Paul James

Paul James is a real showman. He can play guitar behind his head and spin around on one foot. I was thrilled when I found out he’d be playing at a festival called Toast to Autumn in my neighbourhood.

As a kid I was really into his album Almost Crazy. I loved the lively, up-tempo songs like the title track. I felt the charge of defiance in his voice on Lazy Crazy Blues. “It’s when you don’t want to work, and you don’t want to go to school.” The distant notion of work didn’t seem like drudgery and school was something I looked forward to, but I was on board with the story. I had only a vague idea what kind of place Smoke a Joint Out Back was about and the double meaning was completely over my head. None of that stopped me from dancing to Paul’s blues and rockabilly.

In my twenties I was seeing a bartender at the Cadillac Lounge. One night Paul James did a gig there. The highlight for me was when he played slide guitar with a beer bottle. If I could do that my life would be complete.

James has decades of experience and has played with big names like Bob Dylan and Bo Diddley, and yet he does a lot of free shows. Last year’s autumn festival was one of them. He was as enthusiastic as ever. He kept us engaged with his originals and covers like Chuck Berry’s Around and Around. “Rose out of my seat. I just had to dance. Started moving my feet and clapping my hands!”

Join Paul James for his birthday bash this Saturday at the Opera House. Details: pauljamesband.com