Ben Harper Live With The L.A. Philharmonic At The Hollywood Bowl!

Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals played with the L.A. Philharmonic for the first time ever at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday night, and it was nothing short of breathtaking. It was the perfect Summer evening under a full moon, and the crowd gathered together at the Bowl was in a fantastic mood. For good reason. Harper has reunited with the Innocent Criminals - a great thing - but this time they had about 50 more in their posse, as the Orchestra players joined the band for this one special night.

There was an air of anticipation and excitement above it all, as people knew this was historic, that Harper had never played with a full orchestra before - and in his hometown - so the also historic venue was full of family, friends, and longtime fans. The buzz grew as the seats filled with picnickers and the sun set as the moon rose.

The opening act was City and Colour (aka Dallas Green), with a solo acoustic set. He (and it's just a lone guy ala the trend of guys naming themselves a couple of things, like Iron and Wine) was an interesting choice to open, as it was pretty mellow. I'm comparing it to the utter disco inferno of Harper's openers the last time at the Bowl (Fitz & The Tantrums), who really got the night going. Green's slow songs mostly about death were not nearly as invigorating, but that didn't stop several gals from shouting, "I love you, Dallas!" throughout his set, putting us all at ease that Green is indeed loved. Or was loved, as the rest of his songs were about lost love. "Just keep your negative tweets to a minimum," Green implored, and I'm sure that worked out, because after he closed with his popular "Lover Come Back" song, he had certainly created a bunch more new fans. Green left the stage saying, "Thank you to Ben ... You're in for one hell of a night!" Yessss.

A brief intermission (soundtracked by Nick Drake) followed, where people poured more wine and stretched. I also noticed a lot more grey heads in the crowd. Grey heads getting coffees for the show. Harper has been playing his multi-genre music for decades now, and his ardent fans have now grown up with him and are sharing his music with their families. It was very much a family affair.

Harper and his original Innocent Criminals took the stage kind of subtly, other than the spiffy suits they wore for the occasion. They got right down to business with a fiery version of "Fight For Your Mind" that featured a guitar and bass battle between Harper and crowd favorite, bassist Juan Nelson. Nelson SHREDDED his bass apart, and Harper graciously cried "Uncle" before the song merged into Buddy Miles' "Them Changes" with Nelson on vocals. The gauntlet was thrown even before the notes of the first song had died out ... and the Orchestra hadn't even shown up yet!

"Thank you! It's a privilege to be here with you tonight!", shouted Harper over the roaring applause. They went right into the very Rastafari number "Finding Our Way" from the latest BHIC album Call It What It Is. The Bowl was lit up in reggae red, green, and yellow as Harper tipped his hat to Bob Marley with a snippet of "Trenchtown Rock" woven in for good measure. "One good thing about music is when it hits you feel no pain!", Harper sang as we all for sure felt absolutely no pain, because this night was already ruling. Harper must have thought so too, as he looked around seemingly in awe of it all.  He name checked a bunch of Inland Empire towns ("Claremont! Cucamonga!") and added, "Your boy made good." Indeed, he did. And when the band lit into the dreamy "Into The Colors", everyone let him know with their whistles, cheers, and yes, "I love you, Bens!"

That one was utterly lovely, and then the entire Bowl sang "Happy Birthday" to guitarist, Relentless 7 hold-over, Jason Mozersky, as a roadie brought out a cake for him to quickly blow candles out on before they went into "Shine", the new one with the catchy, "If you were all I had, I would have it all" chorus.

People loved it, but you could tell they were not yet as familiar with it as the ones like "Welcome To The Cruel World" that came next. People roared to hear the opening chords on Harper's signature Weissenborn of a song that is over 20 years old now - and as great as ever.

The night would only get greater from there, as Harper brought out L.A. Philharmonic conductor, Thomas Wilkins, to introduce the orchestra. "Good evening, Brother!" said Wilkins as he gave Harper a bear hug, in what is clearly a friendship based on mutual admiration. Wilkins said he'd been to Harper's family music store in Claremont and was "like a kid in a candy store" as they are both "instrument geeks". Wilkins asked Harper at what age he switched over to the Weissenborn, and Harper answered that he never switched, "That's where I started." As the musicians filed onstage, Wilkins asked when was the last time Harper had something like this behind him, to which Harper replied, "I've NEVER had something like this behind me before!" - letting us all know that we were in for something extra special.

The orchestra began tuning, and Wilkins said, "This is my favorite sound, because it means it's time to rock and roll!" It sure was. Harper turned around, taking it all in, and said, "That's a lot of Innocent Criminals, huh?!" The extra Criminals were dressed in white, setting them apart, if their clarinets, harps, horns, and strings didn't already do that. They began with the title track from the new album, the very heavy, social justice track "Call It What It Is (Murder)" that calls out murdering police officers to their faces. It had an extra weight with the orchestra playing behind it, and the band was TIGHT (which seems miraculous when you know how little practice there must have been with how much Harper tours). It felt important - and it is.

"Amen, Omen" with its majestic, soaring strings brought me to tears for the first time of the night - but it would not be the last. There's just something about symphonic music that touches my heart directly, and when it's being played over some of the most lovely, heartfelt lyrics ever, you just better have brought some tissue along. I wasn't alone either, I saw people dabbing their eyes - male and female - plenty on that one. The strings section was really showing off throughout, in fact, as they wove their magic through "Forgiven" next, and the whole thing was so gorgeous that Harper would turn around to listen to them during his lyrical rests. It was truly something else.

As was "Power Of The Gospel". First of all, for any act known mainly for rock and blues to come up with this beautiful gospel hymn to above and sing it so raw and meaningfully is pretty dang rare, but then to have it be accompanied by an orchestra of this stature, it really was a religious experience. Complete with the requisite guy yelling out, "Take us to Church, Ben!" He did, and he sang his heart out while doing it - taking off his hat out of respect while doing so. Wow. Just wow.

The crushingly beautiful instrumental "All My Heart Can Take" was next, and Harper turned his chair around to play his Weissenborn facing the orchestra. It was completely silent in the Bowl, save for the chirp of crickets in the surrounding hillside. The music began slow and lilting until building to a crescendo that was again so sublime I felt the tears sting my eyes and my chest tighten. The entire audience was transfixed, and transported up into the stars, where we were more than happy to stay. I'd rewind this part of the night over and over if it was taped, and in my mind, it was. I'm back there
now, in fact ...

'K, I'm back. And so was the show, with "Roses From My Friends", and then one of my favorites, "When She Believes". The song has always made me feel like I'm at an outdoor café in Paris, but now with its added strings and harp and all the glorious rest, it was elevated into something from a real symphony. When Harper sang the line, "Now I have heard a hundred violins crying", he turned and gestured to the orchestra with a big smile that let us know he was as thrilled as we were. He looked so happy that it was impossible to not feel as happy for him. He shared at song's end that he had written that song in 1998 for his daughter Harris on the occasion of him feeling like she believed in him to take care of her. There was very little stage banter as there was a strict curfew to adhere to, so it was nice to hear that little back story.

"Goodbye To You" featured a gorgeous, lush arrangement (all written by David Campbell in collaboration with Harper) that just made you want the night to never end. That's when Harper told us about how he too goes to shows, and just saw Radiohead at Outsidelands, and wanted them to play the hits, so he understands. "Burn One Down, Kisses, I know, I know! See you tomorrow in Santa Barbara!" - meaning that wasn't happening on this night, in this setting, with this orchestra. Exactly no one was mad at that.

You'd think it couldn't get better, but then they threw down, "How Dark Is Gone" and it was SO. GOOD. This one has a kind of Spaghetti Western soundtrack feel to it, and as such, feels automatically epic. Percussionist Leon Mobley was going OFF, and Harper joined him by shaking maracas while singing, as the rest of the band/orchestra made the whole thing simply SOAR. Looking around, all you saw were joyous, rapturous faces enjoying themselves to the fullest. Hit with music, and feeling no pain. Perfect.

Conductor Wilkins came down off his platform and held hands aloft with Harper, as they thanked each other and the audience for what had just been pulled off. There was no time for the usual make-'em-wait-for-an-encore, so they lit right into Harper's anthemic, "Better Way" - a song full of truth and passion that is perfect for these crazy times we're living in - even though it was written ten years ago. It's one of my favorites, and Harper pours every ounce of himself into it, every time.

If you were at that show, you know that we can do more than BELIEVE in a better way, we can DO something about it. That might mean going to a show like this and getting inspired, because so many people feel the same way you do. That might mean having that song get stuck in your head as you hum it to yourself on your commute, remembering Friday's incredible show. And hopefully that might mean that you start thinking of ways you can help to make sure that a better way is being implemented in your life, because every individual effort at making things better affects the whole. So, LET yourself be hit with the music. It truly matters.

Thank you to Ben Harper, The Innocent Criminals, The L.A. Philharmonic, Thomas Wilkins, David Campbell, and the wonderful Hollywood Bowl for giving us this magical night of music that no one there will ever forget.

*Photos By Paul Gronner

Mr. Harper's Opus - Ben Harper Plays The Walt Disney Concert Hall

In the final show of Ben Harper's fall solo acoustic tour, he single handedly brought down the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. One guy. A whole bunch of instruments. A completely rapt (and totally diverse, from race to age to gender) audience. You know it's going to be good when there's a standing ovation just because someone walks on stage.

That Disney stage creates kind of an in-the-round experience, as they fill the seats behind the stage as well, and all the seats seem to be good. People chatted about how many times they'd seen Ben Harper play, what they hoped he would play, if they'd heard his latest album with Charlie Musselwhite, if they'd seen him skate ... as genteel chamber music played and the seats slowly filled with lagging Angelenos.

Then the lights went out, and Harper came out to a thunderous ovation before one note had been played. Ever gracious, he accepted the love with wide waves, then sat down and picked up a banjo. All got quiet quick and WE LOVE YOU, BEN! Harper played a beautiful new instrumental, "The Long Road Home." The way the rolling notes of the banjo filled the acoustically perfect hall let us know this was going to be one night to remember. And that Ben has SKILLS.

"I was just talking with a friend and realized that this is the 20th anniversary of this next song. He asked me what I was going to do for that, and I said, 'I'm going to play it at Walt Disney Hall!" Loud cheers for that, of course, and "I was just sitting on a porch in Echo Park and out it tumbled." And out tumbled, "Welcome To The Cruel World" played on Harper's trademark Weissenborn guitar. Beautifully. It cannot be overstated how GOOD his instruments and voice sounded in this building ... like they were made for each other.

"People have to respect something in order to listen to it, which is the problem the government is having ... Government shut-downs?! When you have 20 million people without health care charging the White House, then you're really going to have a government shut-down!" Shades of the activist Harper were on display I LOVE YOU, BEN! as he lit into "Excuse Me, Mr." on his electric Fender, playing his pedals to strong effect in that space. That led into a story about meeting Lou Reed when they both played Carnegie Hall. Reed liked Ben's guitar so much that night that Harper sent it to him in the mail the following week. "If you want a New Yorker to not trust you, try to give them something!" Reed reciprocated and sent one of his own guitars back to Harper, of which a friend said, "Man, that looks dangerous.... This is for Lou." Lou got "Fight Outta You" - and so did we. He left it open for people to sing along at the end, which no one really did - except for the guy right next to me. Horribly, and off-key, and to every song. *Note to all: People are there to hear the artist they love play the songs they love - not your shower singing. Unless it's a sing-along, please never do that. Thanks.

Droves of people swarmed in during the applause, prompting Harper to remark, "I tried to make it by 7:30 on a Monday once in Los Angeles," making people laugh, but also noting the interruption. (There was Clipper game traffic, but still.) "Roses From My Friends", "Another Lonely Day", and "Diamonds On The Inside" were all played on acoustic guitar, all classics with the lovely ending flourishes that he puts on songs, and a humble wave in thanks.

BEN, I LOVE YOU! As Harper acknowledged yet another distracting, attention-needing shout-out, he said, "I love you too. As I've gotten older, the yells have gotten lower in octave ... which I think has followed the upward mobility of gay rights. In '94, you should've seen my black ass singing 'Mama's Got A Girlfriend' in Virgin Records. Now it's all 'I love the gays'. Yes, I'm Black. I'm a mixed bag, a mutt .... but once you've been racially-profiled and harassed by the cops enough, the 20th time, they pull you over and say, 'Mr. Harper, here's your Black Card." That became a story about how bookers would want to put him on bills with the Bad Brains or Living Color ... "You'd be amazed what Black people listen to ... I went to a P.E. show and it was all white folks!" That P.E. show became a riot with midgets running after them ... "Why is everyone running from midgets? Midgets will kick your ass ... You never see 'em coming!" This story never quite came in for a landing because Harper cracked himself up, and then said, "The talking bit I don't quite have down."

Harper said the highest honor is when his music is used in church, as many people have used his songs in their weddings, funerals, births, etc, though he said it can be a little daunting "When you say something at 20 that you may never say better." The tone quickly turned to romantic as he played a lovely acoustic "Forever". MY GIRLFRIEND AND I LOVE YOU, BEN!!

"You didn't come here for a course on racial relations, did you? (Yes, maybe we did.) Race is a smokescreen for the truth, which is we're all free to hate each other equally. (laughs, but I prefer love.) If they realize who they let in here and kick us out, we'll all meet on the court house steps and finish up over there." Had that happened, we all would have followed, happily. Anywhere, really.

These prominent gigs were not as easy to come by in 1994 and Harper told a story about being fed by friends at Toi on Sunset, "Toi kept us ALIVE!", living on sugar cookies, and playing with a hat out at Venice Beach (somehow I doubt that one ...) and being late for a gig at The Mint. They got rear-ended at a stoplight on the way, and because he was the car in front and had to make the gig, he hit the gas and got out of there. "Bounced!" They arrived at The Mint just in time to hear the last song by Mazzy Star, "Fade Into You". He then sat at the piano and played that gorgeous song for us. Bless him.

The Weissenborn returned for an instrumental medley that showed just exactly what the Disney Hall can do.  "Mutt/All My Heart Can Take" were so resonant, so powerful, so just HOLY SHIT is he good, that when Harper slapped the strings with authority to end it, the crowd just erupted. I still have chills now writing about it. That was about to go right into the opening chords of the life-saving "Lifeline" when HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEN! was bellowed (a month late) by a woman named Shawna (whose birthday is in December, we're all happy to know). Harper kindly returned the "Happy Birthday" and had an usher hand her his slide as a gift, and turned his chair to play to the back for her, with the condition that she return and have a similar conversation with Gustavo Dudamel (The L.A. Philharmonic conductor) during HIS show. Ha!

"After this long, all the shitheads are gone, and we all mean it," said Harper by means of introducing his next one on acoustic guitar, "Don't Give Up On Me Now." Judging from this night, he has absolutely nothing to worry about there. "You know, the laws are changing, there's a shifting of the tide, and I'd like to think I had something to do with helping certain laws become more liberal." He was on tour with reggae great (and one of my favorites) Damian Marley ("He's got his Black Card!") and Marley said, "(unintelligible rasta patois impression)" so I got my Jamaican interpreter and he said, 'Are you saying LIKE my fire or LIGHT my fire?" Harper smiled and said, "You know it's both!" and stood up walking around the entire stage singing "Burn One Down" to a delighted, totally on-board crowd that stood and cheered like crazy at the last chord, which ended the first set.

People stood and cheered until Harper returned and sat down saying, "2,500 of my closest friends!" He adjusted things and said, "Muddy Waters. John Lee Hooker. GNARLS BARKLEY!! began the shouting of names, but Harper's point was that "If they hadn't played with him yet, they KNEW him and wanted to play with him," to invite his most recent album's collaborator, Mr. Charlie Musselwhite out to join him!

Musselwhite sat down and opened his suitcase of harmonicas, Harper strapped on his Fender, and they proceeded to deliver us the real deal BLUES. "I'm In, I'm Out, And I'm Gone" showed how much these two coalesce their musicality together. "He came along and re-coded my genetics," was how Harper put it. They play off of each other seamlessly. "Don't Look Twice" had Harper switching to a jangly-stringed acoustic and together they completely FILLED the space with such amazing sound that at its end, Harper remarked, "I always wondered what it would sound like to be INSIDE a guitar. Now I know." I had been having the same thought before he said it. You were inside of and surrounded by every bent note.

"You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend)" was soulful, mournful, legit blues, and then they played one "slated for Charlie and I's second record," LOVE YOU, CHARLIE! called "I Trust You To Dig My Grave". It's clear that these masters of their craft are having a total ball playing together, and it's extremely infectious as people clapped along and shouted like they were in a blues bar and not a symphony hall. Music this good will do that. Charlie and Ben left the stage to another standing ovation, richly earned.

Harper rewarded the fans with another encore, by sitting right down at the upright piano and playing a new one, "I'm Trying Not To Fall In Love With You".  This is a dramatic one, with lots of thundering chords and excellent as ever lyrics. "This is just a game of (there was a pause so someone had to yell FOOLS! - Thanks.) Everyone knows about his guitar prowess, but it was a surprise to many that he throws down such piano chops as well (And would probably tear up a bassoon or a washboard or ANYthing else too. Being raised in a folk music store will do that). Harper's voice was as soaring as the high ceilings and when he slapped the piano keys at song's end, you couldn't hear yourself even think how good it was, the applause was so deafening.

INTO THE COLORS! came a request (that I don't recall being taken) from the balcony. "You wouldn't holler 'Mahler's 9th!' at Dudamel ... Let's respect the venue." Yes, let's. Instead, Harper played a lilting, folky-sounding version of "Steal My Kisses". He must have missed a note that I didn't hear, because he said, "Man, this is an unforgiving place." - meaning the acoustics, not the fans, who would forgive anything at this point.

Next came a special treat as Harper invited his Mother, Ellen, out to join him. They are working on an album together to come out THANK YOU, MOM! on Mother's Day next year, called "Childhood Home". They sat next to each other, she on acoustic, he on lap steel, to play a homesick for simpler times song called "City Of Dreams", written by his Mom. Simply lovely.

"This next song I've wanted to write my whole life, and I think I finally did," said Harper about the next one, "Born To Love You". Mother and Son harmonized so beautifully, as she sat behind him at the piano, singing and watching her child play. I have a lump in my throat and my eyes are welling now just at the memory of how heart-wrenchingly special it was.

 I had a health scare with my own Mother earlier this year, and listening to this song about the love between a Mother and child being sung together by such angelic voices meant - BORN - to sing together, it was just so touching. I was a melted puddle of love. And I was not alone. YOU DID GOOD, MOM! She sure did. She and Ben hugged and she left the stage with a gracious wave.

Harper remained to play LOVE YOU, BEN! "Walk Away", his crusher of a break-up song, that he made quieter and quieter at its end to illustrate the walking away out that door. So good. Then we got the beautiful "Amen, Omen", a clear crowd favorite (that the guy next to me knew just about every third word to) and BEST SHOW EVER! save for the yells, it was quiet enough for him to sing away from the mic.

"I want to go real slow. It's never slow enough when it's something you hold dear." PLAY ALL NIGHT! "Then I'm the guy that plays all night." I'LL BUY YOU A BEER! "I WILL play for beer." SKATE LIFE! "I will do Lazers, yes." I LIKE YOUR GUITAR! "Thank you for that." It died down just long enough for Harper to say, "You play all your life to get to exactly where you're standing. Thank you all from my heart. I don't want it to end." No one did. Especially not when he began the distinctive opening chords to "Hallelujah". I'm of the school that thought after Jeff Buckley covered Leonard Cohen's majestic classic, no one should ever even try again. Until last night. Harper makes it his own with the Weissenborn chords echoing all over the hall until I was all choked up again. You could hear a HAIR drop in there, so caught up in it was everyone. Soaring held high notes that made the joint erupt in appreciative yells, it was heart-swelling. Glorious, and the sound in there made it all the more Heavenly. There couldn't be a more apt title for a song - Hallelujah! OK, NOW no one should ever do it again. Another massive standing ovation, more than earned.

On a lighter note, Harper picked up a ukulele and strolled the stage un-miked, serenading each and every corner of the venue with "Suzy Blue". The line where he sings Misery loves a symphony... got a laugh (but don't be at all surprised when he DOES perform a symphony in there. He will.), and everyone clapped along, with the buoyancy that comes with knowing you wouldn't rather be anywhere else, and everyone in there feels the same way. THANK YOU, BROTHER!

After effusive thanks to the audience and his road crew, and shout outs to Stoner Park skater friends, and apologizing for it being a work night, but not wanting it to be over just yet, KEEP US UP ALL NIGHT! Harper sat down to play a sublime acoustic version of "Power Of The Gospel". Powerful, for sure. It was silent (for once) as the audience sat in recognition of the extreme talent and power of MUSIC - to bring us together. To heal. To bless. To rejoice! "Amazing" is real over-used these days, but somehow it's about the only word that fits. "What do you do, retire after a gig like this?!" an equally amazed Harper wondered as he said his thanks, waved and left the stage, with everyone wanting much more. Let us hope he never does retire. The world needs this music. I can't think of really anyone else who so fully embraces all kinds of musical genres with such ease, comfort and soulful grace and gives it to us with all he's got, every time.

Now that I'm home and thinking about it all and so happy to have been there to share that glorious evening, I can say what had spontaneously burst out of so many people that couldn't contain it last night ... LOVE YOU, BEN!

Thank you, Ben, on behalf of everyone who has been blessed to be a witness of your full of wonder music.