Billy Bob “ Bud” Thornton brought his band the Boxmasters for a short but sweet set of laid back roots rock along the lines of Tom Petty, to Average Joes, Sept. 8.
Frontman Thornton stood near the back of the stage for most of the set and disappeared while his band mates took solos.
He didn’t say much to the crowd until after one of the show’s immediate highlights “ She Looks Like Betty Page,” (which was reminiscent of John Cougar Mellencamp’s R.O.C.K In the U.S.A) about three songs in, when he said “Come a little closer, these cats won’t bite.” Some of them did come closer.
They had a good crowd for the laid back show which included the songs from their last two double CDs.
They only played a couple from the brand new CD “Boys and Girls and the World,” but they were highlights including the touching “ They Can’t See That,” which Thornton said was about special needs children and noting some money would be donated to help them.
The other highlight from the new double CD was “Careless.”
“ Just so you know, we aren’t going to be playing any Mustang Sally or Johnny B Goode,” he said.
Not that they needed to as they followed it up with their own urgent and catchy “ Kathy Won’t Share.”
Though a cover of Dr. Hook and the Medicine show’s “Sylvia’s Mother.”
There were plenty of catchy rhythms, lots of tasteful guitar solos and plenty of spine tingling four part vocal harmonies. The skinny, sunglasses sporting and affable Thornton talked a little about having to go to Edmonton after the show and thanking the crowd for their shouts of affection.
He decided, mid-set, to leave the stage altogether and get a drink from the bar, while his talented bandmates blasted into a hot version of blues standard “ Talk to your Daughter,” and disappeared backstage while they took solos on another song.
Keyboardist Teddy Andreadis was a highlight in suit and sunglasses, grinning behind his organ and piano, beaming all the while.
He took centre stage for a massive harp solo at the show closing “That Mountain” as Thornton left the stage for good.
