Possessed By Paul James Performs Thursday Night at Antone’s
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Most people, without knowing much about Possessed By Paul James or ever having seen him play before, might take a look at the CD cover of his 2010 release Feed the Family and be struck by the photos. There’s a baby on the front, and then you see the man behind the moniker, Konrad Wert, playing his banjo and singing to the baby on the back. And yes, he happens to be a proud papa. Yet I cannot help but contrast these serene scenes with the explosive presence one finds when Wert takes to the stage. Remember to brace yourself. I don’t say this lightly.
When Wert performs, he is mind-blowingly charismatic, and goes wherever the spirit moves him. At times, he’s known for changing song lyrics to fit whatever the feeling of the moment is when he’s playing live. Because he can. It’s very much an enigmatic yet soul-bearing experience, a multitude of revelations all cascading out at once. One of our Texas Music Matters producers, Art Levy, told me it feels almost like a tent revival because the emotion is overwhelming.
All this being said, you certainly don’t want to miss out on seeing Possessed By Paul James. He plays Thursday night at Antone’s, 213 W. 5th St. Opening the show are two local favorite bands of mine: East Cameron Folkcore and Frank Smith. Doors open at 9 p.m. This one comes highly recommended.
Podcast: Download (1.8MB)
