Columbus Symphony shows highlights Ben Foldsí musicality

Iíve been a fan of Ben Folds ever since I talked my reluctant brother into spending our Target gift card (a birthday present) on a copy of ìWhatever and Ever, Amen.”† As the years have gone by Iíve let myself miss chance after chance to see his live show, despite hearing that it is a unique experience.† So when I had the chance to rectify this situation last Wednesday, I jumped at the chance to see Ben Folds with the Columbus Symphony at Veteranís Memorial Hall.

The concert started strong with The Ohio State University Leading Tones, a male a cappella group, serving as the opening act.† This was the perfect, classy opening act for such a formal concert setting.† The Leading Tones are one of the 13 collegiate a cappella groups featured on Benís new ìUniversity A Cappella” hits album, and they definitely made hesitant fans reconsider buying the album ó I know I left with a copy.

But the concert really began when Maestro Albert-George Schram and the Columbus Symphony took the stage and began the impressive extended symphonic introduction to ìZak and Sara.” It wasnít until a few seconds of high energy instrumentals had passed that Folds ran out on stage, hitting the piano just in time to start the piano intro fans recognized.† For me this was symbolic of the way the whole concert integrated the orchestra and Folds so seamlessly.

The Symphony was not just playing thrown-together whole notes under his hits, but rather full-blown orchestrations which exploited the full potential of the orchestra (and choir) to bring new life to parts of Foldsí repertoire.† The effect was impressive.† The chemistry between Folds and Schram was obvious and disarming.† Despite his huge popularity, Foldís stage presence is not intimidating; indeed he seemed almost nervous at times.† At one point, when a fan yelled out ìRock this B****,” a Ben Folds concert tradition, he stopped his introduction and said with all sincerity ìStop, youíre going to embarrass me in front of my fancy band,” eliciting some laughs from the orchestra.

From that high-energy intro onward, the concert was a whirlwind tour-de-force of songs from all over Foldsí music career.† The concert included a number of songs from 1997ís ìWhatever and Ever Amen,” which were some of the best orchestrations ó ìSmoke” and the unexpected choice ìOne Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces,” but also ìCologne” and ìEffington,” two songs from his newest album ìWay to Normal.”† He even did one song off his yet-to-be released Nicholas Hornby collaboration, a depressing but upbeat song called ìPicture Window.” I would have liked to see a song or two from ìBen Folds Five” and more from ìThe Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner,” but thatís the problem with Ben Folds; he has too many songs to play all the good ones at one show.† As it is, every selection he played with the orchestra was a good song made better by the energetic accompaniment of the Columbus Symphony.

When the show felt short after the orchestra was finished, the fans rose and demanded an encore.† With impressive dedication, Folds didnít just play one more song.† Sending the orchestra home, he remained on stage and played five more songs for his fans by himself at the piano.† This coda felt like an extra concert in and of itself, featuring missed favorites like ìArmy” and bringing the kind of impromptu, interactive energy that Benís live shows are famous for, that couldnít quite be accomplished with the pre-rehearsed orchestra numbers.

Ben Folds is not just a rocker, he is a musician, one might go as far as to say a music dork.† He introduced Effington with an anecdote about the Lydian mode.† So it is absolutely fitting that Folds should excel in concert with ìserious musicians” ñ heís always been one of their number.