The First Sound Bend Session: An Evening with Paul Spring
Every great tradition has a beginning.
For Sound Bend Records, that beginning came with an unforgettable evening featuring singer-songwriter Paul Spring, who helped launch what would become the very first Sound Bend Session.
Inspired by the intimacy of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, Sound Bend Sessions were created to give audiences a different way to experience live music, up close, stripped back, and centered around listening. Inside our record shop, nestled within De Nolf’s Barbershop in South Bend, every seat feels like the front row.
There couldn’t have been a more fitting artist to begin this journey than Paul Spring.
Known for his cinematic songwriting, intricate fingerpicked guitar work, and emotionally rich performances, Paul creates music that feels both expansive and deeply personal. His songs invite listeners into quiet moments of reflection while filling the room with warmth and texture.
The performance also celebrated the release of his newest LP, giving attendees a chance to hear many of the songs in the intimate setting they were written for. It was the kind of night that reminded us why independent music matters, not because of the size of the stage, but because of the connection between artist and audience.
As the first artist to perform a Sound Bend Session, Paul helped establish the atmosphere we hope every show will capture: attentive listeners, incredible musicianship, and a room filled with people discovering music together.
Looking back, it’s hard to imagine a better way to begin this series.
That evening wasn’t simply another concert. It became the foundation for what Sound Bend Sessions would grow into, a place where touring artists, regional musicians, and our community could gather around one shared experience: live music.
Since then, Sound Bend Sessions has continued welcoming independent artists from across the Midwest and beyond, each adding their own chapter to the story.
Paul Spring will always hold a special place in that story as the artist who played the very first note.
Here’s to where it all began.
