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LIFE & ARTS

Ben Folds gets loose with Houston Symphony

by CHRISTIAN OCHOA
The Daily Cougar

Ben Folds does things differently. Instead of acting proper at Jones Hall on Wednesday night, Folds rocked with the Houston Symphony while sprinkling the occasional curse word throughout his performance. 

Not only were fans treated to an outstanding performance from the symphony, but Folds' quirky lyrics, piano pounding and audience interaction left chucks reveling in their Chuck Taylors. 

Folds kicked off the show with "Zak & Sara," and the audience instantly began singing, 

"Zak called his dad about layaway plans / And Sara told the friendly salesman that / You'll all die in your cars / And why's it gotta be dark / And you're all working in a submarine."

From that high note, Folds kept building the momentum and never left the audience dissatisfied. The night's performance also included fan favorites such as "Brick," "Jesusland" and "Not the Same," a song in which the protagonist climbs a tree and converts to Christianity. 

Like any other Folds concert, audience participation was not only included, it served as a way for Folds to break down the fourth wall and let the audience be truly entertained. While goofing around halfway through the show, Folds converted the audience into a choir with three different harmonies and served as director.

Laughs came from the audience, but symphony members shot Folds quizzical looks, still asking themselves why a rock musician is acting ridiculous on stage. 

This isn't the first time the Houston Symphony has experimented in attracting a different fan base. In July, game nerds were treated to Video Games Live, a traveling act showcasing classic and contemporary video game clips accompanied by original musical scores, not to mention classic themes such as the Super Mario Bros., Pong and Zelda being played by string and horn sections. 

But the best part of the show wasn't limited to the music that made fans holler and shout obscenities in a formal setting; it was the fact that a rock star was on stage making a complete fool of himself, yet still having the time of his life. 

The end of the show was met with a standing ovation, but Folds quickly returned to his adoring crowd for a quick encore, "The Luckiest." The lights were dimmed and Folds delivered the last intimate moment of the evening with a sweet melody. 

With such lyrics as, "I am / The luckiest / I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you," one would expect the soft flicker of lighters to brighten the venue. There weren't any lighters, just the quiet murmur of the audience talking at the end of a show.