Rendezvous with Ben - 24-11-09
drop-the-leash
Posts: 190
With all the excitement of the upcoming EV solo tour, I've been reminiscing about the 09 tour and just how amazing it was.
A particular moment @ Sydney airport nearing the end of that tour came to mind - and I dug up my recount of that event as written on the flight "home" to the Gold Coast:
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.
A particular moment @ Sydney airport nearing the end of that tour came to mind - and I dug up my recount of that event as written on the flight "home" to the Gold Coast:
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.
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EV Solo: 7/11/11 11/12/12 11/13/12
*NYC 9/28/96 *NYC 9/29/96 *NJ 9/8/98 (front row "may i play drums with you")
*MSG 9/10/98 (backstage) *MSG 9/11/98 (backstage)
*Jones Beach 8/23/00 *Jones Beach 8/24/00 *Jones Beach 8/25/00
*Mansfield 8/29/00 *Mansfield 8/30/00 *Nassau 4/30/03 *Nissan VA 7/1/03
*Borgata 10/1/05 *Camden 5/27/06 *Camden 5/28/06 *DC 5/30/06
*VA Beach 6/17/08 *DC 6/22/08 *MSG 6/24/08 (backstage) *MSG 6/25/08
*EV DC 8/17/08 *EV Baltimore 6/15/09 *Philly 10/31/09
*Bristow VA 5/13/10 *MSG 5/20/10 *MSG 5/21/10
6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
8/23/09 - Chicago, IL
9/28/09 - Salt Lake City, UT (11 years too long!!!)
9/03/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 1
9/04/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 2