Ben Folds Previews New Material
Between all the ranting (Kanye) and raving (Sigur Rós) we didn't get a chance to talk about Ben Folds's set at Bonnaroo. He's still abusing his Baldwin (a string broke on "Landed") and putting the audience to work on vocal harmonies ("Not The Same"). These days Ben's set includes few songs from BF5 breakthrough LP Whatever And Ever Amen, but he's got a solid catalog of solo tunes to draw from. It's about to expand in September with the release of his third solo full-length. Ben's been playing a handful of the new tunes on tour for the past few months, but the quality of the YouTubes wasn't postworthy until now.
Among the new songs: "Free Coffee" (about getting gratis beverages when you're a rock star) and "Hiroshima" (about falling off the stage in Japan when you're a rock star). So really relatable stuff. He opened with "Errant Dog," which mines the familiar pounded piano/fuzzy guitar formula.
Below, all three new tunes he played. (He put a tin pan and an Altoids container in his piano before "Free Coffee," so that's why it sounds like there's an Altoids tin in there.) But first some sad news: Bonnaroo served as the official retirement home of Ben's cover of Dr. Dre's "Bitches Ain't Shit." You can watch that here. (Above photo by Kerstenmarie.)
"Errant Dog"
"Free Coffee"
"Hiroshima"
Here's the Bonnaroo setlist:
01 "Errant Dog"
02 "Gone"
03 Bonnaroo Jam
04 "You To Thank"
05 "Free Coffee"
06 "All U Can Eat"
07 "Hiroshima"
08 "Annie Waits"
09 "Landed"
10 "Bastard"
11 "Bitches Ain't Shit"
12 "Narcolepsy"
13 "Army"
14 "Rockin' The Suburbs"
15 "Kate"
16 "Not The Same"
17 "Zak And Sara"
18 "One Angry Dwarf And 200 Solemn Faces"
Tracks from the forthcoming album that weren't played: "Effington," "The Bitch Went Nuts," and "Kylie From Connecticut." Ever notice Ben sings about bitches a lot? Maybe you'll hear those on tour, Europe.
06/24 - Newcastle @ Academy
06/25 - London @ Shepherd's Bush Empire
06/27 - Glastonbury Festival
06/28 - Nijmegen @ Rockin Park
06/29 - Amsterdam @ Paradiso
06/30 - Hamburg @ Greunspan
07/02 - Bochum @ Zeche
07/03 - Manheim @ Alter Feuerwache
07/04 - Werchter @ Werchter Festival
07/05 - Bonn @ Rheinculture Festival
07/07 - Nottingham @ Rock City
07/08 - Sheffield @ Academy
07/09 - Liverpool @ Academy
07/11 - Dublin @ Oxegen Festival
07/12 - Kinross, Scotland @ T In the Park
07/13 - Bristol @ Academy
07/27 - Niigata, Tokyo @ Fuji Rocks
09/06 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania @ Mann Center
09/07 - Nashville, Tennessee @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center
10/03 - Ft. Wayne, Indiana @ Embassy Theatre
10/04 - Louisville, Kentucky @ Kentucky Center
11/30 - London @Shepherds Bush Empire
Posted at 6:01 PM by Scott in Tour Dates, Video
Tags: Ben Folds | Bonnaroo
love me some short bus benny!! thanks for posting those videos!
Score = 0
I was BF5 fan and never understood why they broke up considering since Ben's doing such similar material as a solo artist. He's still pretty good either way, though.
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Dig it.
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I was a HUGE BF5 fan and really enjoyed his first solo record and then I saw him live: good show, bad time. I hung around after the show with a small group 10-15 people that had gathered to meet the guy and tell him how much i appreciated his music. As he walked to his bus he looked at all of us and walked on by. 2 or 3 minutes later he actually stuck his head out of his bus and shooed us all away as if we were beggars or something. It was really disheartening and I haven't bought another record or seen another show with Mr. Folds. It's just sad that he couldn't take 20 minutes out of his day to meet some of his fans who showed up to his non-sold out show and have bought his non-platinum albums for years. Way to shit on the people that have given you your career and fan following. All in all, fuck Ben Folds. Great musician, shitty guy.....or maybe it was just a bad day. I'm gonna go with "Asshole who enjoys calling women bitches" for 200, Alex.
Score = -3
cry me a river?
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Boo fucking hoo. I love hearing these sob stories. News flash - Ben Folds' obligation to you ends when the concert ends.
Score = 5
jake - try waiting three hours outside of a tour bus to only meet the bass player, then you can complain. CRY ME A RIVER IS RIGHT.
Score = -3
this is exactly why i would hate to be famous - to have to deal with people like jake here. what do you expect, man? you can't be everything for everybody.
also, my good friend chris met ben folds once and wished his brother was there to meet him too. so mr. folds called his brother on the phone and talked to him for a couple of minutes. so..... zing!
Score = 4
Looking forward to the new album, hope it's not a total bore like Songs for Silverman.
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that still image is Gibbard, right? overworked, pissed and over-Elton'ed.
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As a long time Ben Folds fan, I too am hoping the new solo record is more "Rock the Suburbs" and less "Songs for Silverman." That would be nice.
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Did he write the lyrics just before he went on stage?
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Give the guy a break. He actually does a lot for his fans; not every musician is full of social energy. I've met him before and he's a great guy, just kind of a Johnny Carson type. Great in front of crowds, kinda reclusive off stage. I think I'd be the same way, honestly.
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"Free Coffee" was pretty good. Reminded me of BJ's "AYM" 4 sum reason. Good 2 see hoobastank's player get a gig, too.
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That Fort Wayne, IN show is with our town's philharmonic. That might be newsworthy considering he doesn't do that too often.
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I've met him 5-6 times. Signed everything I had. Very chatty and a hilarious dude. Jake you caught him on a bad day don't hold it against him. I'm sure if a stranger tried to chat it up with on a shitty day you would come across as an asshole. We are all entitled to a bad day. Chill out.
Score = 6
Agreed. Back when I was really into his stuff, he'd always come and say hi to people and was really gracious.
Still miss Darren and Robert though. Rocking the Suburubs was pretty good, but I have to say I haven't enjoyed much of anything since then... and nothing measures up to the BF5 stuff.
Seriously though, he needs to lay off the 'bitches' joke forever. Thank god he retired that Dre cover. His material just seems to get more pandering with each release.
I'm going to go listen to 'Emaline' and dream of the halcyon days of the mid to late 90s.
Score = 2
see: Hotel Lights. so good.
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Oh yeah, I meant to mention that. Hotel Lights is Darren Jessee's band, everybody.
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agreed. every time i've met ben he's been super kind and super humble.
though. when i met darren he could well have beat ben on the humble scale, tried to give me his entire merch stand for driving miles to get to his show. hotel lights is very much worth checking out. they have a new album out in august. and for those bf5 buffs around here- amelia bright is on firecracker people.
and thank GOD bitches ain't shit is over. if he means it. he said a similar remark earlier this tour at his Cary, NC gig. and clearly played it again here at bonnaroo, but whatever, so long as it dies. it's been at nearly every gig of his since 2005. and i'd rather see something he wrote..... it lost the funny factor once the frat kids were all oh-ben-folds-is-that-bitches-ain't-shit-guy. (someone said that to me at a show of his this year)
and what, my youtube quality isn't good enough for you stereogum? i see how it is. and you don't know me is another new ben song. if you can handle it: http://youtube.com/user/ColdandComposed
also. 9/6 and 9/7 are with symphonies as well. ..... and i should be done here.
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I rarely listen to his stuff, but no question - the guy is talented
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