Last weekend marked the tenth anniversary of Ben Howard’s critically acclaimed and Ivor Novello-nominated album ‘I Forgot Where We Were’, and what better way to celebrate for both fan and artist than with a UK and EU tour to commemorate such a body of work. One of the leading musical figures in the alt-folk field over the past fifteen years, the now 37-year-old shot to fame with one of the most delicately and widely received projects ‘Every Kingdom’ in 2011, where he quickly built up his creative reputation and name as an artist having been nominated for the Mercury Prize.
Just three years later, having shot to fame in the public eye, he returned with his second studio album ‘I Forgot Where We Were’, a project combining a differential tone with more experimental textures and layers. Now fourteen years from the project that introduced his prowess to the world, he sits with five studio albums in his discography and a countless number of festivals and countries travelled to perform his art.
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Bringing his latest tour to the south coast last week, Ben Howard showcased his immersive and commendable talent in full, playing an almost two-hour-long set at the prestigious Brighton Centre venue nestled along the seafront. Taking to the stage initially with eight band members, Howard’s setlist followed a complete run-through of ‘I Forgot Where We Were’, albeit in a different order with extended versions of each track offering more instrumentalised imagination. An ethereal experience that transcended the beauty of musical introspection, the haunting beauty of Howard’s music and his unique ability to connect with the audience on a deeply emotional level shone through second to none.
Opening up the evening with a breathtaking rendition of ‘End of the Affair’, a track that builds from a simple finger-picking progression to an overwhelming crescendo, Howard instantly captivated the crowd by hanging on every word and every swell in the music, using the inside of the guitar at times for a live reverb.
The backing band (and I use that term extremely lightly) were just as impressive; a carefully thought orchestration added a completely different and immersive live aspect to the music, each layer of instrumentation reverberating around the room in cacophonic harmony. Not once portrayed as a ‘backing’ band but more a synonymously intertwined essential to the performance, effortless vocals from Howard embedded delicately in the vacant pockets of sound left.
The interplay between the shimmering guitars, rolling percussion, and lush synths created a wall of sound that seemed to envelop the crowd, making every note feel immersive, with the added layers of depth and texture to his already complex soundscapes creating a four-dimensional element to the music.
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Despite thirteen years passing since many of our first introductions to his music, Ben’s voice remains a timelessly unique and raspy number that can hold a room off a single note, vastly different from the somewhat introverted stage presence shown when his music isn’t playing. Deftly harmonising in the encore for ‘Conrad’ and projecting a louder, broadcasted vocal for a special performance of his older track ‘The Burren’ earlier on in the evening, his dynamic range was ever-present throughout. Every track was delivered with heartfelt intensity, and flickers of his introspective world in the medium through transmission were accompanied by soft, ambient hues contrasting with vibrant colours and intense strobing at times, combining to offer a virtuous feeling of tangibility.
The evening offered warming nostalgia to those who opted for ‘I Forgot Where We Were’ to form part of their soundtrack to the last decade, and Ben Howard showed exactly why his name is always high on the list of creative artistry conversations.
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Words: Harvey Marwood
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