It's Almost Summer Already? Q101 Jamboree 1998 Ben Folds Five A Concert Review Next Up: Harvey Danger In Reverse: Eve 6 Or: From the Beginning	May 23, 1998 The New World Music Theatre Tinley Park, IL A Review and Photos by The Dude on the Right More Photos of Ben Folds Five

Yep, another trio (what’s up with bands putting numbers in their names that don’t match), but this time rather than a driving guitar blowing you away (as was the case with Eve 6), this time it was a full-fledged baby grand, led by the likes of Ben Folds.

Here was another band I was eager to see, mostly because I didn’t think their couple of radio hits I knew did them justice, but I was a little nervous because I’ve seen many people lose touch with the crowd simply because they can’t project an image beyond an immovable piano.  I can now say that Ben Folds isn’t one of them.

Opening with a way-cool piano led song, Ben Folds Five cruised through their set, working on a crowd still looking for their seats or a spot in the lawn.  Each member with a distinctive personality, it was Ben who really seemed to know where to lead the masses, and that can only be done with energy and attitude which he kept to a height through every correct spot, while dipping it just enough when the time was right.

Ben Folds sort of reminded me of the likes of the people you always remember behind a piano, your Billy Joel, Elton John, and Jerry Lee Lewis, but combine Ben Folds with the rest of the band and they overblast the pop quality associated with Joel, Elton, or Lewis. It’s almost like Ben Folds Five can meld the anger associated with alternative while knowing the energy that can only come from a piano-based band (it’s hard to imagine Joel, John, or Lewis singing the lyrics “Give me my money back you bitch.”)

So, Ben Folds Five was enjoyable for me, another band that knows how to work it past their radio hits.  Alrighty then – TWO THUMBS UP from me for the Ben Folds Five’ three.
 

The Bands
The Main Stage	The Second Stage
Spacehog Ben Folds Five Creed Scott Weiland Barenaked Ladies Soul Asylum Foo Fighters	Fastball Eve 6 Harvey Danger They Might Be Giants The Specials