Singer thrilled crowd with jokes, engaging set

By Sara Conn

Campus Editor

Publication Date: 03/03/2008

Brandi Reis | Photo Editor

Ben Folds performs a popular song at Elliot Hall on Friday as everyone stands at their seats.

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Ben Folds pounded on piano keys with a metal pan during his performance in Elliott Hall of Music, Friday.

Folds joked about the expense of the tin pan and about his other instrumental splurge, a new red electronic keyboard. He mixed the musical notes from the piano with the keyboard.

Hannah Ruckel, a sophomore in the School of Management said the pan was one of the highlights of the concert. Ruckel said this was her second Folds concert.

"This was better than when he opened for John Mayer."

She said the songs from Folds' upcoming album added a lot to the concert.

"I really liked the one Hiroshima song," she said.

The song was from the album Folds recently completed. He said it was about his embarrassing fall during a concert in Hiroshima. During the Hiroshima performance, Folds fell off the stage into the crowd, hitting his head, but went on with the shows. Friday night, he apologized before playing the new song and said he might mess up.

Folds conducted the audience during one point. He said the crowd's voices might be included in the new album.

Seth Boyd, a freshman in the College of Engineering, said he enjoyed how Folds engaged the audience.

"It was a great show; bring him back. It sounded like it came right off the album," he said. "The new stuff was amazing."

Jennifer Rife, a student at Ball State, said she was really surprised by the performance and exhausted from the concert.

"I was just really excited," she said, "I drove two and a half hours." But Rife said the drive was worth it.