Written by Eddie Ferranti
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) “Peace, Love and Understanding” is a 1974 song written by English singer/songwriter Nick Lowe and recorded in the best known version by Elvis Costello. A performer whom we’ve been stuck to like glue, Paul Thorn, embodies that very phrase in his whole presentation from songwriting to live concert banter. Playing the killer confines of Main Street Crossing in Tomball, Texas, where he sold out two gigs on a Monday and a Tuesday, really shows his popularity is strong in mainstream America. We’ve lost count of how many times we’ve seen him, but his message resonates fresher every time we do.
The super strong nucleus that is the Paul Thorn band continues to stay intact and makes the gigs superb. Ralph Friedrichsen on vocals and bass is solid, Jeffrey Perkins is a rock on drums, Michael Graham just taps the sheet out of the piano and Bill Hicks is a flat out assassin with his left handed electric guitar wizardry! Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think these cats are up to close to 19 years together. Very cool. PT covered the whole catalog this night, but the theme remained one of down home messages filled with reality of middle class American life. Self- explanatory goodies included “What The Hell Is Goin’ On”, “Mediocrity Is King” spotlighting the dregs which are our politicians, “Everybody Needs Somebody” bringing to light the plight of his aging parents, quirky bad ass keys with solid drums and bass work on “To Blessed To Be Stressed”and of course “Everything Is Going to Be Alright” !
Unless you’ve witnessed this dude you can’t believe the building momentum his gigs have that seem to end way too quickly. He mixes in comedy that comes straight from his heart with lines about going to an adult book shop and being asked to buy a love ointment called “oink and boink” because it smelled like bacon! His lead up intro to “This is a Real Goodbye” slayed me with lines like “Some people just ain’t friendship material. I tend to eliminate them from my life and I suggest you do likewise!” The basis of the song means to rid yourself of negative things and people in your life. Amen to that. By the way Graham shined yet again on this number.
Of course Hicks just blew the place away as usual on Ray Wiley Hubbard’s “Snake Farm”,”Preachers and Pimps” about PT’s dad and uncle and a stunning “Weeds in the Roses”! The house was singing along major to “Bull Mountain Bridge” which is an example of Thorn’s tongue-in-cheek mastery in songwriting. He has a handle on keeping the songs coming at you making you scratch your head at what he said in a very uplifting and positive manner. The Paul Thorn band is about as American as you can get right down to flipping freakin’ Hostess Ho Ho’s to the crowd during encore of “Get You A Healin’” ! Get yourself out next time he is around to soak in this magnetic personality on stage. You’ll be glad you did!