Final Weekend of Sunset Music Series Features Grace And Floyd

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, with special guest Kingsley Flood, and The Machine performs Pink Floyd with The Interstellar Laser Show, will both close out the 14th Annual Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series in dramatic style Thursday, Aug. 11 and Friday, Aug. 12, respectively. 

Getting the music started on the smaller, Courtyard Stage on Thursday will be Providence-based singer-songwriter, Tracie Potochnik, with Buddy Cavaleri, North Kingstown’s singer-songwriter guitarist, loosening things up for The Machine on Friday. (The Machine will be playing an extended show with no special guest or opener on the Main Stage.) 

Tickets are still available for Grace Potter & The Nocturnals at $25 for standard seats and $40 for preferred seats, while tickets for The Machine are available at $20 for standard and $40 for preferred.  Those interested in these two concerts can purchase and print tickets at home by visiting www.newportwaterfrontevents.com or by calling the Newport Yachting Center Box Office at (401) 846-1600.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals of Waitsfield, Vermont, was formed in late 2002 when drummer Matthew Burr saw vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Grace Potter, performing folk songs at a student-run venue called The Java Barn on the St. Lawrence college campus.  After a number of twists and turns, the band signed a deal with Hollywood Records in 2005 and re-released its first album, Nothing But The Water in 2006.  During this time, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals was making its mark on the local music scene, being nominated at the Boston Music Awards in several categories, including “Best New Local Act”, “Best Local Female Artist” and “Album of the Year”.  In 2006, the band also won a Jammy Award for “Best New Groove”. 

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals released its second album, This Is Somewhere, in 2007 and toured the country supporting Gov’t Mule in 2007 and The Black Crowes and the Dave Matthews Band in 2008.  A song from this album, “Apologies” was featured on the television shows, All My Children, One Tree Hill and Brothers and Sisters, while the song, “Falling or Flying” was featured on the hit drama shows ER and Grey’s Anatomy. 

In 2010, the band appeared on Almost Alice, the companion soundtrack for Tim Burton’s feature film, Alice in Wonderland, with a cover version of Jefferson Airplane’s song, “White Rabbit”.  Potter also wrote a track entitled, “Something That I Want” which Disney chose to be featured during the closing credits of their 50th animated feature, Tangled.  The band released its third album, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, last year and it peaked at #5 on the iTunes Top 100 Album Chart and #2 in the iTunes Rock Album Chart.  The opening track, “Paris (Ooh La La)” was in the Top 40 on the iTunes Rock Songs Chart.  According to Rolling Stone, “the band’s third disk finds a sweet spot between rowdy, blues-driven live sound and tight, classic songcraft.”

Described as “a modern brand of Americana” (New Yorker), special guest Kingsley Flood often takes a critical and contemporary look at the American dream with its lyrics and music.  Bursting out of New England’s thriving indie folk scene, the band distinguishes itself with fiery and dynamic performances; one minute, it channels a late 70s punk band exploding with energy, the next a folk act rich in four-part harmonies.

NPR recently named the band’s new single, “I Don’t Wanna Go Home”, Song of the Day and said it has “a vintage radio feel and the momentum of a great live show.”  The band was named “New Artist of the Year” at the 2010 Boston Music Awards and “Best Roots Act” in the 2010 and 2011 Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll.  After a feature on NPR’s “Weekend Edition”, the band’s debut album, Dust Windows, was #1 on the Amazon.com Roots-Rock Chart for several weeks in 2010.

The Machine, America’s top Pink Floyd show, has forged a 20 year reputation of excellence, extending the legacy of Pink Floyd, while creating another legacy all their own.  “They duplicate the sound and hits of Pink Floyd with chilling accuracy,” says Matt Diehl or Rolling Stone magazine.  The New York-based band focuses on making every show an authentic Floydian experience for their fans.  Known for performing a diverse mix of The Floyd’s extensive 16-album repertoire (complete with faithful renditions of well known hits as well as obscure gems), The Machine’s live shows feature stellar musicianship, dramatic lighting-laser show and video, and their passionate delivery.

Over the years, The Machine has sold out theaters and clubs around the world.  They have also appeared at renowned music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Riverbend, Gathering of the Vibes, Buffalo's Artpark, and Germany’s Rock of Ages, and with the Atlanta, Detroit, Pittsburgh and San Diego Symphonies.  The Machine’s third album, Symphonic Side of The Moon, was released in June 2011 and features a live performance of legendary album, Dark Side of the Moon, with a symphony orchestra.

“The Sunset Music Series is proud to set the stage for hot bands on the brink of mega popularity and we got that and more when Grace Potter & The Nocturnals agreed to return to Newport and our waterfront venue after playing the Folk Festival in recent years,” said Michele Maker Palmieri, General Manager of the Newport Yachting Center.  “And The Machine was one of the surprise concerts from last year’s line-up and we’re expecting another Floydian experience to top off an extremely successful 2011 Sunset Music Series.”