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Tour Board / Re: Ben Folds 2014 Australian Orchestra Tour

« on: November 28, 2014, 05:08:36 PM »

OK, so I was in the crowd for the Perth (WASO) performance last night.  First time I've ever seen Ben on a proper piano stool and follow a proper pre-determined set list...mostly.  I'll post the program setlist below.  Only deviation was RTB after The Luckiest which went for aaaaaages with the orchestra so Gracie was missed. And he told us the Cigarette story again, said he wouldn't play it...then played it.  Encore was Narcolepsy with full orchestra and tenor (which I will NEVER tire of seeing live) then Army just with Ben as 'the band have run out of stuff to play.'

RTB was with Orchestra and Ben asked for theatre management to provide the Wikipedia page for Perth before playing The Luckiest so he'd have it ready to use after it.  80% of the orchesra looked like they were having a blast and the other 20% were clearly unaware of the RTB protocols and had their best WTF faces on.


Top notch show.  Can't wait to do it all again tonight.

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Tour Board / Re: BFF UK Tour support act

« on: November 25, 2012, 07:52:25 PM »

I know this will make me sound and look like a complete dong, but I just re-registered (after a couple of years of not using message boards) to say that I didn't really like this band at all.

The world needed to know.

EDIT: Just wanted to note that Ben himself forget their name and called them "Bitter End". Me and my friend actually high fived one another at this point.

You're back!!!!!  I thought I could smell something!
And I trust your opinion on these matters.

I was desperately hoping that Hotel Lights or KMH would open for BFF here, especially when neither the venue nor the ticketing agency could tell me who was opening with 24 hours before the show. Alas, twas not to be.

3

Tour Board / Re: 2012-11-14 Fremantle Arts Centre - Review

« on: November 16, 2012, 01:52:59 AM »

Russ - agree 100% with your sentiments.  Darren's a better fit for Ben's style of playing than either Lindsey or Sam, for my liking.

Perth did get the RTS tour if I recall correctly (or did I see that on the east coast somewere??), but we got the WASO gigs (18 months apart) instead of anything to do with SFS, before a painful 5 year gap between Aug/Sept 06 (WASO) and last year's show.

Sarah, Makiko - You guys are awesome!  And I hope you have shares in whatever airline/hotels you're using!  Enjoy the remaining shows - I'm extremely jealous

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Tour Board / Re: 2012-11-14 Fremantle Arts Centre - Review

« on: November 15, 2012, 01:12:09 AM »

You beat me to it, Russ! And then some! Great gig (SO much better than Ben's solo one of 15-odd months ago) and the Five sounded like they hadn't missed a day.  Better venue for Ben, too.  I bootlegged about 2/3rds of the RTB but the quality is shocking.

And a HUGE thanks to you for yelling out Tom and Mary.  An absolute highlight for me.  That and the Uncle Walter story.

Another highlight:  For those from years past you'll know that it has been my decades-long ambition to hear SC&C live.  Done. 

Huge kudos to Sarah.  That's an airline bill I wouldn't want to see...

5

Tour Board / Re: Perth, May 24 2011 - Riverside Theatre

« on: May 25, 2011, 05:52:30 AM »

Found this review too:
http://www.perthnow.com.au/entertainment/perth-confidential/ben-folds-leaves-audience-rapt/story-e6frg30l-1226062368954

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Tour Board / Perth, May 24 2011 - Riverside Theatre

« on: May 24, 2011, 08:49:25 PM »

Excellent show given Ben was playing in probably our most soulless venue in town.  It DOES have very good live audio recording facilities though and judging by a few comments from Ben there may have been stuff recorded that will appear at a later date...he mentioned a live album to come out later in the year which I presume will be part of the package of rareties etc.  Although I note he said similar stuff to the Adelaide crowd too!

Setlist:  (Not in order and I think I've missed a few)

Levi Johnston Blues
Doc Pomus
Gone
Claire's 9th
Philosophy (incl Miserlou)
One Angry Dwarf
Underground
Annie Waits
Adelaide
Boxing (when he sang 'Howard' I thought especially of Mel and how much she 'loves' it)
Effington
You Don't know Me
Sentimental Guy
Bastard
Last Polka
Landed
Not the Same (said we were all so good on the WASO DVD he wanted us to sing the harmonies for the live album..and to be fair the band NAILED it.  Not sure about us in the crowd though.)
Belinda
You to Thank
Sleazy
From Above
Luckiest
Kate
Zak and Sara
Songs of Love
Still Fighting It
Picture Window
Hiroshima
Rock This Bitch...Kate Miller-Heidke tweeted that it was the best RTB she'd seen in 4 tours with Ben.

Sam had a major problem with his hi-hat about 5 songs away from the end.  Amsuing to see him play with 2 guys at his feet frantically trying to fix the problem.  They ended up getting rid of it altogether and stealing Chad's hi-hat for the encore.  All in all a stellar performance, especially from about 4 or 5 songs in.  Kate Miller-Heidke was brilliant too but then I've been a fan of hers for some time now.
Setlist sems similar to the other Oz gigs.  LOVED that he payed Sentimental Guy and Songs of Love and Still Fighting It.  Hadn't heard any of those live before.

As I said, I think I'm still missing a few from the setlist.  I'll update it as and when I remember!

7

General Board / BFF Makes List of 100 Songs Every IPod Should Have

« on: February 03, 2011, 08:24:16 PM »

OK, so it's Brick and comes under the sub-heading of '10 Sad Songs' and some of the entries are dubious at best...but I'm not going to complain about seeing BFF on such a list.

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/soft-rock-remixes-love-break-ups-100-songs-every-ipod-should-have/story-e6frfn09-1225999198545

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Musical discovery / Re: 2010 favorites?

« on: January 15, 2011, 04:06:31 AM »

I agree with your number 1.  Absolutely-tootley.  And it breaks my heart that probably all of 5 people in my country are aware of their awesomeness.  (I am changing this, one convert at a time.)

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Tour Board / Re: Australia Tour! May 2011!

« on: December 14, 2010, 05:25:34 AM »

Got my tickets today.  Missed the pre-sale by a matter of minutes last week but got admission-plus-digital-download tickets today.  Middle-left of the house, about 5 rows in. Phew.  Merry Xmas to me and long-suffering hubby who will be joining me...but interestingly seemed pretty much, dare I say, keen to come along this time.  After bombarding him with Ben since 1997 is he finally coming around??

10

General Board / Re: e-mail from my former wife

« on: November 16, 2010, 08:35:37 PM »

My daughter was singing about Hiro's ass crack when she was about 5.  My 2 year old prefers to yell 'You Make Me Mommy'.  I skip the really bad stuff (SFTD, BAS et al) but at least they're listening to a decent musician with decent musical talent which counts for more (in my book) than hearing the same 'bad' language in songs that they're gonna hear the minute we step out the door anyway.  We don't swear at home...usually and the kids don't use it in conversation (when I'm around anyway).

And who doesn't want to grow up declaring that Ben Folds taught them how to swear?

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Tour Board / Re: UK Tour Feb/March 2011

« on: November 09, 2010, 07:47:46 PM »

Oh, this news warms the c*ckles of my heart.  Maybe Oz dates March/April then?

12

Album Board / Re: General Lonely Avenue Discussion

« on: October 07, 2010, 09:43:35 PM »

Still waiting for my physical PRE-ORDERED Loney Avenue package.  I know it's got to get across the seas and all but I think I could've paddled it over myself by now.  Digital version better than none but I want it in my hands!  Anyone else waiting?

13

Album Board / Re: Associated Press Lonely Avenue Review

« on: October 04, 2010, 04:19:54 AM »

By STEVEN WINE, Associated Press Writer Steven Wine, Associated Press Writer   – Mon Sep 27, 10:04 am ET

Ben Folds and Nick Hornby, "Lonely Avenue" (Nonesuch)

"CHECK THIS OUT: "Saskia Hamilton" deserves a Grammy for polysyllabic silliness. The rollicking tune sings the praises of the American poet: "She's got more assonance than she knows what to do with."

Polysyllabic silliness?  Could this man be a Horby fan, perchance, given this is one of his tomes?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Polysyllabic_Spree

(Disclaimer:  I am a major Hornby fan. I have this book.  And pretty much all his other works too.)

14

General Board / Re: Foldsby's New Song Belinda

« on: October 02, 2010, 03:44:50 AM »

Has anyone heard anything about who Belinda may be? Or just a nice name for the song?

Hornby wrote the lyrics, and is famous for writing fiction.  Pretty sure it's just an archetype

The music sounds like it's supposed to be vaguely reminiscent of "Mandy" by Barry Manilow without directly quoting the melody.  A song like that would be the kind of singer-songwriter love song that "Belinda" is satirizing. 

Also, I'm guessing that Nick or Ben has heard the story about Billy Joel singing "Just the Way You Are" after his divorce.  After he spaced out one night during a concert (because the song written about his wife meant less after the divorce), he mistakenly sung the "new" lyrics that he had written after the divorce: "She took the house, she took the car." 

I also believe Billy Joel sang 'Honesty' as 'Sodomy' during a gig too.  Apparently his drummer used to sing 'Sodomy...' (un-mic'd) and Billy inadvertantly joined him.  But I digress...back to Ben.

15

Album Board / Re: Rolling Stone review of Lonely Avenue - 2 stars

« on: October 02, 2010, 02:43:53 AM »

Mel can't listen to Boxing cause of the way he says Howard)

oh, god... i can hear him singing it in my head over and over slowly turning me to a crazy.

I LOL'd at this.  We've discussed Mel's 'Howard' issues before.  Still amuses me.