Ben Sollee

[Mr. White]

This is the first thread solely dedicated to Ben Sollee.

He will be playing a 45 minute set tomorrow (August 17, 2013) from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm as part of the Free Block Party celebrating 50 years of Louisville's Actors Theatre. The Block Party will take place in downtown Louisville between 3rd and 4th Streets. There are activities from 1 pm until 10 pm. The music doesn't start until 6:00 - when Ben plays his set.

http://actorstheatre.org/events/50th-anniversary-block-party-2013-2014/

[johnnYYac]

I stumbled into Ben waiting for Jim outside Royale in Boston this past April, after Jim's solo show.  Along with being an amazing musician, he's a really nice guy.

[Mr. White]

I took my wife up to Louisville to catch Ben's 40 minute set during the Actors Theatre's 50th Anniversary Block Party. Even though the show was kind of short, it was still great. Ben's son, Oliver Sollee, made several special appearances during the show.

Here are a few photos.








Ollie Sollee guests in this video of Ben playing Paul Simon's Obvious Child.

[Mr. White]

Here's Ben performing DIY from his most recent album, Half-Made Man. Oliver Sollee makes another special appearance to demonstrate proper sword handling techniques and to assist with audio technical questions.

Ben Sollee - DIY - Actors Theatre's 50th Anniversary - Louisville - 8/17/2013

[Mr. White]

Here is Something, Somewhere, Sometime off of the Jim James produced Dear Companion album by Ben and Daniel Martin Moore.

(Oliver made another special appearance to demonstrate his masterful sword handling skills and is joined by his friend, Tristan.)

Ben sollee - Something, Somewhere, Sometime - Actors Theatre's 50th Anniversary - 8/17/2013

[Mr. White]

Ben will be back in Kentucky (Lexington) for a special show at The Kentucky Theatre on September 19, 2013. The concert is being put on by UK's Student Activities Board, and the tickets are only $10 (Free for UK students)!

I will be going for sure!

http://www.uksab.org/Pages/ben-sollee-2013

Well, it turns out I didn't get to go to this one. Hopefully next time...

[Mr. White]

I just opened up my e-mai to find a nice surprise. It is a free download of 10 cover songs Ben has been working on. It has been made available for free. When you download it, it gives you a prompt to leave a "tip" for Ben, if you want to. It is a suggested "tip" of $5. I guess you can give more or less or none at all. The download is free. I gave a $5 "tip" using the PayPal link provided. This download is worth it to me just to get his version of Tom Waits' Chocolate Jesus.

http://www.noisetrade.com/bensollee/the-hollow-sessions

[BH]

I just opened up my e-mai to find a nice surprise. It is a free download of 10 cover songs Ben has been working on. It has been made available for free. When you download it, it gives you a prompt to leave a "tip" for Ben, if you want to. It is a suggested "tip" of $5. I guess you can give more or less or none at all. The download is free. I gave a $5 "tip" using the PayPal link provided. This download is worth it to me just to get his version of Tom Waits' Chocolate Jesus.

http://www.noisetrade.com/bensollee/the-hollow-sessions

Nice!  I'm on it!

[Mr. White]

I got to see Ben play another show at Headliners Music Hall in Louisville again last night (Jan. 16, 2014). I got there early enough to claim a front row table in the balcony that I shared with a couple of new friends that got there early as well. I'll post some more thoughts and photos of the show later. I just wanted to get this first video up for now. It is the song, "It's Not Impossible" and features Ben, Jordan Ellis, and Jim James' bass player Alana Rocklin.

Ben Sollee - It's Not Impossible - Headliners Music Hall - 1/16/2014

[Mr. White]

Here is a new song from Ben that hasn't been released yet. I'm not sure of the title.

Ben Sollee - New Unreleased Song - Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, Kentucky - 1/16/2014

[Mr. White]

Here are the first two songs of the encore. The first one is Ben's song, Huddle on the Roof, and the second song is a cover of Stevie Wonder's Master Blaster (Jammin').

Ben Sollee - Huddle on the Roof & Master Blaster (Jammin') - Stevie Wonder Cover - Headliners

[johnnYYac]

Recently picked up Ben's first album on vinyl.  Its only $10, I got 20% off, and it was 40% off recently.  The folks at Karate Body Records are wicked nice.  Oh, and the album is amazing!!!

http://karatebodyrecords.bigcartel.com/product/ben-sollee-learning-to-bend



I ran into Ben right after Jim's show in Boston last April.  Nice guy, too!

[Mr. White]

Here are the last two songs of Ben's show at Headliners last Thursday (1/16/2014) - Bury Me With My Car and A Change Is Gonna Come.

Ben Sollee - Bury Me With My Car & A Change Is Gonna Come - Headliners - Louisville - 1/16/2014

[Mr. White]

Here are a few photos I took from the balcony of Headliners.

[Mr. White]

Ben Sollee and Jim James playing "Electrified"

[Mr. White]

Ben will be the headliner for tomorrow's (now today's) WFPK Waterfront Wednesday.

"WFPK Waterfront Wednesday is held on the  Big Four Lawn, located just west of the Big Four Bridge. Gates open at 5 p.m. ... Ben Sollee (approx. 9 p.m.) "

http://wfpk.org/2014/wfpk-waterfront-wednesday-july-30/

[Mr. White]

Ben will be the headliner for tomorrow's (now today's) WFPK Waterfront Wednesday.

"WFPK Waterfront Wednesday is held on the  Big Four Lawn, located just west of the Big Four Bridge. Gates open at 5 p.m. ... Ben Sollee (approx. 9 p.m.) "

http://wfpk.org/2014/wfpk-waterfront-wednesday-july-30/

This turned out to be a really special show. The crowd was one of the biggest turn-outs for WFPK Waterfront Wednesdays ever, and they were really into Ben's set. I had gotten there pretty early (about 5:45 pm, with the first of three acts going on right at 6:00 pm). I sat in my fold-up chair between the stage and the soundboard for the first two acts (with a whole lot of other well-prepared people). When the hard-core fans of The Deloreans left the rail area after their set, I decided to pack up the chair and move up. I settled in to the 5th row of people just before Ben took the stage. They had worked up an "interactive" light show that was controlled by one of the Actors Theater dancers. She would move to the music and trigger effects on a laptop computer that was connected to a projector. It was kind of low budget, but it was something new for a Ben Sollee show and is said to be a work in progress. I liked the added visual effects. There were also some special guests who sat in for a song or two and read a poem or two. Rachel Grimes of Louisville's The Rachels played keyboards for a couple of songs, another Actors Theater dancer/actor performed during a song, Louisville Mayor, Greg Fischer and WFPK music director and DJ, Kyle Meredith both read poems by local author, Wendell Berry, and several friends and musicians (including members of Houndmouth) came out for the final song of the night. Overall, I think the fans (and those new to Ben's music - It was a free show that always attracts new people) loved their time on the Big Four Bridges Lawn.

Here is the final song of the evening. It is a 10 minute version of Blue Moon Of Kentucky.

http://youtu.be/aar2irFYtcQ?list=UUPOt_reNzgvb_TNXqtzCgpg

[Mr. White]

Ben posted this photo by the Forum's very own Kory (Johnson)!

http://bensollee.com/
https://twitter.com/bensollee
https://www.facebook.com/bensollee
http://koryjohnsonphotography.com/about/
https://www.facebook.com/Koryjohnsonphotography
https://twitter.com/koryjohnsonfoto



I then went to his Interweb site (then to his facebook site) and he had posted a couple more photos from this show. Thanks Kory!





Now, here are a few of my photos taken from about 5 rows back.

[Mr. White]

The only other video I took last Wednesday during Ben's set at WFPK Waterfront Wednesdays was when he invited Louisville's Mayor, Greg Fischer, on stage to say a few words about the importance of planting trees and to read a poem about trees by famed Kentucky author, Wendell Berry.

http://youtu.be/X66dWYKyGf8?list=UUPOt_reNzgvb_TNXqtzCgpg

[e_wind]

It was definitely a solid waterfront Wednesday. I'm not a huge fan, but I really dug his set that night.

Was it just me, or was that the youngest WW crowd ever? It looked like a highschool carnival