Ben Folds graced the stage at the City Winery for three nights to bring cheer, good spirits and music to Philadelphia with his idiosyncratic sense of humor. The performances were half music and half storytelling, providing fans the chance for increased appreciation of Folds’ songs after hearing their background stories.
Tis The Season With Ben Folds centered around his latest album, Sleigher, released during last year’s holiday season. With song titles like “Sleepwalking Through Christmas,” “Little Drummer Bolero” and “Me And Maurice” (a song about Folds taking his dog Maurice for a walk to do his business on a snowy night around the cul-de-sac), you get a sense of how full of wit and whimsy that Folds’ set was. It was a magical night of songs and stories by one of the more consistently great musicians of our time.
Here’s wishing everyone a fantastic holiday season and hoping that you aren’t just “Sleepwalking Through Christmas” this year.
—words and photos by Eric Ring
