“I don’t think there is any other better place to play in” smiles Ben Howard, standing in front of thousands of people at the O2 Academy in Brixton on the last night of his UK and Ireland tour.
Playing only six shows in support of his recently released album I Forget Where We Were, ahead of his worldwide tour in 2015; Howard brings an emotive end to his last night in London.
Howard is an intense performer and never misses a beat. His dizzying nimble finger picking and his mournful and soulful voice is captivating. He performs effortlessly with his band and the hammering harmonies are near faultless. The sheer virtuosity of this production is admirable. The title track ‘I Forget Where We Were’ is a moving sing-along that is finished with elated blaring fans.
The haunting echoes of ‘River in Your Mouth’ reverberate through the packed venue and leave many mesmerised. However, some of Howard’s indulgent space-like instrumentals like ‘Time Is Dancing’ may have lasted longer than needed. Regardless, these moments are fascinating to watch.
As the night draws to an end, the audience chant the recognisable riff of ‘The Wolves’ urging him to play what seems to be a favourite. Howard sheepishly grins and replies “yeah, we did that one!” before plucking into the deep acoustics of ‘End of Affair’, an anticlimactic though gorgeous finish to the set. Howard still well and truly serenades the crowd.
Going from the fans’ reaction to some of the older material like ‘Oats in the Water’, it is a shame that a lot were omitted and many seemed disappointed at the lack of opportunity to launch into ‘Keep Your Head Up’. Maybe Howard has a point, he is there to promote new music. We can definitely respect this darker and more mature path he has taken.
As the audience’s applause cascade into a crescendo, the musician exits with his band with a well-earned smile, bringing an emotional close to the night. It seems as though whatever direction Ben Howard takes, we’ll all be singing along with him.
