I knew last Friday, when I walked around the corner onto 2nd Avenue and saw the stretch limo in front of The Moore, that it wasn’t going to be a typical laid-back Seattle night. I photograph live music all around town, but I lived in Tennessee long enough to recognize when Nashville’s in the air.

I was sure that Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real would put on a magnificent show… I’ve seen them 3 times in the past 10 months! Always with a slight twang, devilish good looks and amazing guitar skills, Lukas seems to please every crowd, winning over new fans at every performance.

What was a surprise for me, though, was the beautiful energy of the headliners: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. I was not familiar with her music before Friday, but I came away quite impressed. In her glamorous sparkling gown, Grace kicked off her heels one song in, and rocked The Moore, stopping only for a moment to celebrate her birthday with a cake brought out by Lukas Nelson himself!

–Shanna Petersen, photographer, The Monarch Review