Ben Montague Welcomed At The Philharmonic Hall Liverpool
Published
As I drove down the motorway towards Liverpool yesterday evening, one thought crossed my mind. I don’t like acoustic sets. I never have. If I had witnessed Bob Dylan going from acoustic to electric at Newport all those years ago I would have applauded the change. I like my music with layers, plenty going on. So the thought of a man and his guitar didn’t fill me with excitement.
However, as the lights dimmed over the vast stage of the hall, all my previous thoughts changed. As Montague walked casually over to the microphone, he greets his audience like an old friend. It’s immediately apparent he is well crafted in the art of audience participation. It’s a brilliant move and shows how much he feels at home in on the stage.
The set is quite a short one, featuring half a dozen songs that fill the room with beautiful, thoughtfully written, well crafted tunes that demand the audience’s attention. "Rainy Day", "Runaway", "My Father Said", "Haunted", "Another Hard Fall" and "Sweet Amilia" show that Montague is a talented writer with a very bright future. “Haunted” is a particular favourite of mine and makes me wonder what it would sound like with a full blown live band behind it. However despite my personal preferences, the audience soaked in the simple but hugely enjoyable 30 minute performance.
I caught up with Ben at the merchandise stall where a considerable queue had formed to obtain a personally signed CD. And that’s where I decided I like this talented young man. He personally welcomed each person with a smile that John Barrowman would be jealous of. And it didn’t stop there, his interest and patience for what each person had to say was inspiring. I see so many of today's stars charging obscene amounts of money for an emotionless 10 seconds. It makes all the difference. Ben it was truly a delight to meet you.
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Words and Photographs by Lawrence Taylor
