Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real at The Concert Hall

Dust off those cowboy hats and pull on your finest snakeskin boots because you’ll be dancing with Lukas Nelson and the Promise Of The Real. The tour landed in Toronto Tuesday night bringing some heat to a cold night. The son of Willie Nelson isn’t shy about who his father is but he is making his own way in the music industry. Lukas and POTR have been polishing their live act with Neil Young in recent years and are now headlining tours of their own.

The band cooked through songs from all of their albums, putting in a solid two hour set (with an impromptu fire alarm!). Sticks And Stones is their latest album they are featuring on tour of which they played more than half. Stomping through barn burners like Sticks And Stones, Ladder Of Love and Icarus. Lukas Nelson has the ability to write witty, fun lyrics without crossing over to the corny, novelty song territory. Everytime I Drink, Alcohallelujah and Wrong House are great examples of that.

The crowd sang along to some well known covers like King Of The Road and When You’re Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You). The crowd was filled with smiling faces and happy feet. There was even a Willie Nelson song played, Bloody Mary Morning.

I was excited to see this band in such an intimate setting at The Concert Hall. There is a bright future for these guys. Lukas gleaned a lot from his father’s career path. Careful not to fall into the pitfalls other musicians have succumbed to. “I know a bunch of artists that are really depressed because of the allure of fame and the dollar. My band is a mantra to keep me from making those decisions: Promise Of The Real”. It won’t be long until they are playing sold out shows in arenas and stadiums.

Be sure to check out Collective Concerts to see what other great artists they will be bringing to Toronto this year.