Parco Di Paestum

Walking among ancient Greek ruins in Italy.

Amalfi Coast

A little sunshine at the Amalfi coast.

Ben Howard at Radio City Music Hall

I went to see Ben Howard perform at Radio City Music Hall on Monday night. I am writing this post at 12:30 am because I am too wired to sleep. I needed this big dose of live music.  Howard's opening act was a group called Daughter.  I am posting an audio by them from YouTube for a quick listen.  This group is fantastic live and the lyrics are quite beautiful.  I may just download their album because I enjoyed them so much.  Let's see where we are after I write this entry.  

Back to Ben Howard.  First let's talk about the music.  He's a gorgeous musician.  I am not talking physical attributes here, I am talking about his complete presence in his creative expression of music.  His band rocked it out tonight.  I've seen him live when he performed in Central Park last year (or was it 2 years ago?) and that night the mood was a lot more low key. To see him perform with a bit more up tempo made the place blaze up in a glorious fire of sound.  Ben Howard is fantastic live. I couldn't stop moving and they (Ben Howard and his band) were jamming up there and a three minute studio song would be a 12 minute overture with guitar riffs...and it was at times a bit chaotic but he'd bring it back to the essential rhythm/chorus of the song.  Fantastic, fantastic listening to them play.

On a personal note, I've been having a hard time of late.  I've been sick with a bad cold and still grieving over Pandora... but it was really great to find this experience so enjoyable.  I just thought my grumpy mood would really prevent me from being able to take in the music but it lit an ember inside my belly.  I felt real joy as the songs washed over me.  It soothed me in a way that I wasn't quite expecting...for that I am very grateful.  :-)

Anyway, my one itsy complaint was the trippy light effects and videos playing in the background.  At times both were so disconcerting, I wanted to throw up.  I think it was hitting that migraine nerve and I had to keep closing my eyes, which was fine...I was still able to enjoy the music. I don't know if the light cues were along with the band or if it was a site decision but I gotta tell you in this case, less would have worked better.  

I've picked below a YouTube video of a solo studio session with Ben Howard.  It's so quiet but so beautiful.  The song is called I Forget Where We Are.   Enjoy, L~

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