Lukas Nelson and The Promise of the Real

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The Rialto Theatre, Tucson, AZ

November 11, 2021

By Mary Andrews

The first time I saw Lukas Nelson was in 2000 when he and his brother, Micah, were kids running around backstage at a Willie Nelson concert in Anaheim. One could not imagine that ten years later Lukas would have his own band performing and cutting records.

Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real (POTR) have not performed in Tucson since the band opened for B. B. King in 2009. There was no band introduction. They came out on stage and started playing. Those in attendance were scratching their heads because the voice was so familiar. We later learned that the voice belonged to Willie Nelson’s son.

Things have changed dramatically for Nelson and the band since then. They spent a couple of years working as Neil Young’s touring band as well as performing on two of his studio albums. Nelson is a Grammy Award winner for his work on the soundtrack on the film A Star Is Born. He co-produced as well as co-wrote songs with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. They were also Cooper’s backing band in the film.

They have released five full-length studio albums with the most recent album, A Few Stars Apart, garnering rave reviews. Obviously, Nelson did not sit on his laurels during the pandemic, but, like many artists, they could not tour immediately after its release. Now, they are touring until the end of the year to promote the album.

The crowd was standing as soon as Nelson and the band stepped on stage. They launched into “Start to Go” from their very first album. It was apparent from the beginning that this set would be retrospective of their entire career.The music and the musicianship were the highlights of the show.

“Four Letter Word” displayed the tight connection between Nelson and bassist, Cory McCormick. There was a looseness between the two as they shredded through the song that paved the way through the rest of the night. The two were playing as they were airborne and the fans roared in approval. The more the fans roared, the bigger Nelson’s smile surfaced. It was a win-win for everyone.

Each band member had an opportunity to display his talent as they got to play extended solos. Logan Metz’s piano solo that blended into “More Than We Can Handle” was tremendous. Anthony LoGerto had his big drum solo during the first encore that prefaced “Something Real.” The band was perfectly harmonious.

Nelson’s ferocious guitar was present throughout the entire set and that alone is a good reason to see the show. He possibly has blended his dad’s and Neil Young’s guitar skills together to achieve his sound. Nelson also played piano on a couple of songs including “Smile.” As a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Nelson’s talent seems to be boundless. He has been working in the shadows of his legendary father and has absorbed a lot from him. Nelson is an amazing performer and a must-see.