so we walk into bluesfest and we’re looking for our greenroom and you literally have to walk down this hallway with red walls and red carpet before getting to a corridor that has all the artists green rooms and I’m freaking out with excitement and looking at the names on the doors wishing I had my phone so I could take a picture but also trying to play it cool cause OMG is that Buddy Guy? then I start to read the titles on the doors…The Wailers…Jack Johnson… then I see it.

Medicine For The People: door number 3.

So I set my stuff down and exit the crazy artist red and black lounge to go pick out a bass from this stack of like 20 shiny brand new Fender and Gibson guitars. I’m checking out this sunburst fender jazz when this guy OLDER THAN DIRT walks up with a gnarled old hand and says “I reckon you should stick with that one” and points to this epic beat up black precision bass.

I’m like aiiight here we go, and walk back to mainstage just as Grace Potter is about to run out to a crowd of screaming thousands when she grabs my arm, pulls me to the corner of this gigantic stage, lifts up her dress and asks me for a favor.

Grace: can you help me with something?

D: *dumbfounded* uhhh…totally

Grace: *smiles, lifts of the back of her dress* can you get close and tell me if that headset says 5?

D: *cannot believe this is actually happening* uhhhhh

Grace: *looking back at me smiling* does it say 5, darling?

D: *looking real close* uhhhh yeah it definitely says 5

Grace: and that little green light, yeah? is it on?

D: *looking REAL close* uhhhh yeahhh it’s definitely on

Grace: *looking back again, doing a little dance and spinning around smiling*

THANKS BABE.

and then she runs out on stage and starts howling and rock n’ rolling a flying V guitar so hard that Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix must both be toasting a glass every time that woman even thinks about walking on stage.

seriously. my mind is so blown. Grace Potter is 100% rock N ROLL

I swear all the great and gone rock stars must have cast a few chips in on her behalf when she was born because that woman is from another time.

During the course of her set she channeled something SO real and SO powerful and SO genuine and brought honor to every single soul singer and heartbreak howler that inspired me growing up. AND. she did it with a smile. she did it with passion and she did it slamming her fingers down on her rhodes, whipping her hair back and forth, and windmill wailing PURE AND HOLY fire out of that flying V.

I need my little sister to see this. This woman is carrying something so vibrant and so powerful and so empowering that I want every single woman in the world to see good ol Grace just HOWLING.

Needless to say I’m on cloud 9.

Oh yeah and Nahko’s outside talking to Jack Johnson.

BIRD NATION LET’S GOOOOOO