As i watch Ben Kweller absolutely charm the crowd at the Stage on Sixth, I totally came upon the realization that Ben Kweller is basically America’s version of Joel Plaskett.
Both have music based in folk/alt country roots, seem to be genuinely honest and down right nice in person and both have fans that absolutely adore them. Most importantly, both acts put on great live shows that put a smile on your face.
Playing the last slot at Paste’s day party, Kweller took the stage to a packed stage in a jean-vest and greeted the fans like an old friend “we’re going to play some new songs, and some old songs” Kweller then launched into Mean To Me, one of the tracks from his new album Go Fly A Kite. Even though that song might be new, it has all the classic Kweller moments – sing along chorus, heartfelt lyrics and just an overall sunny disposition. Switching between guitar and piano, the rest of the show would be a mixture of new and old, the latter of which was met with singalongs.
A rousing edition of Penny on a Train Track (featuring Kweller playing into the street) sent the crowd into the night ready for good times and good food. While Kweller’s brand of alt-country-folk rock might not be sexy among the blogging world, there’s something to be said about being consistently good. With five LP releases now, Ben Kweller is exactly that.