Lukas Nelson – The American Romance Tour with The Band Loula
Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia – October 15, 2025
Review & Photos – Rebecca Wolf
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Lukas Nelson does not sound like a “typical” country artist (though he’s the son of renowned country singer-songwriter Willie Nelson.) There’s something different about Nelson and his music. However, if you look on any music streaming service or internet site, Nelson’s current genre is typically written as “country”. Luckily, in today’s musical culture, even if music is categorized under a specific genre, nothing is necessarily definitive. There seems to be more blurred lines, fluidity, and collaborations between the genres. This benefits not just the creativity of musicians but expands the minds of listeners, who often unwittingly become acquainted with different genres and artists.
I first became acquainted with Lukas Nelson at 2018 Farm Aid, when I encountered him with his band Promise of the Real (POTR). Subsequently delving into his musical history and catalog, I learned that it’s quite understandable why Lukas Nelson doesn’t sound like a “typical” country artist, as POTR was formed in 2008 as a rock/country rock/roots rock band. In 2009, POTR began touring the US and during the next five years released an EP, two studio albums and two live albums, before becoming Neil Young’s touring and recording band in 2014. In addition to performing on Young’s albums, POTR continued to release their own studio recordings, including 2017’s self-titled LP, the first one labeled “country.” Lukas Nelson & POTR released four more studio albums from 2019 to 2023 before taking an indefinite hiatus in 2024. While all were labeled “country,” each has a different sound and energy. Some albums and even individual numbers have a more distinct country sound, others have more of a country rock edge. There are songs with honky-tonk energy, ones that have an Americana vibe, and some with a blues groove or a singer-songwriter feel. As the numbers change so too can Nelson’s voice. During some songs his vocal tone sounds deeply country (an eerily strong resemblance to the twang of his father) and in others his voice has a warm, gritty, soulful sound.
This year Lukas Nelson released his first solo studio album, American Romance, again noted as a “country” album. The album’s cover depicts a somber Nelson sitting in an old-fashioned, roadside diner, situated on a long, country road. Outside the window a vintage pick-up truck is parked, an old-time gas station flies an American flag and a chicken is crossing the road. What an iconic scene of American life along it’s country roads. The album’s songs match the vibe of traveling along a windy road from town to town, with some moments that are slower paced and other instances when the speed increases. At times the songs have a more traditional country sound and other times the numbers are infused with more folk, Americana and rock influences. With this being Nelson’s first album without POTR, it was a time for Nelson to share more of himself, more emotionality and depth. It’s this personal demeanor and energetic spirit that Lukas Nelson brought to the stage at Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia on October 15th.
The evening’s opening act, The Band Loula, had the perfect musical energy and sound to set the mood for the headline act to follow. Logan Simmons and Malachi Mills, the duo who are The Band Loula, are lifelong friends from North Georgia. The pair clearly brings the spirit of the South to their music, with their powerful, acoustic storytelling, beautiful heartfelt harmonies and overall emotional intensity and grit. However, while the band has been labeled “country,” their music is not traditional country, it’s infused with elements of folk, rock and roots that creates a bluesy, haunting essence. The cover of their recently released EP Sweet Southern Summer is a perfect depiction of the sound, as the two are seated in a swamp (Simmons in a long flowing polka dot dress and pink fur-collared coat and Mills clad in head-to-toe denim, a bandana around his forehead and his guitar in hand) with towering summer-green foliage lining the swamp banks. The image shouts Southern richness, depth, grit and a touch of shadowy drama. Those words could also be used to describe Simmons’ incredibly beautiful, thick, textured voice during the Brooklyn Bowl Philly performance. Simmons’ vocals were highlighted by the dynamic harmonies created by the duo, and the music’s emotional depth and vivid storytelling was further showcased through Mills’ passionate acoustic guitar performance.
While there were only two musicians, their powerful stage presence, dynamic energy and impassioned storytelling drew the audience in. Though I don’t know how many Lukas Nelson fans entered Brooklyn Bowl Philly as fans of The Band Loula, I believe there were many more upon exiting the venue that night. The band’s 40-minute set included, singles “If I Never Stayed the Night,” “A Little At a Time,” and “Marshall County Man,” as well as “Running Off the Angels,” “Sweet Southern Summer” and “Who Get To Heaven (Nobody Knows)” from 2025’s Sweet Southern Summer, before ending with a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” If you are a fan Southern, swampy, bluesy, country, Americana music you must check out The Band Loula!
This musical duo set the perfect vibe for the arrival of Lukas Nelson. While the crowd was abuzz with joyful energy, all quickly hushed as Nelson arrived alone at centerstage, beneath a single dim spotlight. “This is a song about traveling up and down the country… growing up and having lows and losses,” Nelson shared, as he began playing an acoustic solo of the beautifully poetic “American Romance,” the title song from his new album. When the song came to an end a roar of applause rippled through the crowd, as red and yellow lights bathed the stage in a warm glow, band members arrived to join Nelson. Bassist Corey McCormick is Nelson’s only former band member. Additional members, noted as the “Shadow Band” include: Dakota Holden (pedal steel), Jake Simpson (fiddle/guitar), Max Flanders (drums) and Eli Salus-Kleiner (keyboard).
Over the next hour and a half, Nelson and the band performed several numbers from his solo album, as well as a broad range of songs from Lukas Nelson & POTR’s catalog. Listening to this mixture of songs, it was again clear that the sound, energy, and vibe of Nelson’s music is very diverse and changes from one album or song to the next. Songs from American Romance shared Nelson’s honest, heartfelt, personal storytelling but each differed in the way they conveyed these stories. “Pretty Much” was melodic, passionate and calming. “Make You Happy” had an upbeat, feel-good, country rock beat and “Born Runnin’ Outta Time” had a more powerful rock energy, with the support of Simpson on electric guitar. “Ain’t Done,” showcasing dynamic vocal harmonies and a beautiful fiddle solo, was soulful, heartfelt number.
The band played several numbers from Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real’s 2017 self-titled album, each with different energy and musical style. “Fool Me Once,” had a foot-stomping beat and sharp country vocals. “Forget About Georgia,” a tender country song filled with longing and heartache, began with Nelson performing solo, under a spotlight, before Simpson and McCormick joined with beautiful vocal harmonies. “Just Outside of Austin,” opened with Salus-Kleiner playing the song’s beginning piano notes, which immediately elicited cheers from fans. The audience quieted as Nelson began to perform on acoustic guitar, singing with heartfelt vocals that clearly resembled his father. The band joined in with the song’s increase in tempo, transitioning the song to a more country-western vibe.
“We were down in Carolina recently and the weather was real bad. I’m so sad we missed our show there. So, this is for Carolina,” Nelson shared as he began “Carolina”. Different from the other numbers, “Carolina” had a foot-stomping, honky-tonk, line-dancing feel that kept crowd moving to the beat. While “Die Alone” was upbeat and high-energy, it had a Southern rock feel that had Nelson and McCormick dancing about the stage and jamming on their guitars. The audience joined in, clapping, cheering and hooting, as Nelson and McCormick ended the song with a knees-in-the-air jump. In stark contrast was “Find Yourself,” a piece with a steady, strong, rhythmic beat, emphatic, pointed lyrics and vocals with a country twang.
Performing an acoustic solo of 2019’s anthem “Turn Off the News (Build a Garden),” Nelson began singing this country song quietly and slowly, with honest emotion. When the lyrics reached the refrain, Nelson’s passion was clear as he sang, “Maybe I’ll turn off the fucking news,” and fans joined in to shout the added expletive. Cheers roared throughout the crowd and audience members continued to sing along until the song’s end. The set additionally included “More Than Friends,” with its country rock energy and “The Ladder,” with foot-stomping, hoedown spirit, both from 2023’s Sticks and Stones, as well as a cover of Kris Kristofferson’s “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)” and a cover of Willie Nelson’s “Bloody Mary Morning.”
“Smile,” from 2021’s A Few Stars Apart brought Nelson to the piano for a solo performance of this beautifully delicate, intimate, emotional roots ballad that had the audience completely transfixed. The evening ended with “Set Me Down on a Cloud,” a powerful, soulful number that combined country, rock and the feeling of gospel, as Nelson passionately sang “Set me down on a cloud with my soul turned inside out.” The energy in the audience was electrifying and raised to a crescendo with Nelson’s final fantastical guitar solo.
This performance, as well as Lukas Nelson’s full catalog of music, continues to make it clear that Nelson does not sound like a “typical” country artist, regardless of how his music is labeled. Luckily, in today’s music culture genre lines are blurred and music doesn’t really need to be defined. What is definitive is Lukas Nelson is an incredibly talented singer, songwriter, musician. Now, venturing out on his own Nelson is going to continue fly. As his lyrics in “Ain’t Done” state, “Or if I’m ever thinking ’bout calling it quits, I’ll reach down deep inside my soul, And I’ll remember something I was told, God ain’t done with you.” God surely is not done with Lukas Nelson.
