The brand new wave met the outdated guard earlier this month as Lukas Nelson, son of Willie, captivated a packed home in Tucson. The 35-year-old Nelson has been taking part in music professionally since 2008, however it’s performances like this which have liberated Lukas from his father’s shadow.
Downtown Tucson’s historic Rialto Theatre hosted Nelson and his phenomenal band, Promise of the Actual, on March 11. Lukas + POTR have been on the highway since final yr in help of their newest album, “Sticks and Stones”. The Tucson date is without doubt one of the final on the western leg of a tour that has spanned each coasts, in addition to Canada. The album’s lead single, “Extra Than Buddies” that includes reigning entertainer of the yr Lainey Wilson, has simply been nominated for a 2024 CMT award.
With a novel fashion self-described as “nation soul funk”, Lukas represents a form of up-and-coming outdated timer. His songs mirror the sincerity of an older performer whereas he performs with a stupendous frenetic creativity. It’s plain to see he’s greater than comfy on stage. There’s a easy clarification for this, it’s all he’s ever recognized. As Nelson states, “We’d at all times journey with dad. The one instances we weren’t touring had been after we had been in class”. However make no mistake, simply because Willie Nelson occurs to be his father, this isn’t your father’s Willie Nelson live performance.
Chill vibes and distinctive music marked the order of the day as Lukas and the boys took the stage within the desert. The present is decidedly a showcase for the brand new album, of which Nelson wrote all 12 songs. Lukas says of his songwriting, “I’m writing for my present. I’m writing for my viewers and I’m fascinated by my viewers after I write a music.” Fittingly then the present kicks off with the primary observe from the brand new album, “Sticks and Stones”.
The rollicking title observe is the proper tone setter for the evening. The five-piece band is clearly a good configuration, which options Lukas as lead singer and lead guitar. Nelson refers back to the present launch as, “essentially the most nation report I’ve ever made”. Subsequent up within the set might be essentially the most nation music on the report. “Each Time I Drink” is sweet ole’ customary down-home music that would have simply been part of the Outlaw lineup within the Seventies. The quantity not solely will increase the viewers power, nevertheless it additionally showcases the vary of Nelson’s robust vocals.
After a short introduction, Lukas retains the present transferring at a brisk tempo. Some highlights embrace the quantity “Idiot Me As soon as” throughout which the band slipped into The Beatles’ “Get Again”. As Lukas sang the verse regarding “Tucson, Arizona”, it resulted in among the finest crowd responses of the evening.
A lot to the delight of the longer tenured followers, the band carried out some older cuts. Tunes comparable to “Simply Outdoors of Austin”, “Neglect About Georgia”, and “Carolina”, all from 2017. Nelson’s set additionally shows the eclectic spectrum of his influences. “Go away ’em Behind” particularly, which exudes the unmistakable really feel of early Neil Younger. This is sensible contemplating POTR was Younger’s touring and studio band from 2015 to 2019. On this evening, “Go away ’em Behind” doesn’t depart ‘em disenchanted, showcasing Lukas’ gritty guitar chops as he switches from acoustic to electrical in mid music.
The subsequent portion of the present continues the development of Nelson paying homage to his musical forefathers. Whereas the remainder of the band takes a break, Lukas takes up his acoustic guitar. After relating that he spoke to a “good pal” yesterday, Lukas needs to do a quantity for him. The great pal was Kris Kristofferson, and the tune is “Assist Me Make It Via the Evening”. After a satisfying model of the Kristofferson basic, Nelson introduced that he would now love to do a music from his different favourite songwriter. Lukas then covers his dad’s iconic tune, “Angel Flying Too Near the Floor”…and it by no means sounded higher!
Only for good measure, Nelson doubled-down the nostalgia with a spirited cowl of “King of the Highway” by the nice Roger Miller. Then, as if Lukas hadn’t already confirmed his musical versatility, he took a seat on the piano. After working via a stable model of his 2021 hit “A Few Stars Aside”, he shocked the gang with an epic rock basic. Nonetheless seated behind the keys, Lukas put collectively a searing rendition of “Life on Mars?” by David Bowie. Completely one of many performances of the evening. Completely sudden and splendidly executed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okay-gndqSyCgI
The present on March 11th marked a full circle second for Lukas, in addition to this reviewer. It was at a 2004 Willie Nelson live performance on the TCC Music Corridor that I first encountered Lukas, taking part in rhythm guitar in his father’s band. He was a thin lad of 15 however the expertise was palpable. Particularly after a gutsy cowl of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Texas Flood”. Now, 20 years later, the scrawny child has been changed by a seasoned bandleader. An enthralling entertainer now stands the place a boy as soon as did. Lukas Nelson is all grown up…and he could also be some of the dynamic performers working at the moment.
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