Ben Folds OPENING??

[kevhender]

Did anybody else go to the Ben Folds show at Wolftrap tonight?  Was anyone else shocked that he was OPENING for Rufus Wainwright?  I think the crowd was 80% gone by the end of the show.  I've never seen such a mass exodus before the "headliner".  Everyone that was left was sitting down, lost of them passed out on their backs.  What a terrible decision by somebody...

[cheechako]

I'm pretty sure that on each night of the tour they switch off who's playing first and who's playing second. It's not really a matter of opening; Ben Lee was the "official" opener.

[eros]

They were co-headliners, but I expected Ben to be the bigger draw and play last.  At least I saved an hour on the babysitter.
 
 I wonder who will play first on the Ash/Ben Folds tour??  

[eros]

Funniest thing I've ever seen at a show...watching the sign language interpreter trying to follow along to his cover of "Bitches Ain't Shit".
 
 Ben told her she would need to wash her hands after the song.

[kosmo vinyl]

Originally posted by eros:
 
 
 I wonder who will play first on the Ash/Ben Folds tour??      

what a horrible combination....  Ash fans will win the after show rumble.

[TimCooke]

I was really disappointed by the flow of the show.  Ben Folds really put on a fantastic show and I wish he would have played for an hour longer.  It was such a downer to have Rufus come on after him.  I was part of the Mass exodus!

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Not really fair to judge Rufus like that if you didn't even stay for his damn show.
 
 Jeez, it's not like Ben Fold is some goddamn musical genius or something.
 
   

Originally posted by CookieMonster:
  I was really disappointed by the flow of the show.  Ben Folds really put on a fantastic show and I wish he would have played for an hour longer.  It was such a downer to have Rufus come on after him.  I was part of the Mass exodus!

[kcjones119]

I agree, what is it about him that inspires such exclusive devotion?
 
 I went when they played together last year and honestly thought Rufus was the best but I didn't pull up stakes after his set.
 
   

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
  Not really fair to judge Rufus like that if you didn't even stay for his damn show.
 
 Jeez, it's not like Ben Fold is some goddamn musical genius or something.
 
     

Originally posted by CookieMonster:
  I was really disappointed by the flow of the show.  Ben Folds really put on a fantastic show and I wish he would have played for an hour longer.  It was such a downer to have Rufus come on after him.  I was part of the Mass exodus!

[/b]

[kcjones119]

[challenged]

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer:
  Not really fair to judge Rufus like that if you didn't even stay for his damn show.
 
 Jeez, it's not like Ben Fold is some goddamn musical genius or something.
 
   

Originally posted by CookieMonster:
  I was really disappointed by the flow of the show.  Ben Folds really put on a fantastic show and I wish he would have played for an hour longer.  It was such a downer to have Rufus come on after him.  I was part of the Mass exodus!

[/b]

Since it appears that they were only each going to play 50 minute sets, I had no problem with Ben going on in the earlier slot.  Stayed for 20 minutes of Rufus' set and while his voice is amazing.  His songs just don't do it for me.
 
 While Ben might not be within Charlie/Rhett's definition of musical genius, his songs appeal to me and he has a unique showmanship going for him.
 
 As always, to each his own.

[bimperatore]

I was definitely there for Ben Folds, but stayed most of the Rufus show until the pregnant designated driver needed to leave.  I enjoyed the Wainwright tunes, especially when he played guitar and also when he did an amazing cover of Buckley's Hallelujah.  Did they do any tunes together at the end?

[revwolfe]

I was myself suprised that there was no encore.  If they had come on and done a duet of sorts...or even something from the Bens EP (2 of them were there, and rufus could have easily fit in) the show could have been saved.  I don't mind rufus, as his voice is amazing and he is kinda funny, but so much of his music just isn't all that fun to listen to.  The same goes for Ben Lee.  While Ben Lee's set was exciting and good, I bought his CD which sounds good but is really lacking for lyrics, which made me feel like I was duped into buying the CD.  All in all, the show was decent, but just didn't do it for me, as Ben Folds' best shows are in intimate venues like 930.
 
 And if you want interesting lyrics, try listening to Wainwright's "The Gay Messiah"

[chancegardener]

"amazing cover of Buckley's Hallelujah" -- actually it is Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah".

[Lamb007]

Give it a few more spins. I was lukewarm on it at first but it's grown on my considerably over the past couple months.
 
 

Originally posted by revwolfe:
  While Ben Lee's set was exciting and good, I bought his CD which sounds good but is really lacking for lyrics, which made me feel like I was duped into buying the CD.

[you be betty]

i'm glad i read this...
 i missed this show, but i'm in LA right now and am seeing this show out here the 18th.  i was set that ben would close; i saw this show last year at wolf trap and he closed and i just had assumed that he'd close.  i love rufus very much, but i'd think that ben would be a better closing act, anyway.  a nicer feeling in your mouth at the end of the night.
 
 
 i wonder who will close here...