Sunday, October 17, 2010

Orange Peel, Asheville, NC

Date:  October 15
Time: 8:00 (we arrived 9:30)
Location: 

 When we arrived the first band had just finished playing, the lights were back up and the crowd was milling around, talking, drinking and being amiable towards one another.  We checked out the t-shirts, posters, visited the necessary facilities and worked our way as close to the stage as we could manage.  
The lights began to dim, and people began squeezing their way towards the stage.  You could hear the soft murmur of the crowd, chatting, and hushed with anticipation.  Movement on the stage, no lights there yet, hard to tell if it is Grace Potter and the Nocturnals yet, or just the sound guys finishing prep work for the show.  A strum is heard, whoops are yelled off from the crowd, then the lights ease on and the band is coming onto the stage.  A brief moment of silence and expectation before the crowd starts to go a bit crazy.  
These are fans, you can feel it in the atmosphere, and when the first notes are played, and Grace's beautiful voice begins to let loose, you can't help but to get swept up in the atmosphere.  It starts in your feet, the floors vibrating with the music, which works its way through you, every fiber of your body is filled with it.  And fan or not, you join in, the triumphant cries when your favorite song is played, dancing, clapping and stomping with the rhythm.  And that voice, oh that voice, how it will melt your soul.  
From just minutes before 10:00 until nearly 1:30, we were regaled with music and vocals that cause you to have goosebumps, to laugh, to cry.  Then GPN says goodbye, and leaves the stage, we will not let them go, shouting and stomping fill the building, ears are ringing from the noise that is nearly louder than the music had been, voices calling out GRACE and ENCORE.  Then they reappear, we go wild, cheers so loud we can barely hear the music when it starts, but once it does although we have been standing for nearly 3 hours, and are exhausted, we dance harder, shout louder, and give it our all, we will enjoy every last moment we have with our beloved music, then as the last note fades away, we drag ourselves back to our vehicles, our feet sore, our hearts happy, and our adrenaline pumping.  This is what a night spent with Grace Potter will do for you.

Teaser (you might want to stop the music player at the bottom before watching):

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