‘I BELIEVE IN A BETTER WAY’
Ben Harper lets his music deliver the message
One might have expected Ben Harper to address the issues of the day with a few words between songs during his concert at RBC Bluesfest on Friday, part of his first tour in almost a decade with his old bandmates, the Innocent Criminals.
Instead, the American singersongwriter-guitarist let fiery songs like Call It What It Is and Better Way do the talking. Call It What It Is, the title track to Harper’s new album, weaves the names of Trayvon Martin, Ezell Ford and Michael Brown into the lyrics, recalling the police-shooting victims with a plea to describe their deaths as murder. It’s a heavy song, to be sure, and Harper sang it with anguish in his voice.
No less hard-hitting was their rendition of Better Way, from the 2006 album, Both Sides of the Gun. It built to a furious jam as everyone on stage dug in, not only expressing their frustrations at the racial tensions in the U.S. through the music but also agitating for change. “I believe in a better way,” Harper howled. A speech would not have been nearly as effective.
Overall, it was a mighty performance. In a red tuque and matching track jacket to ward off the dampness, Harper wasted no time letting us know what was on his mind, opening with When Sex Was Dirty, an anthemic song from the new album that contains the line, “I remember when sex was dirty and the air was clean.”
One of the most versatile artists out there, the 46-year-old Harper demonstrated a wealth of musical talent as he switched between electric and acoustic guitars, and lap steel, and sang like he was channelling a greater power.
Folks who recall Harper’s Innocent Criminals as a summery party band might have been taken aback at the weightiness of both the songs and the playing. With his cohorts on percussion, drums, keyboards and guitar, as well as monster bassist Juan Nelson anchoring the proceedings, the group had plenty of chops, and looked to be having a blast being back on stage together, despite the condition of the world around them.
Old favourites like Diamonds on the Inside and Steal My Kisses were played with a renewed energy, while new tunes such as the soulful Shine and the reggaetinged Finding Our Way rang with passion and emotion.
Harper also dusted off nuggets like Don’t Take That Attitude to Your Grave, Burn One Down and Fight For Your Mind, tunes that are still relevant after all these years.
The crowd, a typically diverse Bluesfest bunch ranging from teenagers to retirees, loved every moment, and were reluctant to leave without an encore. Unfortunately, the schedule did not allow the time.
Earlier in the evening, Ottawa’s Heavy Medicine Band displayed a psychedelic style of garage rock, with a female voice, singer Keturah Johnson, cutting through the haze to create a hypnotic set.
Also entrancing was the soulful, rootsy mishmash of the Revivalists, a lively young New Orleans party band that left fans buzzing.