Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real (POTR) played the 52nd and final show of their fall tour at Portland, Oregon’s Crystal Ballroom on Monday, November 22nd. There was a celebratory feel in the air, but it comes across that this is just how POTR operates, whether it’s the first or last show of a tour, or somewhere in the middle. In any case, the band was polished and the set flowed nicely — an abundance of infectious grooves, lots of tension and release, plenty of building power rock, and ballads that were well-placed and poignant.
The second song of the night was the second song on the band’s newest album, 2021’s A Few Stars Apart. “Perennial Bloom” was one of a handful of selections from POTR’s latest studio effort, largely written by Nelson during the pandemic. After the meandering sway of “Fool Me Once,” “Four Letter Word” saw the quintet build to a full rollicking rock-out by the time the song came to an end.
Multi-intsrumentalist Logan Metz slid in behind the piano for an extended intro into “More Than We Can Handle,” another track from A Few Stars Apart. Nelson’s acoustic guitar solo toward the end of “Just Outside of Austin” definitely had hints of the Django Reinhardt inspired style of his father, and the song also gave Nelson the opportunity to show some delicate vocal capabilities.
Power of the Real is a well-oiled machine at this point. The chemistry between the members is second nature and the interplay, especially between Nelson and bassist Corey McCormick, keeps all eyes focused on the stage. The front three switch instruments without missing a beat, often in the middle of songs. During “Leave ‘em Behind,” a song Nelson wrote for a friend struggling through an abusive relationship, he switched from his acoustic guitar to a hollow-body Gibson electric mid-song, and then, by the time McCormick was playing the outro of the song on his bass, Nelson was behind the piano kicking off the intro into the title track of A Few Stars Apart.
None of it would be possible without the instrument techs and band crew being on-point, and Nelson took time to thank them. He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as he said they made it through this three-month, 52-show tour without having to cancel any shows due to band or crew contracting COVID, a fate which has sidelined numerous acts as touring has begun again.
Nelson & POTR held the audience’s attention as the set progressed. He hit the high notes on “Throwing’ Away Your Love,” had everyone in the palm of his hand for “Forget About Georgia,” and put his rock n’ roll hat back on for a run through “Carolina.” Metz literally ran from the piano to the organ to do his part on the soulful rocker “Die Alone.”
Nelson’s soaring vocals and the call and response with the crowd on “Find Yourself” made it feel like the finale of the show, but it was far from over. McCormick used a bow on his stand-up electric bass and Metz played some lap steel to usher in “Set Me Down On A Cloud” which featured yet another big guitar solo from Nelson.
The band walked off stage, and soon McCormick returned to entertain the crowd with a bass solo that covered a lot of ground before the band came back and fell into “Entirely Different Stars.” After an acoustic version of the popular “Turn Off The News (Build A Garden)” and “Mystery,” POTR dropping some more dirty rock n’ roll with “The Awakening.” Again, it could have ended there, but instead there was a percussion solo from Tato Melgar, then a drum solo from Anthony LoGerfo, and then a scorching “Something Real” from the whole band. After getting together and taking a bow, the band members exchanged glances, and Nelson asked, “Can we play another one for you?” The final selection of the night was the Rolling Stones’ “Get Off Of My Cloud.”
As I was driving home after the show, I scanned to the local country station and heard the voice of Willie Nelson singing “Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses…” from the 2002 Toby Keith song Willie was featured on. I thought of the enormous legacy the elder Nelson has had on American culture and country music in particular, and what a national treasure and legend among legends he truly is. Lukas has said that he considers himself lucky not because he has a famous father, but because he has a really good father. Lukas won a Grammy for his work on A Star Is Born, has been enlisted along with POTR to back Neil Young on the road and in the studio, has several albums under his belt, and can pull off live performances like the one I had just witnessed while making it look effortless. It’s easy to imagine Willie being equally proud to call Lukas his son as he watches him build his own legacy.
2 Responses
I saw Lukas and Promise of the Real at t he Capital Theater in Port Chester, New York October 22rd, they were amazing.. The talent and bond this band has shined throughout their performance. I had such a great time! Congratulations, to Lukas and his band on a fabulous tour and an excellent future. Willie is a legend, Lukas and Promise of the Real are carving their own path in that direction.
❤️??
Would love to go to one of his concerts. I live in Kentucky, is he ever going come to Louisville or Lexington?