One Night Country Girl Stands Off Broadway

Rachel Potter CD Release Party
@ Joe's PubNYC - 5/13/12

Rachel Potter appears to have it all and is gearing up to be on top of the world.  Living out her actin dreams on Broadway Rachel is now playing the role as Mistress in the 2012 Broadway production of Evita starring Rickey Martin.  Rachel has seen incredible success as an actress, but you can't take the country music out of the girl.  Tonight the house lights dimmed down at Joe's Pub and Rachel Potter illuminated the intimate room with unprecedented musical harmonies, unbelievable cross genre covers, and plenty of real moments connecting the audience with stories about her own personal life challenges that gave her strength to achieve her dreams, all of which helped her to make tonight possible.  Joe's Pub became the place to be on this Mother's Day evening and there were many mothers attending tonight including Rachel's mother and Country music icon, Reba McEntire.

Rachel premiered her six track cd "Living the Dream" tonight which will be followed up by a full release to the world on iTunes this May and none of this would even have come to fruition if social networking sites didn't exist.  Kickstarter is great site where any music, film, literary and all other artists waiting their break sign up and advertise their creative projects in  order to raise funds donated by generous strangers.  Thanks to the Kickstarter community who did donate to Rachel's CD, she now stands on center stage sharing this new album with you.  Album credit also goes to her co-writer, Justin York, a Christian Rock guitarist and music writer from the Nashville area who matches and supports Rachel's music talents perfectly.  Together the two music artists collaborated their efforts and brought Rachel's vision to life and, in turn, expanding her from the Broadway stage and into the spotlight center stage here at Joe's Pub.

Rachel Potter CD Release Party @ Joe's PubNYC - 5/13/12

This New Orleanian was only three years old when she started singing solos for her biggest fans to date, her former rocker parents.  Rachel's Country music CD is filled with angelic melodies, luscious harmonies and a collaboration with new talent including that of New York City Cosmo-Country group, The Vanity Belles.  One track titled "September Song" reflects on dark times when substance abuse nearly took Rachel's father away from the family and innocence appeared lost over the daily challenges of living around him while he regained control over his addiction.  "Never Mind You" and "Just A Show" blast a "new one" into the rear of an ex-boyfriend, who had inspired Rachel to write two stellar heart break songs, and a very stern warning has gone out to the new Mr. Right at tonight's CD release party, "If you are thinking of cheating on me I will write about what a D***** bag you are, too."  

Rachel Potter and Constantine Maroulis
 Rachel Potter CD Release Party@ Joe's PubNYC - 5/13/12

Rachel burst out onto the stage to a loud reception from fans, friends, and her fellow Evita cast members.  It was a heart felt moment for everyone including Rachel who had to take a moment to digest this new rush of reality.  Her band made up of incredibly talented musicians included guitarist and Jersey Boy cast member Miles Aubrey.  Like Rachel, Aubrey traded his show guitar and strapped on his new Reeves Gabrels Reverend Signature 6-String electric guitar.  The opening song for the night "Crazy Dreams" by Carrie Underwood set the night ablaze.  The thirteen song set list included all six tracks from Rachel's new CD and many countrified covers of such as ABBA's "Dancing Queen", Maria Carey's "Dream Lover" and an even more sensational duet cover of The Civil War's "Barton Hallow" along with 2004 American Idol runner up, Constantine Maroulis.  Just when you thought the well was about to run dry Rachel showered the night with the sweetest color note harmonies along with Carrie Welling and Jesse Rae Waltz of The Vanity Belles.  The trio performed two enchanting cover songs, "Landslide" by Stevie Nicks and Taylor Swift's "Safe & Sound"both of which they made their own.

Rachel Potter and The Vanity Belles
Rachel Potter CD Release Party@ Joe's PubNYC - 5/13/12

Every great show must come to an end and this night did come to the end a thunderous standing ovation of encore and Rachel obliged.  "Hold Onto Me" closed out the night and closes out Rachel's new CD.  Three simple words, "Hold Onto Me" take new  meaning for both the audience and Rachel Potter who will hold onto each other as well as the memory from this historical CD release celebration.  By the reception and electricity that remained after the show Rachel will be held onto by her fans everywhere her music reaches.  A sold out show, a proud mother in the audience watching her daughter perform her most important solo performance to date, and Reba McEntire sitting down inches from the stage all make tonight a very special night to remember.  What is next on Rachel's music journey remains hidden for now as she continues her role in Evita on Broadway.  What has surfaced is one amazing CD that will undoubtedly launch this new Country music starlet on a music career path filled with the greatest success,  legendary collaborations with music icons, and love and support from her fans that will beat the test of time.  Put Rachel on your watch list because this little firecracker is just starting to heat up. 

Two Year Spell Broken: 3 Nights of Daughtry

Daughtry @ Palace Theater 4/29/12

Daughtry continues the 2012 tour at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino where a full house beat all odds incited by “Renegade,” a raw driven track recorded on the band’s third album release "Break The Spell". Any hesitation on whether or not this TV created rock star runner up could return after a two year hiatus was quickly snuffed out when Chris took center stage amidst the ignited audience.  Daughtry sang “Don’t you wanna feel like a rebel? Renegade on the run? Real live wire in the cross fire riding shotgun.”  Daughtry has made no deals with any Devil and he not sold his soul.  He just boldly challenges his doubters to call his success what they want with his own open invitation to feel out of control in their own unique ways singing “Here we go!” Here we go in deed, and with a wall of thunderous sound pushing the fans back the show kicked off illuminating hands reaching high and fans jumping out of their seats in a strident pace that even Bon Jovi would nod their approval to.

Daughtry @ Hammerstein NYC 5/1/12

Daughtry’s success from his days on American Idol continue to skyrocket upwards towards new levels of stardom.  His reception by fans is a seed grown from Chris’s ability to write a wide spectrum of people across an even wider generation gap.  It’s Chris’s dexterity and competence which keeps his potentiality as a promising music artist with a long career ahead possible. His family friendly shows draw people from all walks of life and they come simply because they connect to Daughtry and love his music.  That connection is cemented through Daughtry’s real life stories written in his songs about the daily struggles and curve balls that the harsh reality of everyday life can hurl.  Daughtry’s ability to remain openly honest with his music gives the audience what they seek, Hope in a world that appears to be falling apart at the seams.

Daughtry @ Palace Theater 4/29/12

The 2012 “Break The Spell” tour play list highlights the 2011 album release over two hour showcase.  Titles include “Spaceship”, “Outta My Head” and “Louder and Louder” as well as some previous hits such as “September” and “Over You” and two surprise toss in’s covers by Tom Petty and Billy Idol.  Chris connects with his audiences no matter where he plays with his stories and music.  One such story Daughtry told on Sunday’s stop at Albany’s Palace Theater spoke about Daughtry’s latest single “4 AM”.  “This is a track written for the 2012 Esquire Song Writer Contest which I took part in along with some incredible artists and it wasn’t contest really.  Chis said referring to his recent participation in the Esquire Song Writer contest.  Daughtry explained, “I was given the challenge along with the other music artists to write a song based on three words given to me by Esquire and the words they chose were “Pacific Standard Time”.  I don’t know anything about Pacific Standard Time and because I don’t live in that time zone I wasn’t sure what to write or how to even explain what is a Pacific Standard Time is anyway?”  Chris soloed his new track with his acoustic six string in an emotionally inspiring premiere.  The song about a boy missing his girlfriend separated by the distance of many time zones and the sadness of being apart was an instant hit for fans and proceeds from the sale of this track will benefit charity.

Daughtry Live @ Palace Theater Albany, NY 4/29/12

Each show is a milestone in Chris’s young evolving music career.  Dreams are meant to be broken and it wasn't so long ago when Chris was playing unknown bars with his prior bands.  He is a living example that forgotten dreams can surface at any time when great persistence and hard work prevail beyond uncertainty.  The proof is in the story where a young 26 year old Daughtry walks into a New York City office with nothing more than an acoustic guitar strapped to his side for the biggest showcase of his entire life.  A showcase with the Godfather of Jive Records, Clive Davis.  Chris's impersonation of Davis sounded like something out of The Sopranos, but the audience got the point and heard as close of a rendition on that fateful day of “Home”.  

Daughtry Hammerstein NYC 5/1/12

Tuesday night, Photos of family and yesterdays gone by projected on a massive screen were all the frills needed to dress the stage at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.  Once again fans warmly received Daughtry and his band were received with blaring shrills and deafening applause.  New York City was popping as Chris jumped from the stage to have some one on one time with his fans in the front row.  The playlist remained the same and had some fans who been following the group hoping to hear more Daughtry tracks such as Jennifer F, of Hartsdale, New York who spent the last week driving the last leg of the New England shows at MGM Grand, Palace Theater, and the Hammerstein Ballroom. “I want to know what a girl needs to do to get a little Tennessee and less Rebel Yell?” She says referencing song selections.  “I’m a huge Bon Jovi fan and it was in 2005 when I turned on American Idol and heard Chris singing "Wanted Dead Or Alive".  I was hooked and wanted to see more.”  Jennifer went on to showcase her new found love of Daughtry with her own personal stories which includes listening to all three Daughtry albums over and over again for almost a week straight just so she could sing with the Chris and his band.  “They remind me so much of Bon Jovi from even with the start of this show which reminds of how the Circle Tour opened (Bon Jovi’s 2010-2011 tour) and now Daughtry has a Keyboardist.  I really want to see what Daughtry does next to step away from the Bon Jovi image and to define his own.”

Josh Steely Rips Solo @ MGM Foxwoods 4/28/12

Daughtry’s 2012 “Break The Spell” tour continues to heat up as the scheduling for more dates build throughout the summer of this US tour.  He will be accompanied by Safety Suit who are equally fantastic and deserving of their own review which will come shortly and are officially on “band on the rise” list, but here it’s all about Daughtry.  Chris continues to defy the law of American Idol runner ups and winners by succeeding past the lack of faith some skeptics still may have of him.  The confidence gained from these three shows and with the shows to come are enough to provide certainty and assurance that he is not going anywhere any time soon thanks to the endowment that is created by his music.  If these three shows have any foreshadow of what is to come from Daughtry then get ready to put your AC on turbo mode because the Daughtry will be heating up at a show near you making this summer the hottest enough on record and like that Chris closed his sizzling performance in New York City show out with three of his own little words.  “It’s Not Over.”