Gig Reviews
The Music Room at Pizza Express, Maidstone
2nd, 3rd & 4th November 2007
After what seemed to us fans as a lifetime away from the public eye, Ben Mills made an astounding return to the stage of the Music Room at PizzaExpress for three consecutive nights.
The weekend's entertainment kicked off on Friday 2nd November and Ben, along with his band, truly was on top form. He was announced, as always, to rapturous applause and joined the guys on stage for an instrumental intro. Ben then commented on how great it was to be back at Pizza Express and thanked everybody for coming before getting down to business.....
We were eased into the evening's music with "Ain't No Sunshine", "Bring It On Home To Me" and the much loved "Nothing But The Truth". This track sounds so much better live - it's kind of rough around the edges and has more depth as a result.
Now, there have been many occasions during Ben's live performances where my heart has well and truly pounded but what came next honestly saw me close to tears. For the best part of a year now I've wanted to hear Ben's version of "Handbags & Gladrags", but since adding it to his set he'd only ever performed it at his solo gigs - never with the band. Consequently, as much as I really wanted it to be included this weekend, I'd resigned myself to the fact that it wouldn't be. I have never been so pleased to be wrong in all my life! To say it was beautiful is an understatement and by the end I was a quivering wreck! How I ever managed to keep my wits about me enough to record it I will never know, but I did and it's online here for those who would like to see for themselves. I was a tad emotional at the time, so please ignore the "are you crying?" comments from my daughter!!
Just two more songs in the first part of the set, then we had a short break and a chance to catch our breath and ready ourselves for what has to have been one of the major highlights of the whole weekend. Ben returned to the stage on his own for what he described as the "up close and personal bit". He began with "Picture Of You", then talked of being in Dublin, writing and recording for his second album, and said he was going to give us a little taste of what he's been doing. My heart skipped a beat or two and the butterflies in my stomach were well and truly fluttering! The song he performed is currently entitled "Words" and it is amazing. Incredibly it's still very much in its infancy as it was only written two weeks before, but you'd never have guessed.
One more slow song - "Smile" with Tony Rico on sax, and then the tempo was raised dramatically with the return of the rest of the band. Many of the favourites we've come to know and love were performed with gusto and I found it terribly difficult to sit still! Unfortunately, as seems to always be the case, it was over far too soon. On the plus side, though, I did have Saturday to look forward to.....
The full set list for the Friday night, along with Saturday's and Sunday's, can be found here.
So, onto Saturday and what was essentially the BenMillsOnline night as, with close to 30 people, the site was certainly well represented!
With a different band line-up came a completely different sound to what we've been used to and it was quite refreshing. Smoother and much more full-bodied I think.
While the set list differed slightly, the overall format was the same. A mellow, laid-back first half opened with "Fly Me To The Moon", warming us up gently as we finished eating. This was followed by "Ain't No Sunshine", "Handbags & Gladrags" and then "Moon Dance" with sax player Ivan Thompson on lead vocals.
Another song which featured Ivan was "Love Waits For Me" for which he played the harmonica. It's a shame that this doesn't seem to make the set list very often as it was a brilliant rendition. If he hadn't said, you'd never have known that lead guitarist, Dave Gwilliam, didn't know it and was following Ben's lead! The look of relief on Ben's face when it was over said it all!
The absolutely wonderful "Last To Fall" was next, followed by the final song before the break, "Tupelo Honey", sung by Dave Gwilliam.
Into the second half with Ben at the piano on his own for the incredibly beautiful "Words", and then it was time to up the tempo, with which came the dancing - lots of it! The audience the night before had been fairly reserved and Nix and I were determined that Saturday was going to be different!! Ok, so maybe to begin with we were the only two on our feet, but it wasn't long before we dragged (quite literally) a few more BMO members out of their seats and persuaded them to join us and by the end I think the majority of us had our 'dancing legs' on!
Part way into this second half we were treated to yet another new song, "Freedom". Ben explained that the inspiration for this came from his recent move back out of London and the lyrics certainly reflect the need to escape from the confines of a big city. It's powerful, emotive and highlights Ben's natural talent as a songwriter. If this, along with "Words", is an indication of what we can expect to see on the new album then it's going to be exceptional.
Well, they say time flies when you're having fun and before we knew it Ben and the band were down to their final song of the night. There's always a slight feeling if disappointment at this stage as we never want Ben's gigs to end, but all good things do unfortunately and it was time for us to say goodbye.
That was going to be the end of it for me but I had my arm bent up my back by Sue and her husband until I agreed to go to Sunday's gig too - really took a lot of persuading that did, NOT!!!! It's left me utterly broke but God was it worth it?!
In a total turn-around for me, I spent the entire gig glued to my seat but when I explain why I think you'll understand where I'm coming from. I was very fortunate to be sat right next to the stage that night - just two feet to the left and I'd have been sharing Ben's piano stool! I've never been that close to Ben while he's been performing and I was completely mesmerised by his hands on the piano. He seems to get so totally wrapped up in it all and I was pulled in with him hook, line and sinker.
We had the same band as Saturday and almost the same set list. When Ben came out on stage he did actually pass comment that they were running out of songs for some of us! Fortunately only a very few had made it to more than one night, so for most it was all new.
One of Sunday's highlights for me was the addition of "First Cut Is The Deepest". This was on the set list for the gig here back in May and I really hoped I'd get the chance to hear it again. Ben's version is just so full of emotion I get goosebumps, and given this was off the back of "Handbags & Gladrags", well I think euphoric probably describes best how I was feeling. I just wish I'd been ready for it as I would have loved to have caught it on video.
So that's it in a rather long nutshell! Three nights, three gigs and me floating way higher than cloud 9! The girls at work think I'm crazy (probably!) and more than just a little bit obsessed (well ok, maybe!) for devoting a whole weekend to Ben, but could I honestly have let an opportunity like this pass me by? Not ever in a million years! This was by far the best I've ever seen Ben and, like a few others here at BMO, I would dearly love to turn the clock back and do it all again. Anybody got a time machine they can lend me....?!
As always, we would like to extend a huge thank you to Pizza Express manager, Paul Brown, and all his staff for making us feel so welcome. Also to Ross Dines for booking Ben and his band - please, please, PLEASE do so again.
Finally, to Ben and all the guys who supported him this weekend. We thank each and every one of you for giving us one of the best weekends EVER!
Report & Photography by Saara Ord - Webmaster / Administrator