In June of 2015, I had the great privilege of hearing Ben Howard peform live at the Grand Arena in Cape Town. I have not stopped talking about it since.
The 2014 album, Forget Where We Were, was the focus of the show. Although beforehand I favoured Every Kingdom as Howard's best album to date, I left the Grand Arena with an immense appreciationi for each song on Forget Where We Were. It was an understated performance, absent of the showmanship common to successful acts performing live. The band is comprised of lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, Ben Howard, along with classically trained cellist, vocalist and bassist, India Bourne and phenomenal drummer, Chris Bond. The band's seemless chemistry on stage is on par with the quality of their recorded work. The band treated its listeners to slow and complex intro's and appeared to enjoy each moment of the performance, which was of course, contagious.
Howard describes the album as being more introverted than the band's previous work and this was evident in the band's live delivery. It is difficult to refer to a particular high point on Forget Where We Were as the songs seem to work together to take listeners on a beautiful journey as the album progresses. Thoughtful, melancholic lyrics are wrapped around gentle, emotive melodies that cast a spell on the audience. The lyrics and feel of Rivers in Your Mouth resonate with me on a personal level. Perhaps my favourite stanza in the song being
'And you showed me hope amidst the harlequins in Spring
And you told me life was learning how to be your friend'
It seems Ben Howard has moved away from the feel good, guitar-driven style of Every Kingdom and towards a more wistful, atmospheric sound. Each of the albums to date has a unique depth to it and it is exciting to see the development of the band. In Forget Where We Were, Howard combines electric and acoustic guitar work and continues to use the alternative tunings that have come to characterise his sound. The lyrics of the album read like poetry, and speak of both personal and universal reflection. It is here that Howard's journalistic background is most evident, considerably more than in the band's previous offerings. Another favourite stanza of mine comes from the song, Small Things, and reads
'Wrapped up in empathy,The chemicals are pushing passed my bloodHold all my cliches on the tip of my tongueTo tell you that it's love'
This is perhaps the strongest lyrical song on the album, although I seem to change my mind on every listen. This is evidence of the depth of Forget Where We Were, making for a repeat-ready selection of tracks.
A point of frustration during Howard's concert was the narrow interest of the crowd. With many audience members shouting their requests for big tracks off Every Kingdom, some of the musical journey of the show was lost. Howard handled this graciously, with an "I'm hearing a lot of please, and not a lot of thank you" and continuing with a pre-prepared set. Online reports hint at previous shows where Howard was not able to keep his cool in such instances, and as a great appreciator of a musically-focused performance, I don't believe he can be blamed. It is disappointing to see that listeners are not committed to hearing what an artist has to offer, but rather more interested in the hype created by a big international act's appearance and the performance of his most radio-friendly tracks. However, my research comforts me in terms of seeing that this attitude is not unique to South African audiences.
It is an incredible privilege to have heard a favourite selection of songs performed live and it is something I would encourage everyone to do at every opportunity, particularly when those songs are created by Ben Howard. It is my hope that as the music industry develops, listeners will become as enchanted by the intricacies of an honest performance as I have come to be. Forget Where We Were is a masterpiece of an album and it is exciting to think of where Ben Howard will lead us next.
