Ben Folds LIVE

So with a sad and heavy heart it was time for the last concert of 2005. It's been one hell of a concert-going year for yours truly, but at least it was fairly certain that the year was going to end on a high note.

Tea at the Old Orleans kicked the night off. I love me them Bourbon Wings. It was whilst eating tea than me and Gee were blatantly chatted up by two women. Believe you me, I know that from time to time I can sort of get carried away when I say things like that, but there really was no dobut. Of course we couldn't sit there all night whilst Gee and "Claire" bonded over a mutual hatred for Mick Hucknall, so it was off to the Apollo...which took absolutely AGES thanks to that broken down bus.

Got to the venue to see that only Caz from the Tunstall lot was there yet and it was good to see her and have a bit of a chat. There was still no sign of the others when Mr Folds and his band hit the stage. A few songs in, Caz disappeared to find them and then came back to get us. She then led us back to where she thought they were, but she couldn't find them. Two minutes later she realised they were straight in front of us. There I had the pleasure of meeting Tom and Trev very briefly.

I enjoyed the show more than I did earlier in the year at the Lowry. Whilst standing up for a gig can be a pain in the arse from time to time, there is no doubt that it was better to be stood up for Ben. My only slight complaint would be that there was few Ben Folds Five songs inserted into the mix, although I concede the point that it was a Ben Folds "solo" concert. Still I don't think it's a coincidence that when he tossed in a few Five classics towards the end that was the best part of the show.

This was another fantastic night and it was good to see the Apollo very full indeed. Hopefully Ben will be back sometime in 2006!