Dogsinplastic
avuncular to no one
The show last night was amazing. The mix was a little off at first, but they eventually got Ben's voice more upfront. The Innocent Criminals are just a stellar.
Juan Nelson is one of my favorite bass players. He mostly played one of the those horrible looking new(-ish) Carvin bolt-on Jazz-style basses, 5-string. He also played an actual Jazz and a beautiful 5-string MTD (Tobias)
Michael Ward was great. I've enjoyed a bunch of his work over the years, but this was the first time I 've seen him live and heard him cut loose. The guitar he played the most was his old Les Paul hollowbody:
But he also played a Lake Placid Blue Tele Custom, Sea Foam Green w/RW-board Strat, SG Jr, Les Paul (looked like an Oxblood Jeff Beck model)...maybe one other.
Leon's just a fantastic percussionist. My wife asked why have two. I reminded her of Santana and then she just listened as Leon added texture and color that a drummer alone couldn't.
Oliver Charles is a kick ass drummer, especially live. Just lays down a killer groove and could handle every style in Ben catalog of tunes.
Jason Yates played great keys all night.
But it's really all nothing without Ben. I know it's completely unimportant, but while Michael may be a "better" or even "more accomplished" guitarist in the eyes/ears of some (these people would be wrong I have to add) as soon as Ben puts a Weissenborn or his Asher Ben Harper model on his lap...it's a whole other realm of musicality. His voice as a guitarist is his alone and I fucking love it.
That said, it's his fucking VOICE that just destroys everything else. His voice is so unique and strong. Ben sings on 10 all of the time (from an emotive/passionate perspective), but maintains all of the dynamic control any vocalist would want.
To close the show (pre-encore) they did his gospel tune Where Could I Go (from his album with the Blind Boys of Alabama) had the band stop, he hushed the crowd and sang a capella to the audience. It was unbelievable how loud he got and how great he sounded. It was chill inducing in only the best way.
If you can go (and as long as you dig him of course) you really should go see him, especially with the Innocent Criminals. As with Sting's music being best filtered through the Police, Ben's music is at its best with the Criminals. I love it all, but it goes to another step with the larger band with Juan and Leon being particular keys.
Juan Nelson is one of my favorite bass players. He mostly played one of the those horrible looking new(-ish) Carvin bolt-on Jazz-style basses, 5-string. He also played an actual Jazz and a beautiful 5-string MTD (Tobias)
Michael Ward was great. I've enjoyed a bunch of his work over the years, but this was the first time I 've seen him live and heard him cut loose. The guitar he played the most was his old Les Paul hollowbody:
But he also played a Lake Placid Blue Tele Custom, Sea Foam Green w/RW-board Strat, SG Jr, Les Paul (looked like an Oxblood Jeff Beck model)...maybe one other.
Leon's just a fantastic percussionist. My wife asked why have two. I reminded her of Santana and then she just listened as Leon added texture and color that a drummer alone couldn't.
Oliver Charles is a kick ass drummer, especially live. Just lays down a killer groove and could handle every style in Ben catalog of tunes.
Jason Yates played great keys all night.
But it's really all nothing without Ben. I know it's completely unimportant, but while Michael may be a "better" or even "more accomplished" guitarist in the eyes/ears of some (these people would be wrong I have to add) as soon as Ben puts a Weissenborn or his Asher Ben Harper model on his lap...it's a whole other realm of musicality. His voice as a guitarist is his alone and I fucking love it.
That said, it's his fucking VOICE that just destroys everything else. His voice is so unique and strong. Ben sings on 10 all of the time (from an emotive/passionate perspective), but maintains all of the dynamic control any vocalist would want.
To close the show (pre-encore) they did his gospel tune Where Could I Go (from his album with the Blind Boys of Alabama) had the band stop, he hushed the crowd and sang a capella to the audience. It was unbelievable how loud he got and how great he sounded. It was chill inducing in only the best way.
If you can go (and as long as you dig him of course) you really should go see him, especially with the Innocent Criminals. As with Sting's music being best filtered through the Police, Ben's music is at its best with the Criminals. I love it all, but it goes to another step with the larger band with Juan and Leon being particular keys.
Last edited:
