Out & About: A Nocturnal night in Rochester
Friday, March 23, 2012 As Grace Potter & the Nocturnals prepare for the release of their fourth studio album, the Vermont-bred band also is making way for Rochester.
Described as a "modern-day version of Tina Turner," the band's eclectic, bluesy-rock style is sure to be a hit when they take to the stage at 8 p.m. April 27 at Mayo Civic Center.
The award-winning group is best known for their song "Apologies," which was featured on "All My Children" and "One Tree Hill."
Other tracks include "Falling or Flying," which gained attention when it appeared on the "ER" and "Grey's Anatomy" soundtracks, along with one of their latest hits, "Paris (Ooh la la)," featured on "Rizzoli & Isles."
Grace Potter can also be heard performing with Kenny Chesney on the duo's Grammy- and CMA Award-winning single and video, "You and Tequila."
The band announced last month that their fourth album, "The Lion The Beast The Beat," is set to be released on June 12. "Never Go Back," the album's first single, is streaming online at Rolling Stone Music. The band will perform the song live April 5 on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
Reserved-seating tickets for the Rochester performance are $25 and $29.50, available at the box office, Ticketmaster and by phone at 1-800-745-3000.
First of three brews
The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. in Chippewa Falls., Wis., is in for a big year. The fifth-generation family-owned brewery announced this month that the recent launch of their new Big Eddy Wee Heavy Scotch Ale is the first in a series of "daring, yet delicious" Big Eddy brews.
Beer fans looking for big, bold flavors will be inspired to add this new addition of Big Eddy to their cooler. Big Eddy Wee Heavy offers eight malts and grains with notes of chocolate, toffee and caramel and a hint of smoke and dark, fruity undertones for complementary balance with every sip.
Like its predecessor, Russian Imperial Stout, Big Eddy Wee Heavy offers complex flavors that adventurous palates search for. It will be available in our area through June.
A little bit of 'Loopy'
Speaking of adventurous, while I was picking up a favorite bottle of wine recently, the liquor store I stopped at was offering free samples of a new flavored vodka.
If you recall in my column last year, I was on the search for odd, yet delicious, flavored vodkas. While salmon-flavored vodka topped the "odd" list, I discovered that bacon-flavored vodka tastes great in a Bloody Mary.
While my palate tends to prefer savory over sweet, Three Olives Loopy Vodka gets a thumbs up in my book for creativity and taste. When poured into a shot glass and topped with a splash of ice cold milk, it tastes remarkably like a fresh bowl of "Froot Loops," as the name implies.
This one, however, has a bit of a bite at the end, and it's pretty sweet for my liking. But if you're looking for something new to sample, this one is definitely worth a shot.
If you're out and about, keep your eyes open for anything new and interesting. Share your findings with me at mblock@postbulletin.com, or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
As Grace Potter & the Nocturnals prepare for the release of their fourth studio album, the Vermont-bred band also is making way for Rochester.