Piano-pop legend Ben Folds has been entertaining crowds around the world for nearly 20 years, playing a unique brand of music. When he was at Nottingham Rock City, reporter Sam Dimmer - with his mum - went to see if he can still cut it after almost two decades.
By Sam Dimmer
NO MATTER how old you are, how many bands you have seen, or what planet you have been on, you will never have seen anything or anyone quite like Ben Folds.
Mr Folds, a 42-year-old from America, is short, not particularly attractive, and is the self-proclaimed king of the geeks.
He also plays rock piano, and after something like ten albums I'm still not entirely sure what that is - playing the piano really hard?
But none of that matters.
You see, Ben Folds is one of the most talented, entertaining musicians in the world today.
What he does is startlingly original, and insanely catchy. His songs are heartfelt, funny and warm.
And most importantly they all demand you to sing along. For a man who has only occasionally visited the outskirts of chart country, everyone seems to know the words to every song.
Before Ben hits the stage we are treated to a performance from another talented oddball, a long-haired chap by the name of Corn Mo.
He played an accordion, which is never a good start, but he had a brilliant voice.
And perhaps more surprisingly, he was absolutely hilarious. Well worth getting to Rock City early for.
When Mr Folds, the pint-sized piano-pop playing legend, takes to the stage, he barely acknowledges the crowd.
He races into new track Errant Dog, and immediately follows it with old favourite Gone.
Throughout the gig new songs and old were mixed with gusto, the old songs sounded familiar, fun and still very very catchy whilst the new stuff was fresh and exciting.
His new album is out in September, and all the signs point to it being better than last album Songs for Silverman.
But this is the now and the set it still littered with classic old tracks.
There's very little from his distant past, but anything of quality from his two solo albums gets an airing.
The beautiful Still Fighting It (featuring the refrain, "everyone knows it sucks to grow up") goes down a treat whilst Underground, the song that effectively broke Ben Folds in the UK, is greeted like an old friend.
He bashes through the classics, dropping a superb cover of The Postal Service's Such Great Heights in-between well-known tracks like Gracie, Landed, Annie Waits and Kate.
But the chances are that means very little to most people, because Folds remains something of an unknown, unsung hero.
The Rock City is totally packed out though - even England rugby superstar Danny Hipkiss is singing along with me and my mum.
Ben Folds' latest album Songs for Silverman is out now. If you haven't heard him, give it a go.
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