LIVE REVIEW: Ben Kweller @ Slim’s

Openers Possibly Outshine Ben Kweller?

Now don’t hate us, Ben Kweller super-fans. We know you guys are loyal to his precious baby face and heartwarming lyrics. However, we must observe the fact that perhaps Ben Kweller’s opener at Slim’s, Brooklyn-based Jones Street Station, may have showed him up.

While Kweller did fully deliver his typical call and returns like his hit “Falling” and every other toe-tapper under the sun, his stop in his original hometown wasn’t quite as passionate and impressive as his openers. Fortunately, I did get to preview and bond with Kweller’s brand new Changing Horses material, including the track he’s set to perform on the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson in a couple of days.

What we can’t get off our brains, however, is how these Midwestern sweethearts of Jones Street Station swooped in with their banjos and mandolins and fly-fishing belts full of harmonicas and managed to leave the crowd begging for more. In a room full of Kweller-enthusiasts, the quintet of extremely talented musicians showcased tunes off of their newest album In Verses, which is, to say the least, a gear-shifting eargasm from start to finish. Their sound is all over the map, from soulful ballads and lively knee-slapping mandolin and accordion tunes to four-part harmonies and no lead singer in sight (every single person, including the drummer, has a voice from heaven). We applaud their efforts as one of the most musically passionate performances we’ve seen in a very long time and we deem them a band to definitely keep your eyes on.