Tag Archive for 'ben folds'

I was at Bonnaroo in 2006 when Ben Folds was last on the bill, and I was really excited. I had seen the “Ben Folds and a Piano Tour” a ways back, but never the full band effect. Unfortunately, blazing temperatures and the only real audio problems I’ve ever seen at Bonnaroo kinda ruined the set for me. Luckily, this year would more then make up for.

The weather was beautiful, the sound was perfect, and the performance was epic. Ben pretty much looked like he was assaulting his piano for much of the show. The energy level was amazing. The highlight of the set came as Folds told the crowd that he was going to retire a song at Bonnaroo, and to send it out in “a blaze of glory.” And then the magical words, “I didn’t write the words; Dr. Dre wrote these words.” Thats right, Ben Folds retired Bitches Ain’t Shit at Bonnaroo 2008. And he absolutely did send it out in a blaze of glory, accompanied by great crowd participation. It was an unreal moment.

A moment only to be matched by Not the Same which had Ben standing on his piano conducting the crowd through the aaaaaaaaAAAAHHHHH part. He had the three different voice types sing different parts, and built it into an awesome crescendo of Bonnaroo’y goodness. This was probably my second favorite show of the whole weekend.

Mp3: Ben Folds – Bitches Ain’t Shit (Live from Bonnaroo 2008)

Errant Dog
Gone
Rock This Bitch For Helicopters
You To Thank
Free Coffee
All U Can Eat
Hiroshima
Annie Waits
Landed
Bastard
Bitches Ain’t Shit
Narcolepsy
Army
Rockin’ the Suburbs
Kate
Not the Same
Zak and Sara
–Encore:
One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces (“as fast as shit”)