Ben Folds and a Piano (Ft. Worth, TX)
Lindsay Kraft opens the show closing her set with Ben on piano.
As a warm-up to an evening with Ben Folds and his piano, Lindsay Kraft—who, as Ben later revealed, only began playing piano at her 40th birthday—captivated the audience with a set of deeply authentic and personal songs. Her performance was both tender and powerful, culminating in a memorable moment when she sat beside the night’s headliner, singing her own music with him at the keys.
Ben Folds
It started with “punk rock for sissies” and some 30 years later Ben Folds songwriting has impacted the minds of fans worldwide regardless of needing to get through a breakup “Song for the Dumped”, realized life isn’t easy and you’re “Still Fighting It” or you just realize “What Matters Most” his catalogue has been not only a story from his life, but yours as well.
Ben Folds
So on a stormy Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas, Ben brought his energy and electrified adoring fans who knew every note and word, prepared to be band and chorus as one piano commanded Tannahill’s Music Hall.
Ben Folds
Everyone in the house was “So there” as they boarded the bus to “Effington” where Ben told stories of his early songwriting that went from childlike ideas to evolving to writing a song about having 2 dicks!
Ben Folds
“Don’t Change Your Plans” sang Ben as he though perhaps a “Lullaby” would slow the night down, but he pivoted to “The Last Polka” before serving up “All U Can Eat” to the adoring chorus of voices joining along in song.
Ben Folds
Digging deep into his back catalogue Ben treated the audience to both the stories and songs of “Eddie Walker” and “Fred Jones, Part 2” because he’s “Still Fighting It” and couldn’t forget owing a song to his daughter “Gracie” because Ben is “Capable of Anything”!
Ben Folds
From there Ben shared his Conan O’Brien pirate story because you’ve got to “Learn To Live With What You Are” which completely “Evaporated” the calmness of the room when everyone realized collectively “What Matters Most” as they “Landed”… oh wait, what are the lyrics? Suddenly, channeling his inner Merle Haggard with "The Bottle Let Me Down" Ben goes country in the heart of Fort Worth, but making sure everyone was aware he “Rock(‘ed) This Bitch” before taking off from that rocky “Landing” and giving the audience the energy to raise the room in song!
Ben Folds
The sing-a-long continued, but Ben was wrong thinking "You Don’t Know Me” because every voice in the room knew every note. An “Army” of voices sang in harmony crescendoing into a roar of applause and cheers that forced Ben to bring out “One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces” that took the audience back to 1997.
Ben Folds
Overall, everyone left the show satisfied they were taken on a musical journey of a career that has brought joy and meaning to legions of fans who truly loved such an intimate performance of a cherished musician who never disappoints.
Ben Folds