Forget the suburbs: Ben Folds will be rockin' the livestream this week.
The popular performer will anchor the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's songwriting workshop with three Ohio talents on Thursday. The program participants are part of the Rock Hall's summer artist in residence program and receive guidance from industry professionals while performing regularly for museumgoers in Cleveland.
The Rock Hall will livestream Folds' workshop with Sarah Bailey, M.O.O.K.Y. and Marcus Smith — all from northeastern Ohio — 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, for free.
Here's the Rock Hall's description of what to expect during the event:
Join renowned performer and songwriter Ben Folds as he works with the Rock Hall’s Resident Rockers and discusses songwriting and musicianship and reflects on his own music and the creative process – including stories from his book A Dream About Lighting Bugs. This event gives you a front row seat as Ben listens to demos of new songs by Sarah Bailey, M.O.O.K.Y., and Marcus Smith for the first time and shares his reactions and offers insights into the craft of songwriting. The program ends with the premiere of the new music video for the collaborative song “How” by the Resident Rockers.
The Rock Hall bills Folds, who rose to fame in the '90s with Alt-Rock band Ben Folds Five, as "one of the major influencers of our generation." He frequently collaborates with musicians such as Sara Bareilles, Regina Spektor and Amanda Palmer and for about a decade has performed with symphony orchestras around the world (including intricate concertos that he's penned himself).
Folds routinely hosts songwriting workshops and will lead another online writing retreat Oct. 21-24. He also has developed "Lightning Bugs: Conversations with Ben Folds," a podcast in which he talks to musicians, scientists and creatives about how to spark ideas. Recent guests have included actor William Shatner, vocalist Josh Groban and Canadian poet laureate Alice Major.
Folds is scheduled to perform at the Taft Theatre in Cincinnati on Nov. 18. All attendees must be fully vaccinated from COVID-19.
Find more information about Folds' songwriting workshop for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Below, watch Folds perform with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get the latest on the news, things to do and places to eat delivered right to your inbox.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
