Paul Vinson – DREAM TOUR

In this Dream Tour segment, the indie folk artist, Paul Vinson, reveals who he would want on his ultimate tour lineup. You can check out their picks, after the break.

Hello and welcome to my podcast, I’m Paul Vinson, a Nashville based artist who specializes in high functioning anxiety and saying the wrong thing at the right time.

I’m stoked to be here on Digital Tour Bus talking to you about my dream tour. This is something I’ve contemplated throughout my entire life – in bed at night, on long drives, or in a plastic chair connected to a desk with my teacher reading The Tale of Despereaux in the background. With COVID-19 stunting the entire touring industry (except for that fuck Chase Rice who’s ruining it for everyone) I’ve had more time than ever to daydream about my dream tour, and they’ve told me I have no limits, so let’s dive in.

I’m gonna go ahead and knock off the obvious answer here. Of course, I would tour with The Beatles if I could. Even though we wouldn’t be able to hear ourselves over the screaming fans, I get chills thinking about what it would be like to be in the presence of those guys and being able to hear them play together. A few more obvious answers for me would be “Pet Sounds” era Beach Boys, The Cars, The Police, The Wiggles, and if I was lucky enough to tour with Joni Mitchell you wouldn’t hear me complaining. To be in her presence, watching her smoke cigarettes and shit-talk Bob Dylan would probably send me straight into my next life. So let’s mark this as the first date on our tour – a dive bar show featuring the artists mentioned above.

For our next show, there’s no show at all. It’s 1994. I hadn’t actually been born yet but I am on the ferry to Amsterdam with Oasis, laughing at something Noel Gallagher said before starting a brawl, getting us all arrested, and therefore canceling the show. Oasis is a newfound love for me; there was something truly magical happening in the early years of that band before their breakup. The on-stage energy and the music featured on the early tours are things I wish I was there to see.

For the next show, instead of using the tickets, I bought pre-COVID, I am now the opener for Phoebe Bridgers and The 1975. Both of these artists are huge influences for me and I’d be lying if I told you that I didn’t have an unhealthy obsession with Matty Healy. From his stream of consciousness songwriting, exhaustingly pretentious interviews, and the Mick Jagger-esque stage presence, I would kill to be side stage screaming their track “People” at the top of my lungs and hanging with the band backstage. To top all that off, Phoebe Bridgers is there saying terrible things and making me cry every time she plays. That would be a night to remember and I dream about this one regularly.

For the last show on my dream tour, we’re back in Nashville at the Ryman and I’m playing alongside Jason Isbell. Just for kicks, David Crosby is there. Jason is one of my favorite songwriters and judging by their twitters I think this combination would be one hell of a fun night. The Ryman is a dream venue for me and there is no one I’d rather share the lineup with than these two legends. I can see it now – after my set, I’d walk up to the balcony (Section 12 Row A.) It’s there that I’d sit down and weep.

We’re reaching the end here and though there are many more bands I’d like to mention, I have rambled enough. If you have made it this far, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed my dream tour. Make sure to go listen to my new single Forest Fires out now on all platforms.

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