Oh, we see—you didn't know Billy Bob had a band. You were probably more familiar with his turns in film, you know, that little flick he had called Sling Blade? It won some awards, right? And what about Bandits, or Monster's Ball? Maybe even Bad Santa rings a bell? But, regardless of whether you remember that particular piece of filmic glory or not, surely you recall his star turn aside Angelina Jolie, the one where he played Angelina Jolie's husband. There was word about them wearing vials of each other's blood around their necks, and the adoption of a child from Cambodia—an act which ostensibly set running the trend of Hollywood child-collecting. There also was an epidemic of questions such as "Angelina Jolie is married to him?" BUT ALL THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT. Tonight, at Stubb's, we get to hear Thornton's musical side, as he and his band The Boxmasters lay down some tunes.

Wearing his influences—Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and Kris Kristofferson—proudly on his sleeve, the Arkansan obsessive-compulsive isn't an untalented mimic, or merely a sad sonic dabbler who came to music late in life—he's been making his own music for years, and just released his fifth studio album. Featuring an almost easy-listening country vibe, Thornton's familiar twang acts as the linchpin for most of the songs, and the lyrics are often on the simple side and confessional, as the five-marriaged Thornton lays bare his gentle side. His backing band is proficient and pretty tight, even if their arrangements are rarely challenging.

Altogether, it should be an intriguing spectacle, and there's little doubt that Thornton takes his music very seriously, and his honest approach is more than welcome. To catch them (and kindly avoid screaming Angelina jokes at the stage), click after the jump for a free ticket giveaway.

This contest is now closed.

Billy Bob Thornton:
[Official Music Site]
[New Music at Dell Lounge]
[Official Fan Site]
[IMDB]
[Wikipedia]