Jon McLaughlin & Joe Paulson — Live at World Cafe
When I was at the grocery store and was asked if I had any fun plans for the night, I mentioned I was going to see Jon McLaughlin in concert and explained his singer/songwriter style was my favorite type of music in the fall. I got a weird look because I guess most people’s music preferences don’t change with the seasons and their mood, but mine honestly do. With the sun shining and a cool breeze in the air, it finally felt like fall and I was ready to go see Jon McLaughlin and Joe Paulson play World Cafe Live. Having been at that venue two nights earlier for a killer show with Kodaline, I was a bit nervous that this one wouldn’t live up to the precedent set by the show on Thursday that I was still thinking about.
The night began with a short and sweet set by Joe Paulson. Within his 30 minute set, fans were introduced to another talented voice breaking into the world of music. From well crafted lyrics to a full band adding a layer of something special, Joe drew the audience in and kept them engaged the whole way through.
At about 9pm, it was time for Jon McLaughlin. With a sold out crowd, each and every person in the room was focused in on his music and the hour and thirty minutes of pure and honest vocals about to be delivered. His set began with “Indiana” where he actually changed to lyric to say “Philadelphia,” joking after that this was the first time he had ever changed the name of the city. Playing the majority of the set along on the piano, I was able to truly appreciate his fantastic piano skills and smooth voice. From songs like “Human” to “Promising Promises” and “What I Want,” the crowd watched, sang along with, and admired Jon’s talent. The set was broken into an hour of the main set and a thirty minute encore consisting mostly of requests. As a new dad, Jon was excited to talk about having his wife and daughter out on tour for the first time and spent a good five minutes talking about his daughter before playing the song he wrote for her, “Imaginary Tea.”
The night ended with a beautiful moment that rivaled the incredible end of the Kodaline show. Jon decided to bring a guitar into the center of the room to play “Beautiful Disaster” completely unplugged. It became so quiet you could literally hear a pin drop and then, as the song progressed, everyone in the room began to sing-a-long. It truly is moments like those that make smaller concerts some of my favorite. There is something incredible about an artist playing a song with no microphone and the crowd understanding how to respond so that you still hear every lyric. It’s something difficult to explain without having experienced it which is why if you are ever have a doubt about going to a concert, you should just go. Every show is different, special, and will create moments you don’t forget.
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