Don’t let the snow dampen your spirits! (Sorry about the Hallmark greeting; this recent snowfall has me suicidal. I shouldn’t take that out on you. Happy Birthday.)
The Ben Folds Concert
Also known as, The Last Ben Folds post for a while.
In fuzzy contrast to The Bright Eyes Concert, The Ben Folds Concert was a brilliantly social experience. It began with Godfather’s Pizza, where Holli and I met Britty, Dan, David, Chris, Tyler, Tony, Nathan and Brian Granquist. We were fortunate enough to have had David buy us pizza as we drove from Mankato, where we had gone to mass. First pleasant surprise of the night was that Godfather’s Pizza has fantastic breadsticks.
Then we went on to the concert. Gustavus Adolphus is situated high upon a hill in tiny St. Peter, MN. It sits like a manor lording over the residential serfs that toil for its pleasure. The parking was a fair jog from where the venue entrance was. Britty, Holli and I walked together. We walked past a full bottle of ketchup sitting by the sidewalk. That’s important for the end of the story.
We connected with the rest of the group in the line. The queue was daunting, but fast-moving. Once inside we got patted down. Either these security guards were bad at their jobs, hated Ben Folds, or were going pretty lax. I had, in my pockets, a digital camera, cellphone, iPod touch, keys, change, and a checkbook-sized wallet. I made no effort to hide any of these odd shapes, and he patted me lightly and allowed me entrance. This was the first example of how easy and awesome the security was at the concert.
Before the show, Britty and I made purchases. She bought the “faces” shirt, and I bought the “I <3'd Ben Folds before he sucked" t-shirt and a magnet that read, "I went to a Ben Folds concert and all I could afford was this cheap refrigerator magnet." or something like that. Then I changed into my shirt, and I made Holli keep some stuff of mine in her purse, which she resented, but deep down she loves when I make her feel useful.
The opener, Ari Herstand (thank you, Google), was a good musician, but he had a gimmick. This guy has a fascination with looping looping looping looping (I already used that joke in a comment, sorry). Basically, he played guitar and trumpet, sang, and beat boxed. But, being just one guy, he needed a way to use all his talents simultaneously. Thankfully for him, there’s the foot pedal. When he did it the first time, we were all impressed. Then we were less impressed. Then I started to get annoyed. Then I had this strange daydream where I met Ari after the concert, and he asked me how I liked his show. I responded that the looping thing was neat at first, but then it got old. He got angry and retorted, “THAT’S what I do! I loop! I’m the looping guy!” After that, seeing how I hurt his feelings, I cut him more slack.
During this time, Holli and I decided to move up to the bleachers. It was hot on the floor, and I couldn’t really see. The move was a good one, at least for me. It was a little more difficult to make out what was said on stage, but the photos were much better. Also, it wasn’t as warm, and I didn’t keep getting bumped into by drunk hollege girls.
After an excruciating wait, Ben Folds and his duo came out. Ben is such a geek. Even the way he walked out was kinda nerdy. There was a sea of people on the floor and in the stands. Cameras were everywhere. All these glowing rectangles floated in awe in front of the stage. Camera flashes burst like lightning, briefly illuminating a smiling face or two and the odd “thumbs up”. Ben wasted no time. As soon as he was behind the piano, he began.
Set List
– – – – – –
In Between Days (I think… I didn’t recognize it.)
Gone
Bastard
First song on new album – Hiroshima
Free Coffee – with distortion peddle and odd objects on piano strings
Zak and Sara
Landed
Lullabye
Annie Waits
All U Can Eat
B****es Ain’t S**t
Narcolepsy to Piano Solo and back
Brick
Lets Get Physical (goofing around)
Losing Lisa
Battle of Who Could Care Less
Rockin’ the Suburbs
One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces
Kate
Not The Same
– – – – – –
If there’s a God he’s laughing at us and our football team?
Philosophy (and Misirlou?)
The concert was brilliant. I’m a little bummed that there weren’t two encores, but it was a good encore for being single. Ben’s a good performer, and he pretty much gets down to business. He has a couple “crown involvement” songs, which help keep things interesting. Also, the story behind Hiroshima is a good one.
Check out my Ben Folds Concert photoset.
Here’s some videos I took while I was at it.
B****es Can’t Hang With The Streets
Not The Same
Oh, the ketchup? When we walked back to the car, it was destroyed. Ketchup was everywhere. Too bad I didn’t get a picture of it.
Flu Kitteh is in your haus
see more crazy cat pics
drinkin your sodas
Ben Folds One
The awesome begins.
Day 15: B****es Ain’t S**t
Supersunnyspeedgraphic, The LP (2006)
You know a song is good when two of the words are mostly *s and the other one is grammatically incorrect. This is another cover. The track is originally by NWA. So, how do you take a ganstah rap song and make it a piano ballad? Very carefully (and with a LOT of street cred).
On the first listen, if you get past the language, it almost puts you in giggles. On every other listen, it makes you want to pour some out for yo homies. That he performs this straight-faced is a testament to how often he’s performed it and how much he believes in it.
Day 14: Rockin’ the Suburbs
Rockin’ the Suburbs (2001)
This song highlights Ben Folds’s ability to be joking at the same moment that he isn’t. This is an “angsty” song about the pressures of being white and middle class. This appeals particularly to those who ARE white and middle class because we feel left out of the “my life sucks” party. Ben gently lays out our own problems: hemorrhoids, needing record producers, people cutting into the line at Mickey D’s, the history of slave ownership, and (of course) the music of Bon Jovi.
In true passive-aggressive fashion, he simply laments that he is “rockin’ the suburbs” much like bands before him, except that they were talented. In fact, this song is so angsty that the lead instrument is guitar, not piano. And the way he resolves all that angst? By “cussing on the mic tonight”.
Do it, Ben. The worst they can do is take away your allowance.
Day 13: Army
The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999)
In what plays like an autobiography, this song details the narrator’s struggle to figure out what to do with his life. It begins, and ends, with his considering The Army. He tries The Army, but drops out and forms a band instead. Then The Band breaks up and reforms without him. The story goes on, detailing his different employments and his sad life until he becomes what we assume is President.
“Been thinking a lot today…” is the refrain. It’s a common reverence that most of us have mused at one point or another: head low, voice lower, lowball of whisky in hand, and a sneer. It’s a song that’s as much about the past as the future. It shows the unlikely domino trail that can befall even the smallest decisions, like wanting to join the army.
Day 12: Song for the Dumped
Whatever and Ever Amen (1997)
Piano music has had a long history. For a while, it was all anyone could talk about (“The harpsichord will never go out of style, right guys?”), and it hasn’t gone away. In the long tradition that has been piano music the first genre that comes to mind is “classical”. However, true fans of the instrument will recall its sorted history as a staple of beer halls and burlesque acts. This is, in short, the piano as a “honky-tonk” instrument.
Ben Folds remembers this history. He has his share of “classical” songs; he has his share of “honky-tonk” songs. This is one such song. The piano pounds out its drinking song, a bitter serenade to heartbreak. The narrator implores an old flame, with whom he is on poor terms, to give him his money back. And don’t forget his white t-shirt.
Day 11: Carrying Cathy
Rockin’ the Suburbs (2001)
As much as Ben Folds loves name-songs, he also loves clever puns. This is a song of pity – about a woman, named Cathy, who has, throughout her life, done very little for herself. Most of her life, she’s been “carried”. There’s the pun. Happy?
He has a great line in this song. I haven’t done “notable lyrics” for these songs mostly because I forgot at first, but this song has a good one.
Notable lyric: woke up sad from this dream I’ve been having / the last couple nights or so / With her father and brothers we’re all at the funeral / carrying a box through the rain / then somebody says that it’s always been this way
Happy Birthday, Holli!
Now make me some dinner.
j/k lol Love you!
Day 10: Underground
We can be happy underground.
This song has an odd style to it. It also served as the band’s first single.
I wish I could embed the video, but I can’t, so I’ll link to it.
Day 9: Fair
Whatever and Ever Amen (1997)
This is David‘s self-proclaimed theme song. With a chorus line of bu-bah bu / bu-bAA bu / bu-bah bu / uh-bah-bu-BAH-bu, how can you go wrong? This song does have a pretty bouncy, happy rhythm to it.
Picture David dancing from class to class, smile on his face, top hat, cane, winking at girls, shaking hands with politicians, kissing babies. That’s this song. Also, that’s a great visual.
Day 8: Narcolepsy
The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999)
Wikipedia describes the symptoms of narcolepsy thusly: The main characteristic of narcolepsy is excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), even after adequate night time sleep. A person with narcolepsy is likely to become drowsy or to fall asleep, often at inappropriate times and places. Daytime naps may occur without warning and may be physically irresistible. These naps can occur several times a day. They are typically refreshing, but only for a few hours. Drowsiness may persist for prolonged periods of time. In addition, night time sleep may be fragmented with frequent awakenings.
This song is about a person with narcolepsy. And, yes, it’s awesome.
Day 7: Zak and Sara
Rockin’ the Suburbs (2001)
What a way to begin an album! Too bad this is track number two. Quirky teenagers are a topic that never gets old. You know the kind. Phrases like “Jehovah’s Witness”, “Wicca”, and “marijuana” follow them around, often without credence. These two misfits are spending part of their day in a music store. Ben describes them by subtraction: “Zak without a ‘c'”, “Sara without an ‘h'”. Does this imply that they, as persons, are missing something fundamental that would make them “normal”? Or am I over-thinking it?
There’s no way to know until I can ask Ben Folds, himself, on the 19th.