Review – Ben Howard, Bristol Beacon, October 28th

No artist has appeared to work harder to shake off their early audience than Ben Howard. The English singer-songwriter enjoyed enormous success with his 2011 debut, “Every Kingdom”. It achieved triple-platinum status in the UK and saw Ben nominated for the Mercury Prize, win two BRIT Awards and play to one of the largest crowds ever at Glastonbury Festival’s Pyramid Stage.

Since then, he’s infuriated and intrigued fans by rarely playing any of the hits from that record and instead choosing to focus on later material which bears little resemblance to his breakthrough radio-friendly indie-pop.

The response to Howard’s shows has been mixed. Some reviewers have described him as a “charisma vacuum” or a “bore” while others have admired his commitment to newer music and more elaborate soundscapes. There was a now infamous concert in Norwich where he called the audience a “bunch of c***s”. Social media is awash with comments about recent shows ranging from declarations of gig of the year to people walking out over setlist omissions.

Those who have followed Ben Howard’s career should now know what to expect; he probably will not address the audience, there are going to be sometimes meandering seven-minute songs and he is unlikely to play “Keep Your Head Up”. For those still unaware, he’s made it very clear what this tour entails. It’s a celebration of the 10th anniversary of his sophomore LP, “I Forget Where We Were”. The tour has been clearly advertised in this way and so there can be no surprises when the setlist draws almost exclusively from that record.

Musically, I Forget Where We Were represents a bold and sparse evolution from its predecessor. Rather than offering instant catchiness, its richness rewards repeat listens, as new layers emerge with each play. It was his first No1 album and really set the tone sonically for the music which followed, leaving his debut as something of an outlier in his discography.

Bristol’s Beacon is a perfect setting for this show. The recently renovated space boasts incredible acoustics, really allowing the layers of music being built by Ben Howard and his band to fill the room with no detail missed. The focus tonight is on creating an absorbing wall of sound. These songs aren’t just being performed, they are being explored and lived in. Instruments gradually weave in and out. By focusing on the beautiful sounds rather than missing songs, you can fully sink into the music.

The stage is adorned by a decorative screen, showing various colours, landscapes or Ben and the band. Combined with impressive lighting, it’s abundantly clear that great effort has gone into ensuring that the production reflects the mood of the songs.

Ben Howard is on top form vocally and the band is equally impressive. The album is not just recreated but improved. There are some technical issues along the way – “Rivers In Your Mouth” is restarted several times and Ben does leave the stage for a few minutes while issues are seemingly worked out and there is some unpleasant bass distortion during “I Forget Where We Were” – but these are only more noticeable due to the meticulous musicianship on display elsewhere.

Tonight’s sold-out crowd is more than happy with the setlist. Even lesser-known album tracks are met with singalongs, albeit hushed ones seemingly respectful of the delicate nature of these songs. This reflects Howard’s evolution from indie-pop to a more reflective, communal experience—one that fosters a respectful, intimate connection.

Ben talks about them being “memories” which are sometimes difficult to relive but also notes that these are now “shared memories” with the audience. Couples embrace and friends share knowing looks during certain songs, it’s clear that for many people this album and these songs do hold special memories for them. This is often the beauty of these anniversary shows, more than just a commercial nostalgia exercise there is a celebration of what this music means to people and why Ben Howard is still selling out these venues ten years later despite refusing to ‘play the game’.

New memories are created when someone accepts a proposal during “Conrad” . The proposer can perhaps be forgiven for overlooking the bittersweet lyrics when the music is this rich and encompassing.

The only song played which is not from “I Forget Where We Were” or surrounding EPs is “Days of Lantana” from 2023’s “Is It?”. For this, Ben is accompanied only by piano and it serves as a reminder that he continues to produce emotionally stirring music.

Howard’s refusal to ‘play it safe’ might challenge his audience—but it’s this very commitment to authenticity that will keep enough of them coming back.

Images: Craig Simmonds, Words: Ryan Simmonds