Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters will be blowing the roof off Lloydminster’s Vic Juba Community Theatre on Sept. 16.
The five-member band, led by actor Billy Bob Thornton, start a three-month tour of the U.S. and Canada on Sept. 3 in Texas before rocking the Vic on their second Canadian stop.
“We’re just guys who grew up on The Beatles, The Kinks, The Birds and also, harder stuff, too, like Deep Purple, Zeppelin and all those guys. It’s a mix of all those things,” said Thornton.
“We’re an original rock and roll band based on our influences of the ‘60s. We’re a lot louder than bands in the ‘60s, though,” he laughed.
Thornton may be known for his work in films like Friday Night Lights and Armageddon, but his passion for music started at a young age, playing in cover bands and working as a roadie in high school.
Between 2001 and 2007, Thornton released four solo albums and happened to meet J.D. Andrew, who was working as a sound engineer at the time.
The two formed a band immediately and have been playing together ever since.
A shared passion for music
Since meeting almost 18 years ago, Thornton and Andrew have recorded 17 Boxmasters records together, playing every instrument on the album.
“J.D. and I make the records together and play everything on the records, but when we play live, we have three live musicians that travel with us,” said Thornton, noting he plays drums on the albums.
“These guys are our friends and we’ve been playing together for a long time.”
Despite loving time spent in the studio, Andrew is excited to get on the road.
“We’re a pretty small organization, and sometimes it’s just me and Billy,” he said. “I love the studio, and that’s the safe space, but getting out and playing shows is also great.”
“This band is my life, our lives. It’s more than a job, we live and breathe it, the writing of the music, the playing of it.”
Audience interaction is also a big part of a Boxmasters show, and Thornton and Andrew are looking forward to getting to know the people of Lloydminster a little better.
“It’s a show that’s about the songs, and we like to connect with the audience a lot. If we have new stuff out, we’ll tell a little story about the song and why it was written,” said Thornton.
“We like to connect with the audience and get folks moving as often as we can, and before the night’s over, we like to turn a theatre into a club.”
Be a part of the experience
Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters, including J.D. Andrew and Kirk McKim on guitar, Raymond Hardy on bass and Nick Davidson on drums, will be at the Vic Juba Community Theatre on Sept. 16 for a 7:30 p.m. show.
Tickets are $69 and available on the theatre’s website, or in-person at the box office.
Read More: Vic Juba Community Theatre unveils upcoming season
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