play on. And after a few short moments‚ Grace reemerged with the Nocturnals intact‚ singing the a capella "Nothing But the Water‚" into the slow ballad‚ "Big White Gate‚" and finishing up with "Mystery Train‚" inviting Benny from Blues and Lasers to finish out the night. And so the night came to its close‚ and Troy will once again patiently wait for Grace and the Nocturnals' next return.

Visit Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Visit Blues and Lasers