Lukas Nelson and The Promise of Real coming to the Coach House

Growing up in the 90s has its side effects. Growing up in the 90s as Willie Nelson’s kid could have more effects. I mean think of the potentialities. Unlike us norms, Lukas Nelson, the son of the braided, bandana-ed Willie, was potentially learning basic motor and language skills on a tour bus while his dad was playing with The Highwaymen (think an outlaw country version of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, featuring the complimentary heroics of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash, a combo that could save any day). When Lukas was 9, his dad was playing a Historian smoker in the cult classic hash film Half Baked. Like I said, not the usual son-of-a-mechanic kind of life. And thank the fates for it. Lukas Nelson is the better for it.  

 Lukas, only 21, has followed somewhat in the musical footsteps of his dad. Although don’t expect it to be a twang and chew tobacco kind of affair. Lukas heeded his dad’s covered warning: “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”, and gravitated to the other genre mothers worry most about: that blasted rock ‘n’ roll music.

  [Lukas Nelson]

The result? Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real, a blues rock group that features Nelson along with drummer Anthony LoGerfo (a spritely pot and pan hitter whose musical backgrounds range from jazz to hard rock), bassist Corey McCormick (who also plays bass for Chris Cornell *drool*) and percussionist Tato Melgar (who adds unique punctuation to the band through his capacities in Afro-Cuban and South American sounds). They’ve opened for B.B. King, Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler and were one of the standout performers at the Waterfront Blues Festival. He's also jammed with Bob Dylan, who considered Nelson for a guitarist gig before recruiting Charlie Sexton. And now they’re coming to San Juan’s Coach House to lay on the picks and riffs. Said Coach House PR gal Lila Sadeghi of the group, “Raised on a strict diet of country, blues, and rock 'n' roll, California-based Lukas Nelson and his band, The Promise of the Real, are starting to make waves with their infectious, no-nonsense brand of the classic American sound.” Prepare to be stricken with the disease.

[This is what you can expect from The Promise Of Real. Get excited. Photos by Johnny D of jdimages.smugmug.com]

John Wareham reported on a recent Promise of Real show with a spellbound revelry for Lukas: “He sings like Willie did 40 years ago, but that's where the similarities end. Lukas is all blues rock, with great hooky melodies grouped together with long, intense and extended Robert Cray/Stevie Ray Vaughn guitar solos that venture into jam territory. But its ok because they are usually crazy busy solos and watching him play them is just as fun as hearing them. During one song, he even put the guitar strings to his mouth and played with his teeth.” Yep, Lukas has got some Jimi in him. In fact, Lukas says it was hearing Hendrix that inspired him to get into music, not so much his dad (isn’t that like most kids, finding the best heart-to-hearts in albums rather than parents).

 Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real will perform at The Coach House on May 29th. Doors open at 6pm. Tickets are already on sale and can be purchased for $10.00 through the ticket office at The Coach House by calling 949-496-7935 or online by visiting www.thecoachhouse.com.

For more info on Lukas Nelson & The Promise of the Real, visit them online at

http://www.promiseofthereal.com

Until then, feast on this for a taste of things to come...

“How Long”

“Start To Go”

-Jen