Awhile back, while perusing certain social media sites, advertisements for “Master Classes” would pop up on my feed, promising that I’d learn how to play guitar, or act, or become a writer if I enrolled. I’d simply scroll past because, honestly, who has time to sit in front of a screen to learn how to act? Ah, but attending a master class in person makes all the difference. When Grace Potter recently performed at her sold-out Bellingham, Washington show, I realized I was witnessing a master give a class on songwriting, performing, dancing, and the power of rock and roll at the Mt. Baker Theatre.

In the midst of a national tour to support her latest album, Mother Road (Fantasy Records), Grace (or Gracie as she is affectionately known) delivered a performance that encompassed everything a rock concert should be, from stellar musicianship and dramatic pacing to an imaginative stage setup and lighting.

But what defined the evening for me was Gracie’s generosity of spirit — toward her backing musicians, opening act Brittney Spencer, and the adoring audience.

Stream Mother Road by Grace Potter on Spotify:

Baltimore native and Nashville-based Brittney Spencer opened the show at Mt. Baker Theater on March 2, turning in a delightful opening set sure to win over many new fans (including yours truly). Spencer’s first full length album, My Stupid Life (Elektra), released in January 2024, showcases her diverse influences (from Beyoncé and Ray Charles to Miranda Lambert and The Highwomen). Although she may be classified as “country,” Spencer’s music ranges far outside rigid classification, distilling diverse influences into pop-friendly, compelling melodies that, in a word, rocked. Spencer will be touring throughout the year. She has a few more shows left with Grace Potter and will be criss-crossing the country over the next few months.

Check out Brittney’s music and schedule here.

Burning a palo santo (as a purification ritual), Ms. Potter and band (Ricky Dover, Jr.: guitars; Indya Bratton: guitar, keys; Kurtis Keber: bass; Jordan West: drums) hit the stage and over the next two hours took us on a musical road trip. The stage, festooned with glowing cacti, neon road signs, and a huge western themed backdrop, reflected Potter’s recent cross-country journeys upon which Mother Road (Fantasy Records) is based.

That road-tripping brought back jarring memories of past adventures and provided the basis for creating the songs on the new album: “Mother Road is a reframing of my understanding of my history. It’s an important and powerful perspective I’d never had until this record, and the heart of it is my journey to self-reliance and a sense of worthiness.”

Watch Grace Potters’s performance of “Mother Road” for CBS Saturday Morning on YouTube:

Opening with “Lady Vagabond” from the new album, Gracie established the evening’s theme even as she acknowledged her own wanderings over the course of a now 20+ year career. The show began predictably enough with new songs interspersed with tunes from her Nocturnals days (“Ah Mary,” “Nothing but the Water (I & II),” “Medicine”) — but midway through the show when she launched into the new song, “Good Time,” Grace exhorted folks to get out of their seats and dance.

The entire room complied, as if we’d simply been waiting for the invitation, and proceeded to boogie in place or in the side aisles.

Potter herself is as dynamic a performer as I’ve ever seen. Striding, no…dancing across the stage, encouraging bandmates and joking with the audience, the show’s pacing never stumbled. And that voice! Part rhythm and blues, part soul, and all rock and roll, it’s another instrument and Grace wielded it well-alternating between soaring and purring, she’s been compared to Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt. In addition, Grace is a gifted multi-instrumentalist, alternating on the Mt. Baker Theatre stage between acoustic and electric guitar, piano, and Hammond organ.

As the energy level continued to ramp up, Gracie loudly proclaimed, “Let’s keep this jukebox going!” She and the band then embarked on an extended medley that included tunes by Steve Miller (“Joker,” “Fly Like an Eagle,”) Gary Wright’s “Dream Weaver,” and the Stevie Nicks classic, “Gold Dust Woman.” Brittney Spencer returned to the stage, along with local Bellingham artist, producer, and composer Dresage (now based in Los Angeles), further upping the room’s energy.

As Gracie shared the stage with her band and guests, her generosity of spirit became self-evident. Known for her activism and philanthropic work (she played benefits supporting relief efforts after the Vermont flooding last summer), she regularly uses her platform to raise funds and awareness about various social, environmental, and agricultural issues. In an industry known for egos and competition, inviting fellow artists to share your stage is a true act of selflessness and support. And judging from the smiles on everybody’s faces, performers and audience alike, we were all content to simply share in a good time.

A Master Class, indeed.

Watch Grace Potter perform “Stars” live for CMT Studios on YouTube:

The best concerts fly by in the blink of an eye. When the encore break arrived, I checked the time and was taken aback by how quickly nearly two hours had elapsed. Grace returned to the stage and performed the gorgeous “Stars” from 2012’s The Lion The Beast The Beat (Hollywood Records). Inviting Brittney and Dresage back onstage for the Etta James classic, “I’d Rather Go Blind” (which eventually segued into a snippet of the Dolly Parton penned, “I Will Always Love You”), all three singers showcased their R&B vocal chops and brought the show to a rousing conclusion.

Please visit Grace Potter’s website for information on future live dates, new music, and videos.

Here are some more photos of Grace Potter with opening act, Brittney Spencer, performing at Bellingham’s Mt. Baker Theatre on March 2, 2024. All photos courtesy of and copyright Mark Caicedo.