Stage presence and passion on stage: Grace Potter in the Meijer Gardens. (Photo/Paul Jendrasiak)

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There is truly something of rare beauty in seeing someone so comfortable and radiant on stage that it can only mean that they were born with the charisma of a star.

Of course, it helps if the person also has a powerful voice, multi-instrumental flair, and a wealth of well-crafted, enjoyable songs to match that engaging stage presence.

This has long been the case with Grace Potter and so her return on Sunday evening to rock the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park was nothing less than a master class and exhibition showcasing all of the above.

Having Michigan’s own shining example of singing and songwriting prowess, May Erlewine, open the evening simply put an uplifting exclamation point on the weekend’s concluded performance of female-driven excellence.

Rock spectacle: Potter and band on stage. (Local Spins/Fan photo)

Potter, of course, stole the show in more ways than one – she romped around the stage and played fiery rock gems like “Medicine,” “The Lion The Beast The Beat,” and “Empty,” unleashed her soaring, powerful voice on “Stars” and “Nothing But the Water,” and switched effortlessly between electric guitar and Hammond B3 organ.

In between, she joked cheerfully with the audience, raved about the “incredible night” and emphasized that she was “indebted to this incredible city” where the band had spent a few days before the show at Meijer Gardens.

But from the spaghetti western opening of “Lady Vagabond” to the closing notes of “Paris (Ooh La La),” it was actually the lion’s share of the nearly sold-out crowd who expressed their gratitude to Potter and her band (the perfect collection of musicians for Potter’s traveling rock redemption show) for a nearly two-hour set that was enhanced by clever lighting and seductive quiet-loud dynamics.

BEAUTIFUL SET, BEAUTIFUL NIGHT, BEAUTIFUL OPENER

At one point, a long, psychedelic, jam-laden rendition of “Treat Me Right” (which Potter wrote when she was 17) even included a nod to Fleetwood Mac: Potter took off her shoes to frolic barefoot and belted out part of “Gold Dust Woman,” to the delight of her fans.

With a distinctive voice reminiscent of the likes of Sheryl Crow and Brandi Carlile, and with hints of Bonnie Raitt, Joan Osborne and Janis Joplin, Potter has captivated her most devoted fans and never let go, even on slower ballads.

May Erlewine (Photo/Paul Jendrasiak)

“Remember how wonderful it is that we all get to do this,” she remarked toward the end of her set.

This collaborative musical beauty began with Erlewine’s sweeping, folk-inflected set, which featured guitarists Eric O’Daly and Theo Katzman at various points, pieces that showcased Erlewine’s enchanting voice and the sweet harmonies of her accompanists.

And in one particularly magical moment, right after Erlewine uttered the line “the sun is breaking through” from “Be In Love,” the sun did just that, peeking through the clouds that had previously covered the amphitheater, earning thunderous applause from the crowd, who later gave her a standing ovation and the longest line ever seen at the merchandise table for an opening act.

Next up at Meijer Gardens: Fitz & The Tantrums — with DJ Logic — will perform at Meijer Gardens on Thursday at 7 p.m. The concert is sold out. May Erlwein and her band, meanwhile, will play the “Listening Lawn” series at Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids on Thursday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25-$35 and are available online at themidtowngr.com.

PHOTO GALLERY: Grace Potter, May Erlewine at Meijer Gardens
Photos by Paul Jendrasiak