Ben Howard - Live review

So its no secret, I am a huge fan of Ben Howard. On Thursday 4th Sept I headed to Hackney Empire to see Ben Howard live, for what would be my fifth time.

With his highly anticipated second album "I forgot where we were" due to be released on the 20th October, a lot of fans (myself included) were eager to hear what new material Ben had in store for us. While it was unknown whether Ben would play many of his popular hits, such as 'Keep your head up" and 'The fear," I was hopeful the new singles  "I forgot where we were" and "End of the affair" would make the set list.

The evening started with support act Nick Mulvey, who singles include "Fever to Form," "April" and "Meet Me There." As someone who is relatively unknown to the wider crowds, Nick did a great job of warming up the crowd.

Next up was the man himself, Ben Howard. Having already seen Ben Howard live 4 times, I can honestly say this was the most different of all the shows. Accompanied by his usual side kick India Bourne, Ben Howard was also supported by a band. With a lot more electronic elements thrown into his songs, it somehow felt less  personal and stripped back than previous performances. Still, I can't knock him, the delivery and vocal talent Ben Howard has remains brilliant, and an absolute pleasure to watch.

The set list was made up entirely of new singles from his upcoming album, apart from the encore which included the popular hits "Everything," "Black Flies" and "The Fear" -  a risk many artists would feel is too great to take. Ben Howard however can relax, if the cheers and shouts were anything to go by at the end of each song, the fans were in favour of the new material. In addition to playing "I forgot where we were" and "End of the affair," other songs included "Conrad," "In dreams," and "The Small Things." For me, The Small Things was a definite highlight - sang with conviction, it reminded me a lot of previous songs which we have all grown to love so much.

After hearing a preview of the new material, it is clear Ben Howard has kept to what he is good at - dark, highly emotional melancholy tracks. Overall, I had a great chilled night and can say without a hint of uncertainty I am stoked for the release of the new album. I will say though, if I am being entirely honest, I have preferred previous performances more. I found the extra band accompaniment  and stage flash lights were just unnecessary distractions - a man with an unbelievable voice that evokes that much emotion is more than enough to keep the crowd captivated.

For previous post and reviews on Ben Howard, check out: Ben Howard live @ Hammersmith Apollo or Ben Howard live in NYC or Ben Howard live in Dublin

Ben has recently announced a tour in december - check out for dates and ticket info: http://www.benhowardmusic.co.uk/  (please note all UK tour dates are now sold out)

Gentleman of the Road (Mumford & Sons) Review

So last weekend I was fortunate enough to travel over to Dublin, Ireland to see Mumford and Sons live at Phoenix Park.

The sun was out, the beers were in and to the credit of all the acts, the day was great! The days lineup consisted of Ham Sandwich, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetics, The Vaccines, Ben Howard, and of course the main act themselves Mumford and Sons.

First up were Ham Sandwich. I can honestly put my hands up and say before seeing them live I had never heard of them. Ham Sandwich is a five piece indie rock band from Ireland. Like with any relatively unheard band at these one day gigs, the crowd can be pretty unresponsive and tame. Although the band did have a couple of good songs, in particular their final song of the set "Ants," there was little more they could do to warm up the crowd!

Next up were Edward Sharpe and the Magnetics. If you know little about this band check out my previous post: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetics. I loved their set, and was seriously impressed by how much stage presence the lead singer Alexander Ebert had. For me, and arguably the rest of the crowds favourite part of the set was their final song "Home." Everyone by the end seemed in great spirits, singing and dancing along with this american folk band. I for one will certainly be keeping a close eye on their upcoming tour dates.

Now for some British players - cue The Vaccines. Again for more information about this band, check out my previous post regarding them: The Vaccines. I was excited to see this band live after recently hearing how good they were at Glastonbury. I was certainly not left disappointed. Their hugely energetic performance was a nice mix to the relatively chilled out line up that played before them. They played a strong set, and included many of their popular singles which seemed to be a hit with the crowd.

Now for my fav - Ben Howard. Having seen him live in London three weeks ago, and twice before that, I knew I was in for a great set. His half hour set included the popular tracks The Fear, Only Love, Keep Your Head Up, Blackflies, Old Pine and his new single I Forgot Where We Were. Although it was evident that Ben Howard was a huge hit with the crowd, I must say from previous performances, he is a lot stronger when playing at smaller venues.

And finally, the headliners of the evening, Mumford and Sons. Again having seen these four times previously I was confident this was going to be good. Opening with their new single Babel. the irish crowd all seemed to go wild. Others song featured in their set included "I Will Wait," "Holland Road," "The Cave," "Little Lion Man," "Ghosts That We Knew," and "Hopeless Wanderer." I thought their set was truly brilliant. Not a band to ever let a crowd down, these four boys soon has the jam packed crowd on their feet, singing, swaying, jumping, dancing and cheering along. Although I thoroughly enjoyed their entire set, for me one song particularly stood out to me. For their final song of the night they made the standard move of inviting all the previous acts back onto stage to sing a cover together. Although this was predictable the song they chose to perform was not so much. Galway Girl. As someone who loves Dublin and frequently goes over to see friends, this song was perfect (i cant quite say my irish friends were as impressed however...).

So overall I have to say I had a truly fabulous day. Although Ben Howard was slightly disappointing I would still without a doubt go and see him live again (for a 5th time) and seriously can't stress enough how good his new album is going to be. Mumford and Sons proved again to many why they have become such a hugely popular band all around the world. For me though I was most pleased to have seen Edward Sharpe and the Magnetics -  Having never seen them live before and being such a big fan, I was truly stoked.

Mumford & Sons

Ben howard 

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetics 

Ben howard

Mumford and Sons 

Mumford and Sons and co. 

Ben Howard Review

Only securing the tickets a week ago for the gig, I was pumped to be given the chance to see Ben Howard perform again.

Having already seen Ben Howard perform live (in NYC), my expectations of this gig were high - and boy did he deliver!

The set list for the evenings gig was: Everything, Black Flies, Old Pine, I Forgot Where We Were (new single), Only Love, The Wolves, The Burren, Burgh Island, Keep You Head Up, and The Fear. For encore Ben played: Keiko (new single), Oats in the Water, and Promise.

A totally chilled out guy who lets his music do the talking, this gig is solely about the music.

Playing a mix of singles, from crowd favorites (Keep Your Head Up/ Wolves), to my favourites (Black Flies / Burgh Island), to brand spanking new material (I Forgot Where We Were), the crowd were treated to a really great night of live music.

For me the highlight of the evening was his performance of new single "Keiko." This song reminds me a great deal of "Depth over Distance," in terms of harmonies and playing style on his guitar. Just him on stage, accompanied by his guitar, this song was raw and highly emotive.

It is safe to say from hearing the new material, the new album (due out sometime in the winter) is going to be just as good as the hugely popular debut album "Every Kingdom." Another single which is new and definitely worth check out is White Lights.

Something that stands out to me when watching Ben perform live, which I feel plays a huge part to his success, is his genuine appreciation and humble attitude to all the support he gets from his shows. There is no doubt this guy is popular - the packed out crowd at the Hammersmith Apollo cheered from start to finish.

To read my previous review of Ben Howard live in NYC check out: Review NYC

To read my original post about Ben Howard check out: Ben Howard

I am due to see Ben Howard perform in Dublin next month, and just between me and you - I cannot wait!!

Tour Dates
13th June. Isle of Wight Festival - Isle of Wight Festival, UK
26th June. Glastonbury Music Festival - UK
6th July. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - London, UK
14th July. Phoenix Park - Dublin, Ireland
29th July. Central Park - NYC
17th August. Boardmasters Festival 2013 - Cornwall, UK
15th August. Green Man Festival  - Powys, UK
17th August. Custom House Square - Belfast, UK

For more information regarding tickets and tour dates check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/1212276-ben-howard/calendar?page=1

Jacko Hooper

Although I stumbled by this singer by mistake, I am glad I did.

Clearly still stuck in my  'deep and meaningful' ' acoustic guitar performance phase, this guy filfulls the quota perfectly! Jacko Hooper is a singer/songwriter from Brighton that reminds me a great deal of Athlete, Aqualung, Benjamin Francis Leftwich and James Vincent McMorrow.

Although Jacko Hooper is not hugely known (yet), he shows great potential and is already growing a steady stream of fans. In March of last year, Jacko released an EP "From Home," consisting of five beautiful folk tracks - my favorite being River.

So if wistful folk music is your calling, than this is an artist you must certainly check out.

Tour Dates: 
12th Feb. The Marlborough Theatre - Brighton, UK (supporting Rae Morris)
11th April. The brunswick - Hove, UK

For tickets and/or further info, check out; http://www.songkick.com/artists/5423688-jacko-hooper/calendar

Ben Howard

 

I am a huge fan of this guy. 

If you like artists benjamin francis leftwich or Ed Sheeran than Ben Howard is someone you should definitely check out.

Ben Howard is a folk singer from Devon, UK who released his debut album "Every Kingdom" last year. The album includes the hit singles; The Wolves, The Fear, and Keep Your Head Up.  More recently, Ben Howard released the fantastic new EP "The Burgh Island," which includes the singles "Oats In the Water," "Burgh Island,"and "Esmerelda."

Being from Devon and a keen surfer himself, Ben Howard has certainly built himself a large and devoted fan base (especially within the circle of UK surfers). His gigs have received many great reviews, and as someone who last year was labeled as the "one to watch next year," it would definitely be worthwhile to check him out. Ben Howard has great stage presence, which combined with his ability to sing acoustically on his guitar, makes it the perfect choice for a chilled out evening listening to live music. 

I was fortunate enough to get tickets to see Ben Howard live in NYC. For my GIG REVIEW check out: http://musicgigsnfestivals.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/ben-howard-review_04.html

 

Tour dates: 

11th Feb. Terminal 5 - NYC 

17th Feb. Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ 

18th Feb. Terminal 5 - NYC

13th June. Isle of Wight Festival 2013 - Newport, UK

For information regarding tickets, and (UK & USA) tour dates check out: http://www.songkick.com/artists/1212276-ben-howard/calendar 

Benjamin Francis Leftwich

I first posted about this guy in March when he was a complete newcomer to the music scene.  

Benjamin Francis Leftwich is a singer-songwriter from York, UK who has, in the last six months, really began to make a name for himself. Benjamin released his debut album "The Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm" in July and has since gone on to receive a great deal of support and positive reviews.

Benjamin Francis Leftwich has particularly earned respect for his songwriting abilities and it is partly because of this that in my eyes Benjamin falls into the same category as Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran.

I first came across this artist when his video popped up as an advertisement on Google. Since then I have become quite the fan of his music - his soothing and gentle voice singing combined with his beautiful and meaningful lyrics makes him the perfect playlist choice for chilled out session of music.  Although he is a solo artist, Benjamin Francis Leftwich not only relies upon his voice, but also on the accompaniment of a guitar.

Due to Leftwich being such a newcomer his shows are going to be nothing on performances by bands like Mumford  & Sons or Ray Lamontagne, but I don't think that should be a reason to skip it. This quiet kid has confidence and a back bone - not many performers are willing/or able to stray from the mic and give an equally strong vocal performance without it than with it. Although his songs are soulful and he has a no fuss style - no gizmos or stunts - his vocal performance will certainly hold you captive and attentive. With this in mind it is clear why you shouldn't expect a raucous night of music, but rather allow yourself to be lost in the peaceful trance which he emits through his songs. 

I would give this guy a chance. His sounds offer that perfect ingredient  for that downtown music session when all you want to do is relax and chill out. Give him a try - I did!

  

Tour dates: 

17th October. Birmingham Irish Centre - Birmingham
20th October. Nottingham Rescue Rooms - Nottingham
22nd October. The Brickyard - Carlisle
23rd October. Stanley Theatre - Liverpool
24th October. KOKO - London
25th October. HMV Ritz - Manchester
26th October. The Sugarmill - Stoke-on-Trent

For information regarding tickets and tour dates check out: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/Benjamin-Francis-Leftwich-tickets/artist/1536763

Willy Mason Review

I have now seen Willy Mason twice: when he was supporting Ben Howard  and Mumford & Sons.

Willy Mason is a folk singer/songwriter from Massachusetts, USA. Although I was not very familiar with this artist before I saw him support Ben Howard, he has toured with the likes of Death Cab for Cutie, Damien Rice, and Radiohead, and has even performed at a number of festivals including glastonbury.

Mason to date has released two albums "Where the Humans Eat" and "If the Ocean Gets Rough." My favorite song from his set was "Save Myself" (see live performance below).

When Willy Mason supported Ben Howard I felt he did an overall great performance. He had strong vocals and as a the support act he did a great job of warming the crowd up. Despite this however I would say he didn't do as good of a job when supporting Mumford & Sons at the Roundhouse in Camden, London for the iTunes Festival. Don't get me wrong, Willy Mason's vocals were still strong however there just seemed to be something missing. There was no connection between the crowd and him, proven sadly by the constant low chatter that took place while he performed his entire set. Its a shame as Willy Mason is really a great country/folk singer.

 Since Mason is yet to truly establish himself as a folk singer, his gigs are prominently held at quite small venues. This is by no means a bad thing however, as the intimacy of the venues fit his performance style perfectly. I would say if country is not your thing than this is a gig you should avoid. For those however who do enjoy country/folk music this would be a good choice for a quiet/mellow evening listening to live music.

Tour Dates:

Supporting Ben Howard
2nd Nov. Brighton Dome - Brighton
3rd Nov. Plymouth Pavilions - Plymouth
4th Nov. Cardiff University - Cardiff
5th Nov. Colston Hall - Bristol
7th Nov. Olympia Theatre - Dublin
9th Nov. Waterfront Hall Auditorium & Studio - Belfast
10th Nov. O2 Academy - Glasgow
12th Nov. O2 Apollo - Manchester
14th Nov. O2 Academy - Leeds
16th Nov. O2 Academy - Newcastle Upon Tyne
17th Nov. Aberdeen Music Hall - Aberdeen
19th Nov. Cambridge Corn Exchange - Cambridge
20th Nov. The Engine Shed - Lincoln
21st Nov. O2 Academy - Leicester
22nd Nov. Rock City - Nottingham
24th Nov. O2 Academy - Birmingham
25th Nov. O2 Academy - Bournemouth
26th Nov. Southampton Guildhall - Southampton
28th Nov. O2 Academy Brixton - London
29th Nov. O2 Academy Brixton - London
30th Nov. O2 Academy Brixton - London

1st Dec. King Tut's Wah Hut - Glasgow
2nd Dec. The Ruby Lounge - Manchester
3rd Dec. The Glee Club @ The Arcadian - Birmingham
5th Dec. Scala - London
6th Dec. Thekla - Briston

For more tour dates and information regarding tickets check out: http://www.ents24.com/web/artist/76925/Willy_Mason.html

Ben Howard Review

An unbelievable performance. Ben Howard certainly lived up to expectation.

The support was Willy Mason (see link for review).

The sold out gig was held at Bowery Ballroom (NYC) which is a great venue in terms of intimacy and atmosphere. The crowd, unsurprisingly, pretty young - made up of mostly twenty/ thirty year olds - were all there to see one guy, the folk singer from Devon.

There is no doubt that Ben Howard's popularity has soared after the release of his singles "The Wolves" and "Keep Your Head Up." With the release of his album"Every Kingdom" in the US yesterday there is no doubt his fan base will continue to grow.

As soon as Howard stepped onto the stage he was an instant hit. His obvious charm and genuine shock and excitement to play in front of a sell out crowd in "The Big Apple" was clear and endearing to see. Not only were his vocals flawless but he was hilarious and had the whole crowd begging to hear more.

The highlight of the night for me was when he played "The Wolves." From the level of cheers he received when he began singing this song, it was apparent it was the crowds fav too! His ability to interact with the crowd particularly stood out during this song when he had the entire room singing back to him "love, love, love."

A definate must see. You would be mad to skip this gig. Get tickets now - its a must!!!

For tour dates check out my previous post: http://musicgigsnfestivals.blogspot.com/2011/12/ben-howard.html