The Ben Howard Effect

There are a lot of different kinds of shows. There is the kind of show that you have a drink, get dressed up, and get ready to dance. There is the kind of show that you have more than a few drinks, wear something ridiculous, and get ready for wherever the evening takes you. There is the mellow show where you don’t know the artist and simply go to hear something, or to feel something.But if you’re lucky enough you’ve been able to experience my favorite kind of show, one that truly transcends you. A show where the anticipation kills you before the artist hits the stage, where you feel a sense of community among the people around you, and where at some points in the show you feel completely out of your element. I call this…the Ben Howard effect.To say that Ben Howard is immensely talented is an understatement. He is a god among musicians. You can tell that he and his band truly enjoy what they do. You can sense a feeling of happiness and it reflects on the audience in a way that I’ve never seen before. Maybe it’s the folk-like melodies that radiate from the stage. Perhaps it’s the random exchange of exuberant looks between the band members.What is most astonishing about Ben Howard is the genuine sense of modesty, appreciation, and comfort that he exudes. You can tell that he not a product of the music machine, but an artist that truthfully does what he wants while giving the fans what they want. He goes above and beyond. Not a one song encore, but a two song encore. He plays what he knows his fans want to hear, but he also leaves you with a secret—at times, taking the stage alone and playing something hauntingly beautiful that is familiar to no one.I stand there and think: this is the way music should be. Among the 3,000 sweaty bodies plastered against me, the semi-obstructed view, and the stale smell of beer splattered concrete floors, something brilliant is happening.