In the now classic song* by Sydney band The Beards, it’s exclaimed “There’s Nothing Better Than Having a Beard”. What Canadian troubadour Ben Caplan proved in his Sydney Festival opening set, accompanied by his band The Casual Smokers, is that a) this is true and b) it’s even better when that beard can play some sweet music, make a room of grown men (some with beards) and women sigh (more on that later) and is accompanied by three incredibly talented fellow musicians. This was the night (or, early evening if we’re going to be technical here) that Ben came to town, sold out the Spigeltent and christened Sydney Festival open for business for 2014. And boy was it good.
Unlike the music by his fellow bearded Australian counterparts, the music of Ben Caplan is something you can take seriously – though don’t let that keep you from taking the man himself too seriously, as he knows how to keep the crowd laughing with some… colourful banter to say the least. Who knew the act of romance could be described as a game of checkers?
This tour marks the second time in a year Caplan has made the voyage to Australia, the last being part of the Byron Bay Bluesfest, where he played solo. This time he brought along one member of his backing band The Casual Smokers – Jaron Freeman-Fox, his violinist – and replaced his drummer and double bassist / backing vocalist with locals. And though I’m sure those who have seen his home grown band in action may disagree, for the unacquainted, it would have been hard to guess this was essentially a brand new group. The quartet played with skill and gravitas, though the set was admittedly without some of the raw intensity that the band are known for. But put that down to the fact we were in a seated venue and it was a 5:15pm gig. Not exactly the makings for a rowdy set. But a fun one? Most certainly.
Ben’s banter was a feature of the set as much as the music, and he had the crowd in the palm of his hands, getting each and every member of the sold out Spiegeltent to sing along, clap in unison and even scream at the top of their lungs after a nice long “sigh”. You probably had to be there for that one. It’s hard not to be impressed by witnessing that sort of enthusiastic response from any crowd, let alone one who have barely left work in time to make the performance.
The music itself, masterful in its delivery, was a mix between new and old, and though entertaining from start to finish, there were definitely some stand out moments. The set opened with “Southbound”, the opening track and one of the highlights off Caplan’s 2011 record In The Time Of The Great Remembering. It was done ample justice here, with Jaron’s violin shining through and giving the song the extra “oomph” that just can’t be achieved when playing solo. “Seed of Love” was another highlight, which introduced the double bassist on backing vocals – another addition that impressed. As did Ben’s musical talents, while he moved between the guitar, keyboard, banjo and back again.
“I Got Me a Woman” received a great response thanks to a surprisingly enthusiastic singalong – those with good memories may recall this song performed with The Beards at Bluesfest; the word “woman” replaced with “beard”. “Belly of the Worm” served as a beautiful ballad, and one of the more serious tracks of the set (as well as a taste of his next record), with the following number about devil towns and vampires evoking much laughter from the crowd. The set ended with a surprise encore for the track “40 Days and 40 Nights”, and again he had the crowd singing at the top of their lungs, after earlier getting everyone on their feet for “Conduit”. Most impressive.
In the end, this was a concert that was as much about audience participation and storytelling than it was about the music. And though Caplan doesn’t always hit the mark on record, live he is one of the finest acts existing on the circuit today. A must see musical troubadour, beard and all, and a perfect way to kick off the huge three weeks Sydney Festival has in store for our fine city.
That in mind, don’t miss Caplan when he returns to Sydney Festival this Friday night (tomorrow, the 10th) as part of Parramatta opening night. It’s free and he’ll be accompanied by a whole troupe of performances and attractions including Lee Fields, the return of the rubber duck and more. Details are at the Sydney Festival website.
*in beard appreciation societies.
Photo by Jamie Williams. Used with Permission.
