Lukas Nelson Charms a Packed Orpheum with Raw Talent and New Songs
On his second of three stops in the Grand Canyon State, he emerged from the dark wings with only his guitar. He opened, with a near-acapella rendition of You Were It, the first song he ever wrote, a confident yet vulnerable ballad from his upcoming release, American Romance (due out June 20th).
It was a fitting introduction in a space like the Orpheum Theater in Flagstaff, AZ—an intimate venue for a voice so grand. Originally constructed as a movie house in 1911, the Orpheum accommodates a crowd of only 950 patrons on any given night, a far cry from the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater Lukas played only four nights earlier.
Though the son of Willie Nelson, Lukas has carved out a distinct niche of his own as both a musician and songwriter. With a voice often reminiscent of his father’s, Lukas confidently steps out from Willie’s shadow, propping up his success with a catalog of his own artistic songwriting mastery.
Running through 19 songs in his two-hour set, Lukas played songs old and new with his current road band. With Promise of the Real taking a break from touring this year, Lukas brought along a five-piece ensemble whose sound leaned more toward country and bluegrass with the welcomed fiddle and pedal steel players, yet they could still easily lay down the rock grooves.
Aside from a couple of bugs in the PA during the night, Lukas’ voice resonated flawlessly, cutting through the excitedly chatty crowd. His projection is something to be felt, always a stunning display of years spent on the road, polishing his craft.
Lukas closed the night with a solo acoustic performance of the title track from American Romance. With a tip of his hat, he was on the road again, this time heading south to the Old Pueblo for the final stop on his Arizona run.
How did we get so lucky to have not one, but three shows on this tour, especially one in such a cozy venue? Here’s to hoping he makes his way back again soon.
