***1/2
The last time I saw Ben Folds live was three years ago supporting Divine Comedy
where his crowd-pleasing antics more or less stole the show. This time there was no competition from the
support - the shambolic and quite abysmal Clem Snide. Ben’s set had some brilliant moments yet it
was also rather average in places and poor in one respect.
First the good stuff for there was a fair amount of it.
Folds' second song was Gone which immediately showcased the superb harmonies and playing of his backing bass and drums
duo. Yes, Ben is back with a two-piece backing band after playing solo for the past three or four years
– the same instrumental format to his successful late 90s group, the numerically challenged Ben Folds Five.
Gone is from Folds’ brilliant debut solo LP Rockin’
The Suburbs, released in 2001. Another highlight of the gig for me from that album was Still Fighting It,
an unusual and moving song for Ben’s young son.
The Ben Folds Three played for about 40 minutes ending with a superb
version of The Cure’s In Between Days whereupon the bassist and drummer departed and we were treated to the Folds solo
experience. This began with a beautiful slow version of Brick, the biggest hit with his old band and all
the more poignant now after Ben revealed relatively recently that the rather oblique lyrics are about the pain and sadness
he and his teenage girlfriend felt after having an abortion. Another high-point of the solo set was Don’t
Change Your Plans from the last Ben Folds Five album The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner. This
mini set ended with Army, another song from the Messner LP where the crowd was split into two to sing the horn parts.
The band then returned and this is where it all got a bit average.
Most of the songs I didn’t already know weren’t distinctive or memorable enough for me to rush out and
buy Ben’s new LP Songs for Silverman. Also an unusual moan for me was the length of the set –
at just over two hours it felt too long though this wasn’t helped by the sound-mix not being as good as it could have
been nor the very hot conditions at the Cambridge Corn Exchange.
What could have been helped though was the Folds entourage’s
apparent obsession with parodying hip-hop and nu-metal to the extent of celebrating the misogyny and mass expletives used
in these genres. A parody is a tribute and sexism and unnecessary swearing are offensive.
Most of those involved are touching 40 for heaven’s sake and should know better. Not a comment
that will go down well with the cool kids but one that needs to be made!
I overheard some of the aforementioned “kids” leaving
this gig saying it was one of the best gigs they’ve ever been to. I would rate it nowhere near that
high but nevertheless, there were some excellent moments.
29.6.05
