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 Benevento/Russo Duo |
 Grace Potter |
 Benevento/Russo Duo |
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Story and photos by Matt Schwenke Riding a grassroots wave of popularity spawned by relentless touring, frequent spots on NPR and the Aug. 2007 release of This Is Somewhere, the group's third album together since 2004, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals are certainly somewhere-- on the cusp of being a big-time act as they have begun splitting up their tours with larger headlining gigs with and even larger opening slots with the likes of Dave Matthews Band, Trey Anastasio and Gov't Mule. No stranger to the jam band scene and festival circuit, the band's roots rock with Grace's Bonnie Raitt-style voice is winning over fans of many musical styles.Splitting the bill at Turner Hall with New York-based, experimental rockers Benevento/Russo Duo, the Waitsfield, Vt.-based Grace Potter & The Nocturnals' decidedly traditional approach was in sharp contrast to The Duo's sample-heavy exploration of drums and keys, but though Grace and company subscribe to the pop format often, their sound is an equal exploration of vintage rock. Grace opened the set with the slow-boiled "Tonight's The Night" behind her organ and keys with lead guitarist Scott Tournet adding tasteful interjections, which would be the mark of The Nocturnals the entire set with Tournet picking up a harmonica in gritty "Stop the Bus" and bassist Bryan Dondero and drummer Matt Burr providing a solid backbone. Expanding on her multi-instrumental talent, Grace made the transition to guitar shortly after for a sultry number with flying V in hand, followed up by the straight-ahead rock of "Ah Mary." As the show went on, a new tune found a warm reception with the crowd, but it was the set-ending gospel revival "Nothing But the Water," the title track from the group's first official release under the Grace Potter & The Nocturnals name, that received the most applause as the Nocturnals broke the song down to drums and left the stage with the crowd singing the chorus. An encore performance of Led Zeppelin's "You're Time Is Gonna Come," with Benevento/Russo Duo joining in, grew to a rousing sendoff. In The Duo's set, fans seemed to be split between intent listening and enjoying the show as pleasant background music. Stirring up an unbelievable scope of sound for two musicians, Marco Benevento culled a wide array of variations from his surrounding keys, hosts of pedals and knobs while Joe Russo sampled beats alongside his own drumming. With no official studio album release since their 2006 Play Pause Stop, The Duo has been gradually releasing new and remixed material monthly online, and their performance took on the feel of something loose and non-traditional with tunes like "Best Reason to Buy the Sun" and "Sunny's Song" taking the audience into unfamiliar, yet pleasantly interesting, territory. |
 Grace Potter |
 Benevento/Russo Duo |
 Grace Potter |
 Grace Potter |
 Grace Potter |
 Grace Potter |
 Grace Potter |
