Grace Potter 2015 Interview
Advance for Artpark performance
My sister Kathleen recommended I check out Grace Potter and the Nocturnals; they did not disappoint. My first chance to see Grace Potter was as an opening act in 2012, and I wrote, “Grace Potter should not be opening for anyone.” That resulted in her publicist reaching out to me and saying, “Grace read your article and would like to talk to you.” That was a pinch-me moment in my journalism career, and I have been able to interview Grace three times over the years.
Vermont native Grace Potter has built a following the old-fashioned way, sharing her love of music with audiences, and garnering a well-deserved reputation as one of the most dynamic live performers around.
If ever there was an artist that is a perfect fit for Artpark, it is Grace Potter. Just two weeks before she releases her first solo album “Midnight”, Potter will bring her new and larger band to town to highlight some of the album’s material along with plenty of fan favorites.
“The show will be different because I have a bigger band that is a combination of The Nocturnals and new members. I’ve got more voices, I’ve got more keyboards, I’ve got two drummers, I call it the magical midnight roadshow because it really is that,” Potter said during a recent phone interview.
“We revisited some of the old songs and songs like ‘Medicine’ and ‘Nothing But the Water’ will actually be closer to the original arrangements. We are going to slowly finesse the new songs into the show; I want to give people some time to absorb the new material,” Potter said.
“Alive Tonight” appeared back in April, and a few other songs have appeared since, including “Empty Heart” and “Delirious”, which Potter performed during an opening set for The Rolling Stones. Potter performed “Miner” and “Empty Heart” on a local radio show, and “Look What We’ve Become” is available as a digital download.
“Midnight” is a personal album, named in honor of her the time of her birth, which made her a “nocturnal” baby. While the songs that have been released to date provide a glimpse into what the album sounds like as a whole, it is an album that must be listened to from beginning to end to truly appreciate it.
“This was an undertaking of a record, and you can hear it because so many risks were being taken. Eric Valentine is so committed to throwing the emotion of the song at you through the speakers, much the way the band has always been live, making sure the emotional connection is there, and he is equally passionate about the science of music and how it makes you feel.”
One of those songs is “Your Girl”, a song with a unique twist on a common theme- the love triangle. The song is infectious, and the chorus “I wish I never met your girl” speaks about a woman who feels guilty about pursuing a love interest after meeting his girlfriend.
“It’s an interesting narrative, all the more so because it is so true to life, and I have had conversations with people who have gone through it. I felt good about tackling the subject without becoming clichéd.”
Even if the song does not appear in her setlist at Artpark, it is a song you will want to hear as soon as you purchase “Midnight.”
In addition to the funk, soul, blues, rock and even modern pop sounds throughout “Midnight” there are two songs with prominent gospel influences.
“ I grew up really inspired by gospel music. On my first solo record, I actually did a solo record before called “Original Soul”, on an indy label, which is why this is called my debut solo album, I tried to get the Harlem Gospel Choir, because all of the songs were meant to have a gospel choir on them. They were psyched to come up to Vermont and I had a hotel booked, but they wound up not being able to come because they had to perform at a memorial service.”
“A lot of this record feels like I did when I made “Original Soul” in that all bets were off and I wanted to make it special. I did revisit some of my notes from 2004 when I was a college student trying to make a record with the money I made painting houses, and it amazes me that I still reason the same way and how little my approach has changed.”
In the 11 years since “Original Soul” Potter has grown in leaps and bounds as a songwriter and a performer. If you try and find a copy of that independently released CD it will likely cost you around $250, and while she missed an opportunity to play with the Harlem Gospel Choir, she recently shared the stage with Mick Jagger, belting out a raucous version of “Gimme Shelter” to a stadium crowd.
Many years ago, a friend of mine told me I “must see Grace Potter” and I will offer the same advice to you. Tuesday’s show will be one of the first headlining shows with her new band, it promises to be a special evening.
