Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real 11/11/23

It was a special night at The Ritz in Raleigh with Lukas Nelson, backed by his country rock band Promise of the Real.

Lukas Nelson

Their are huge costs of being on the road, hundreds of thousands of dollars with leasing the trucks and buses, maintenance, lodging and upkeep, and what it actually means when transport is in shining, tip top shape. As I walked to the club I couldn’t help but notice the sparkling clean semi parked out back along with a few other trucks and buses for this tour. I had to document the driver with his little pooch. They were obviously taken care of. They were happy. It was a hint of what was to come.

At the show, one just had the feeling that it was an honor to be there. Starting to understand the meaning of the name of the band… Promise of the Real, fronted by the great Lukas Nelson.

Just a beautiful sound. I was discussing with a friend that when you see a percussion set up, above and beyond the drum kit, you know your in for a treat as the band really cares about how they sound. They’re paying extra for techs and transport just to support an enhancement to the rhythm, not to mention the extensive keyboard setup, including an actual piano. Then there was lead guitar, bass and steel guitar. Presented in a very compact, essential and clear sound. Pushing the edges along the way. Terrific stuff. Wonderful compositions.