Del Shannon’s “Runaway’’ and George Jones’s “Girl I Used to Know’’ aptly captured the essence of the rock and country sensibilities that emerge in Thompson’s original material.
After Poundcake’s thoroughly entertaining set, Thompson performed solo, mainly on acoustic guitar and occasionally knocked off track by the basement beat. But more typically, he locked into a groove that transcended the distractions from below. Several of his selections sounded more resonant in the solo setting compared with their band-enhanced recorded versions, starting with the terse self-examination “Don’t Know What I Was Thinking.’’
The talented Thompson (what would you expect from the Richard and Linda Thompson gene pool?) swung from the pastoral dance groove of “Everybody Move It’’ to the tension-building “Separate Ways.’’
Eubanks and Hill returned for a few numbers, highlighting tracks from last year’s “Bella’’ album. “Delilah’’ evoked the charms of Poundcake’s early rock ’n’ roll, and “The One I Can’t Have’’ underscored Thompson’s clever songwriting.
Thompson closed his set with two songs about a guy without a girl. The first, “What Will I Do (Without You),’’ was mournful, sounding like a drape coming down. The second, “Looking for a Girl’’ was bawdy fun, and sounded full of hope. Thompson’s ability to capture varying angles kept his show interesting, even as the singer battled distractions and hit rough spots incurred from a break in touring.
Mary Lou Lord, an exuberant supporter of Thompson, launched the night. Performing with guitarist Dave Fischer, Lord, like Thompson, was a little rusty in the pacing of her show. But her delivery of “Western Union Desperate’’ and such inspired covers as “Lights Are Changing’’ and “He’d Be a Diamond’’ was spot on.
