I’ve never been one for going to gigs. I’m not sure why as I love listening to music and Radio 1 is always blaring in my car but I never seem to get around to seeing any artists in the flesh. I guess I prioritise the ‘club scene’; so uncultured, I know! So when my sister, Alice, invited me to see Ben Howard at the Hammersmith Apollo, I thought ‘why not’. Honestly, I wasn’t particularly bothered that it was Ben Howard who we were seeing, but I was more excited at the thought of a night out in London Town. But after spending the majority of yesterday evening in his company and absorbing his mellow tunes, I can safely say that I am now an avid fan. It also helps that he has a beautiful face, but I’ll stay focused and concentrate on the beauty of his music instead.
We arrived at the Apollo at 6.15pm and joined the back of a short queue. In typical English fashion, it then proceeded to rain for the next 45 minutes as we waited for the doors to open. Alice was chuffed with how close we managed to get to the stage and as the venue started to fill up and the atmosphere got more electric, I became increasingly excited for the gig itself.
The support act came on at 8pm. John Smith, a folk guitarist from Devon, was accompanied by a cellist and swiftly got the crown tapping their toes with his cheerful tunes. They were the sort of act which I found more enjoyable when I closed my eyes. John didn’t look like your ‘typical’ chart topper, but his music was gorgeous. I guess this is the reason why TV shows like The Voice work; the focus is solely on the music and rightly so.
As the stage set grew, so did the anticipation for Ben Howard’s arrival. Smoke started to drift in from the sides of the stage as the crowd cheered Ben’s name between each song that was played over the speakers. Finally, at 9pm, the man himself took to the stage. Alice grabbed my hand as she squealed in exhilaration.
He started by intertwining his songs Everything and Old Pine, which blended together beautifully. The other musicians accompanying him including a pretty brunette on drums, a man on bass who played with his hood up for the whole set (he must have been boiling but I guess he was ‘in the zone’) and another man on the guitar and melodica (an instrument with a small keyboard and a mouthpiece). Black Flies was next up, a song I hadn’t heard of but it was very atmospheric with the intense chords, moody lighting and eerie silhouettes of trees projected onto the back of the stage.
The mood was quickly lifted as Ben played a couple of his more upbeat and well known songs; The Wolves and Only Love, both of which had the crowd bopping and singing along. Aware that Alice had to get the last train home to Southampton, the time seemed to whiz by quicker than usual but we managed to squeeze in a couple of songs from his new album. As I put my coat on ready to leave, the tune started for Keep Your Head Up. As my favourite Ben Howard song, there was no way I could leave before I’d heard the first couple of verses. As the song finished, I grabbed Alice’s hand and we pushed our way through the crowd towards the exit at the back by the bar, trying to avoid bumping into people and getting beer spilled down our dresses. We’re so rock and roll!
Our spirits were so high as we ran to the tube station, chatting excessively about how much we enjoyed the gig and discussing Alice’s plan for her to become Mrs Howard. Alice is heading down to the Isle of Wight festival this weekend where she’s planning to see Ben again so she was even more excited for that now. I’d forgotten how elating it is to feel the thump of the bass in your chest, surrounded by warm bodies with a swarm of hands swaying in the air. There’s such a happy atmosphere as everyone enjoys the same music and it was clear from the constant smile on Ben’s face that he was enjoying every minute to.
Note to self… If you’re ever feeling glum, book to see some live music. You forget how much you enjoy it!