Ben Parker & David Berkeley
Friday 24th of February, Ben Parker (formerly of Ben & Jason) plays in Glasgow. I’ve seen him with Jason in Padova, at Banale, in their “Goodbye” tour. Then, thanks to MySpace, I’ve managed to keep in touch with him and to follow his solo career, which has not given him the chance for “the big break” yet, although he deserves it.
He was scheduled to play at the Barfly, but for some reason he had to find a different venue to play in – less than two weeks before the date. Ben (or whoever helped him in this issue) found the Tchai oVna, a small and cozy tea house in the south side of Glasgow, somewhere between Shawlands and Pollokshaws. I cut short on my adventures to get to the venue first and to find a parking spot later, let’s start with me getting to the venue and finding out that the people I had invited, for several reason, didn’t turn up. Oh, well. I enter the place, it’s actually tiny but beautiful. Ben recognizes me (from my old profile picture on MySpace, I suppose) and says hi, I take my seat, exchange a couple of words with the guy running the place, Ken, order a very spicy, very tasty tea (no alcohol here, and vegetarian food only as well).
I was vaguely aware that before Ben another musician would have been played, I actually had no idea of who he could be, but of course I expected someone who could fit with Ben Parker’s style without being too close to it. Well, here comes on stage one David Berkeley from the USA. Jokes, funny guy (funny – ha ha, not funny – odd), starts playing… he’s amazing! His songs sound a bit like the bitterest Bob Dylan but with a better voice and with hints of the early Paul Simon, although accordingto a flyer he gives me he has been mostly compared to Tim Buckley and Nick Drake. I particularly liked “Halloween Parade” and “Jefferson”, but everything he played was extremely interesting. All very quiet and laid back but pretty sad, contrasting with his verve between the songs.
The fact that in the venue there were exactly 20 people including the musicians and the owner of the place (and it seemed crowded) helped a relaxed atmosphere, also the hot and analcoholic drinks avoided people being noisy. It’s nice to actually hear the musicians keeping their time tapping their feet, and not only Ben with his boots but also David with his trainers.
After David Berkeley (check him out at www.davidberkeley.com and www.myspace.com/davidberkeley) it’s the turn of Ben Parker (www.myspace.com/benparkermusic, by the way). He’s more lively – although he is sitting as well – and so are most of his songs. Some of them I already knew, so I actually find myself singing (well, whispering) along on “Survive the Rain” and “The Counting Song”. His style is honestly very difficult to describe. It is clearly a son of rock and folk, but there is something else on top of it that I find hard to point out. I have managed to squeeze the last Ben & Jason album into progressive music (it was something innovative indeed) and to review it on MovimentiProg, I suppose that Ben’s solo songs could go under the same label although there are big differences with the duo recordings or with the live show I had the luck to see (amongst those, pretty noticeable the absence of Jason).
Done with the music (pleasant the fact to have a song dedicated from the stage “because of the road I drove to get there” – Largs to Glasgow must be some 35 miles – although I suppose that was the reason why Ben busted a string towards the end of it), I have the chance to have a word or two with the two musicians and to buy CDs from them – which I get autographed and I am listening to now. Again, very nice and funny guys.
So, great Friday night: I found a new nice place to hang out in for when I happen to be around Glasgow, I could listened to Ben’s songs which I love and I “discovered” one more songwriter that I really like. And I came home with one CD from each, plus a bonus DVD in David’s CD (for only 7 pounds!) and a free old Ben & Jason promo from Ben. And two bags of mate from Argentina. Such a good night, I had to report about it immediately.
Over and out, goodnight, good morning or whatever.
