Paul Thorn at Heartwood Soundstage
In addition to being a great singer/songwriter, Paul Thorn is an entertainer. The Mississippi native’s sets are filled with stories from his childhood, growing up with his father being a Pentecostal minister and his uncle Earl making a living as a pimp (immortalized in his 2010 album Pimps and Preachers). His stories echo the South: trailer parks, fried chicken, kudzu, gospel music, and Little Debbie treats (a fan brought him a package of Ding Dongs which he kept right next to his chair after announcing it to the audience). But they are more than that: songs about rejection by women (from ten years old and up), lost opportunities and loved ones, the perils of alcohol, the challenges of keeping marriages alive, boxing (he was a ranked middleweight boxer and once fought Roberto Duran on television… and lost) and much more. He’s witty and engaging and can also change the mood from hilarity to sadness in a quick minute.
Thorn’s music is intensely personal, even more so when playing solo without his touring band. His set at Heartwood Soundstage started off with “Accept My Love,” an older song. “I’m Still Here” was gospel-tinged in the studio edition but was more accessible without the band. The set included older songs (“I’d Rather Be a Hammer Than a Nail” and a song he wrote after attending a family reunion, “I Don’t Like Half the Folks I Love”) mixed with some new ones (“Don’t Do It All On the First Date,” a number about a friend who uses Tinder). Praise for Big Pharma came in the way of one of his more popular numbers, “Viagra.” His plea to avoid divisiveness (“You Might Be Wrong”) is a reminder about closely-held opinions and how being open to change is a good thing.
Why do we argue?
Why do we fight?
Everybody thinks
God’s on their side.
Count to ten
Before you throw a stone.
Whatever you believe,
You might be wrong
The optimistic “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” provoked a sing-along.
Eatin’ fried chicken and Mama’s corn bread,I got a V-8 Ford that’s cherry redI heard a little voice inside my headEverything’s gonna be all right.
I got a front row seat at the apocalypse,
With a chili cheese dog and a bag of chips;
All the women in Heaven got hula-girl hips.
Everything’s gonna be all right.
The opener, Jacob Johnson, is a guitar master. He uses a lot of percussive up-the-neck chords and notes, echoing the great Michael Hedges and Kansas’s Andy McKee. He was a great warm-up for Thorn.
Whether you’re from the South or not, you need to experience a Paul Thorn show. I promise you laughs, thought-provoking lyrics, and someone who is committed to his art. You’ll know a lot more about him after seeing just one show, and that’s a good thing.
Paul Thorn Website
Paul Thorn FacebookÂ
Jacob Johnson Website