Skip to content
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Derek
    • Gary
    • Halley/Celeste
    • Paul
    • Ricky
    • Vik
  • Concerts
  • Reviews
    • Albums
    • Venue
    • Movies
    • Year End Reviews
  • Festivals
    • Canadian Music Week
    • Hot Docs
    • North By Northeast
    • Planet in Focus
    • Primavera
    • South By Southwest
  • Contact Us
Menu
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Derek
    • Gary
    • Halley/Celeste
    • Paul
    • Ricky
    • Vik
  • Concerts
  • Reviews
    • Albums
    • Venue
    • Movies
    • Year End Reviews
  • Festivals
    • Canadian Music Week
    • Hot Docs
    • North By Northeast
    • Planet in Focus
    • Primavera
    • South By Southwest
  • Contact Us

Concert Review: Ben Howard, April 5, Mod Club

Posted on
9 Apr 2012
by
Paul

Ben Howard is a British folkie whose star definitely seems to be on the rise.  He made a big impact at this year’s SXSW, impressing Gary as well as some British woman I shared a shuttle bus with one night.  That informal poll of exactly two people suggested to me that he was going places, obviously.  The thing is, I had never heard of this guy until SXSW, yet apparently he’s pretty huge already.  So before the show, I took it upon myself to familiarize myself with his debut album Every Kingdom.  First impression after a few listens: production-wise, the album sounded great and Howard’s got quite a few catchy songs.  The impression I got was that he’s kind of like the Brit answer to Ray LaMontagne.  He’s got that same sort of vibe to his performance as well as sharing an ability with LaMontagne to attract a largely female audience.  

Walking into the Mod Club shortly before 8:30 on a Thursday night, I really didn’t expect this place to be as packed as it was.  I take it that Howard and his bandmates were also a little taken aback and pleasantly surprised by the turnout as well.  There was a fair bit of enthusiasm on display from the audience and more than a few shouts of “I Love You Ben!” (and at least one fellow who professed his love for Howard’s bass player)  With that kind of enthusiasm, it’s easy to get swept up in it all.  I even found myself joining in on the singalongs for songs like “Old Pine” and “Keep Your Head Up,” though I imagine it didn’t have quite the same effect as when Gary saw him play a church.

Not that everyone in attendance was entirely enamoured of the show that night.  I overheard one (drunk) girl in the crowd complaining that the rest of the audience weren’t quite into it enough: “No one’s enjoying themselves.  They’re all chill.”  Another guy outside commented that the show was “…underwhelming.  A lot of wanking and it wasn’t even interesting wanking.”  Yes, I like to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations and later quote them in my reviews … don’t judge me.  All complaints aside though, Howard knows how to put on a fairly impressive show.

PrevPreviousConcert Review: School of Seven Bells, April 5, Black Cat
NextConcert Review: Naked and Famous, Vacationer, Now, Now, April 5, Sound AcademyNext

SEARCH

FOLLOW US

Facebook Twitter Flickr Foursquare Rss Inbox

THE PAST

Archives

TAGS

Tags
British Music Embassy (10) Canadian Music Fest (11) canadian music week (18) cmf (10) cmw (40) concert (9) el mocambo (9) fringe (26) Great Lake Swimmers (10) guelph (9) horseshoe tavern (23) hot docs (103) jazz (12) Joel Plaskett (10) jukebox the ghost (15) lee's palace (27) marina and the diamonds (10) Massive Attack (10) mod club (12) NXNE (94) of monsters and men (11) Phoenix (15) play reviews (11) Pulp (11) Roskilde Festival (16) rural alberta advantage (10) sharon van etten (10) suede (12) summerworks (34) SXSW (479) SXSW 2022 (11) SXSW 2024 (11) SXSW Online (18) the antlers (11) the cure (9) the national (10) the xx (11) Tokyo Police Club (9) Toronto (25) toronto fringe (14) Toronto Jazz Festival (55) turf (13) tweeview (10) Video (9) zeus (10)
The Panic Manual

We are a collective of individuals bringing you the latest in concert reviews, indie, britpop, Canadian, twee and all sorts of other music, movies, tv and everything else you like. Follow the manual to live a pleasant and fulfilling life.

All rights reserved