Ben HowardBen Howard is a pretty popular guy if the queue outside of the Metro Theatre was anything to go by. There was a line of avid fans forming a good two hours before the doors opened and, by the time support act and fellow folk connoisseur Willy Mason hit the stage, the place was packed.
Without any fuss or bother, Willy Mason began a captivating set, his honey-laced voice conjuring up images straight out of any western movie. Leisurely moving through songs like So Long and Pickup Truck, Mason's signature drawl managed to surpass the annoying and constant chatter of a number of inconsiderate dirtbags in the crowd. He closed with the striking I Got Gold, his voice so clear and impassioned that even the aforementioned dirtbags were quiet for it.
Then, amongst a throng of girlish squeals, it was time for the man of the hour to appear. Taking a page out of Mason's book, Ben Howard began with little fuss, immediately finger-picking his way through Everything, Black Flies and Diamonds before greeting the crowd and humbly thanking everyone for coming. He pulled out crowd favourite Old Pine quite early in his set and was accompanied on vocals by a large part of the very enthusiastic audience.
Howard's songs, largely intricate pieces of impressive guitar work and hauntingly poetic lyrics, have this refreshing simplicity to them that could be attributed to his measured, husky voice. Songs like Only Love and Keep Your Head Up showed that Howard is more than just a nice voice and a good guitarist. Through his understated, raw vocals and achingly delicate lyrics, Howard managed to successfully take on the role of storyteller for the night.
