George Thorogood & the Destroyers House of Blues April 26, 2011

George Thorogood is an odd sort of working-class hero.

Like many of his bluesy forefathers, the Delaware-born rocker is as modest and self-deprecating in person (or at least on the phone) as his songs are swaggering and braggadocious. Before his show at House of Blues last March, we asked him how important it was for musicians to have a signature riff, as he does with "Bad To the Bone."

This is what he told us:

Musicians, no. They don't have to worry about it. Regular people like me do. Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, who were real musicians, don't have to do that kind of thing. They played music so good, they got people's attention.

For regular people like me, I had to come up with something catchy. You know what I'm saying? Shakespeare does not need a calling card.

Thorogood and his band the Delaware destroyers' set at House of Blues Tuesday certainly wasn't Shakespeare, but then again, we doubt he owns too many Decemberists records. The hour and change zipped by on one signature riff after another (both his and others'), a bit of amusing stage patter, and songs that were as hearty and wholesome as a pot of beef stew.

"Nobody had to remind me what state I was in tonight," he said.

Thorogood and the Destroyers had already proved that once, with the duckwalking SRV boogie of opener "Rock Party." Then they proved it again, letting some chunky Cookie & the Cupcakes swamp pop creep into the Chuck Berry stroll of "Run Myself Out of Town."

"Workmanlike" would be one word for it. "Fun" would be another.