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Ben Harper - True Legend

drop-the-leashdrop-the-leash Posts: 190
edited November 2009 in Other Music
Ben Harper @ Sydney Airport - 24-11-09

Why did I have a Magnum Ego for breakfast? Commonsense seems not to be so common from where I sit...

So upon checking into my flight home @ Sydney Airport it was off to peruse the insanely overpriced farsicle known as the airport food court. Maccas, Red Rooster, Krispy Kreme... Just looking at this crap made my stomach churn.

Subway...eat fresh! Wait up, it's Relentless 7! Sweet, those guys rock! So I make a bee-line for Subway, chickening out of making contact at the last second. Suck it up princess!

So, standing around aimlessly...appearing more and more like a groupie...I looked around in desperation, "someone get me outa this awkwardness!!"

Hallelujah! Sitting at a bench, all incognito in his slick black leather jacket and funky yellow cross-hatched cap was the cool cat himself, Mr. Ben Harper.

Mission target change. Lock on. In for the kill!

I walked up to him from the side as he was finishing his lunch. "Sorry to interrupt your lunch Mr. Harper", as I thrust out my hand to shake one of the most badass strumming hands in all of rock.

As he chewed down the last of his roll he waved his hands around apologetically as if he were the one to be sorry for eating while another fan waited to harrass him.

I waited for him to swallow the remnants of his meal, "I just wanted to thank you for an amazing 4 shows so far, and another one to come tomorrow night".

Graciously he turned the thanks back around on the fans with such poise that I felt as though I was receiving a personal thank you from the man himself. He expressed his amazement of the crowd on the tour, and how much energy there was at each gig. I informed that being up the front for most of the gigs I could indeed confirm there was a lot of positive energy in the air, and that everyone was looking after each other. Ben was so happy to hear that, he stated that he would pass it on to Ed.

I then went on to say how blown away I was upon seeing the lineup with his band supporting Pearl Jam, and again he stated that they were the blessed ones to be able to play with such a great group of guys as Pearl Jam, and to perform for the amazing crowds in Australia.

So humble, so gracious, so genuinely blown away by the tour...

Just as I bid him a farewell so the man could have some peace, he asked me MY name, and shook my hand again, thanking ME for helping to make an amazing tour...for without the fans there would be empty space.

A Legend for the ages...Mr. Ben Harper.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • ArmchairJammerArmchairJammer Posts: 294
    Thats awesome dude! :D

    Sooo wish he was supporting back on the UK tour, seen him twice and each show was incredible!!
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  • pjfan021pjfan021 Posts: 684
    never seen him...i need to though. he's one of the best slide guitar players around no doubt. that's an awesome story.
  • aNiMaLaNiMaL Posts: 7,117
    That's fucking awesome, dude! Ben Harper is the MAN!!
  • Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Posts: 15,165
    Some guys in front of me in the line at Adelaide said they met him the night before and that he's a good bloke.
    Very easy to chat to.
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • Random_WookieRandom_Wookie Posts: 1,099
    wow thats amazing
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  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,720
    awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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  • samjamsamjam Posts: 9,283
    That is so very awesome!
    "Sometimes you find yourself having to put all your faith in no faith."
    ~not a dude~
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  • MayDay10MayDay10 Posts: 11,727
    Saw Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals last night.

    Really didnt know any Ben Harper stuff at all and wasnt expecting much. Kind of thought it would be relatively boring folky stuff.

    But it was pretty awesome. Some really groovy, funky, bluesy tracks. I dug it.
  • kasedougkasedoug Posts: 2,953
    Going to back-to-back shows next month. Through all of his incarnations, I believe Ben Harper is the artist I've seen live the most. So glad be brought back the Innocent Criminals because the show last year at the Greek was one of the best of his that I've seen.
    Actually won tickets and a meet & greet for the Santa Barbara show so I'm really excited for that one.
  • JH6056JH6056 Posts: 2,427
    kasedoug said:

    Going to back-to-back shows next month. Through all of his incarnations, I believe Ben Harper is the artist I've seen live the most. So glad be brought back the Innocent Criminals because the show last year at the Greek was one of the best of his that I've seen.
    Actually won tickets and a meet & greet for the Santa Barbara show so I'm really excited for that one.

    I don't know how you do it Kasedoug, but I know you have SOME strategy because you win a ridiculous number of free ticket/meet and greet contests! Like, it's statistically gotta be unheard of!
  • kasedougkasedoug Posts: 2,953
    JH6056 said:

    kasedoug said:

    Going to back-to-back shows next month. Through all of his incarnations, I believe Ben Harper is the artist I've seen live the most. So glad be brought back the Innocent Criminals because the show last year at the Greek was one of the best of his that I've seen.
    Actually won tickets and a meet & greet for the Santa Barbara show so I'm really excited for that one.

    I don't know how you do it Kasedoug, but I know you have SOME strategy because you win a ridiculous number of free ticket/meet and greet contests! Like, it's statistically gotta be unheard of!
    Ha. It's mostly persistence. This was my third time trying for the Ben Harper tix + meet & greet, and it turned out to be the charm. :)

    Looking forward to it because the Santa Barbara Bowl was actually where I saw Ben Harper for the first time back during college, so it'll be nice to make a return visit.
  • buck502000buck502000 Posts: 8,951
    A couple videos from last night!!!!

    https://youtu.be/LJhq4TqJFl4

    https://youtu.be/UAn4x5XiR7A
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance Posts: 23,308
    Red Rooster is fucking amazing. Best Aussie junk food ever. Chicken salt for the chips!? Yep!!
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  • LukinFanLukinFan Posts: 29,050
    Anyone check out Ben Harper on Sportscenter last night?
    www.RLMcDaniel.com

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  • F Me In The BrainF Me In The Brain Posts: 31,271
    I dont generally watch ESPN any longer (for lots of reasons) but am sorry I missed the great Mr Ben Ahhhhper. 
    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • my2handsmy2hands Posts: 17,117
    Ben is the man
  • LukinFanLukinFan Posts: 29,050
    F Me In The Brain said:
    I dont generally watch ESPN any longer (for lots of reasons) but am sorry I missed the great Mr Ben Ahhhhper. 
    He played the SC theme song on the slide guitar. The dude is badass. 
    www.RLMcDaniel.com

    1996: Ft Lauderdale
    1998: Birmingham
    2000: Charlotte, Tampa
    2003: Tampa, Atlanta, Phoenix
    2004: Kissimmee
    2008: West Palm Beach, Bonnaroo, Columbia
    2010: MSG2
    2012: Music Midtown
    2014: Memphis
    2016: Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Jacksonville, JazzFest
    2018: Wrigley 1, Fenway 1
    2022: Nashville
    2023: Ft. Worth II
  • KC138045KC138045 Posts: 2,716
    I'm not a fan.  I've tried to listen to his music but I just can't get into it and I find myself turning off a lot the songs he's done with Ed over the years.  The only one I like is Daughter/With My two Hands at MSG.
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    Wrigley 1 & 2-2018
  • F Me In The BrainF Me In The Brain Posts: 31,271
    KC138045 said:
    I'm not a fan.  I've tried to listen to his music but I just can't get into it and I find myself turning off a lot the songs he's done with Ed over the years.  The only one I like is Daughter/With My two Hands at MSG.
    Have you tried White Lies for Dark Times? 

    The R7 are when he is at his best, for me....as a rock fan. 
    https://youtu.be/kjB1SOPhfeo


    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • KC138045KC138045 Posts: 2,716
    F Me In The Brain said:
    KC138045 said:
    I'm not a fan.  I've tried to listen to his music but I just can't get into it and I find myself turning off a lot the songs he's done with Ed over the years.  The only one I like is Daughter/With My two Hands at MSG.
    Have you tried White Lies for Dark Times? 

    The R7 are when he is at his best, for me....as a rock fan. 
    https://youtu.be/kjB1SOPhfeo


    I'll give it a listen
    Columbus-2000
    Columbus-2003
    Cincinnati-2006
    Columbus-2010
    Wrigley-2013
    Cincinnati-2014
    Lexington-2016
    Wrigley 1 & 2-2018
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