BEN FOLDS - Live in Brisbane
AN EMOTIONAL HANGOVER, BUT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
Wednesday 18th February 2026
Written by Sarah AlKamraikhi
Photographed by: Rashid AlKamraikhi
As a lifelong fan of BEN FOLDS, I definitely had some butterflies walking into this gig. The Fortitude Music Hall was full of the light chatter of Millennials and much unironic 00s fashion, and the nostalgia was instantly overwhelming.
Surrounded by cherry docs and three-quarter pants I felt like I had been transported back to my early 20s. Ben Folds had been the soundtrack to entire chapters of my youth and to finally see him in concert felt like a long overdue catch up with an old friend.
Supporting him was LINDSEY KRAFT, who stepped quietly onto stage wearing a simple fit of jeans and a baseball cap. While I had not heard of her prior to this gig (apart from a quick Google to see she was an actress) I was in for a real surprise! Her sound was a unique blend of classic Broadway and dark Disney princess, and was slightly unhinged in the best possible way. She was gentle on the keys and sang with a softness that made her set feel sweet and intimate. What started as a lighthearted story soon turned to darker themes that touched on topics such as stalking and growing up with an alcoholic parent. However, it was all delivered with a sardonic humour and Broadway kitsch that was both amusing and touching in equal parts. While her songs aren’t yet publicly available, she will be performing them at the upcoming Adelaide Fringe Festival alongside a special orchestral guest (yes, it’s Ben!).
Pictured: LINDSEY KRAFT
Pictured: LINDSEY KRAFT
Onto the main act, BEN FOLDS took to the stage and the first thing that struck me was how personable he was, chatting easily to the audience and even hamming it up for the photographers a little bit. He opened with ‘So There’ and transitioned straight into ‘Don’t Change Your Plans’ - setting the pattern for the rest of the night as he alternated between his solo project songs and classic BEN FOLDS FIVE favourites. Most of the songs were played true to their original forms, as Ben displayed a mastery of the piano that left me in breathless awe of his talent. If he missed a single note, I didn’t hear it.
Pictured: BEN FOLDS
Pictured: BEN FOLDS
Pictured: BEN FOLDS
Pictured: BEN FOLDS
A highlight of the evening came mid-set when he played a crowd favourite ‘Philosophy’ and the audience joined in with what has to be some of the most in-tune audience backing vocals I’ve ever heard. Up until now the audience had been relatively quiet, however ‘Philosophy’ seemed to open the floodgates, and much of the remaining set was accompanied by the politest of harmonies from the most vocally talented audience ever. I mean seriously, were they all professionally trained? It was so beautiful and you could feel the camaraderie of thousands of Ben Folds fans deep in their own feels.
Pictured: BEN FOLDS
Pictured: BEN FOLDS
Pictured: BEN FOLDS
Pictured: BEN FOLDS
All too soon it was over, though Ben did grace us with a two song encore including ‘One angry dwarf and 200 solemn faces’, a Ben Folds Five banger that was a deeply satisfying end to the night and the whole crowd agreed. Later, as I put my battered Vans back in the cupboard, I definitely had a mild emotional hangover, but in the best way possible. Twenty years on Ben Folds is still an absolute storytelling master and his songs still hit just as deep as they ever did. Maybe even deeper.
Pictured: BEN FOLDS
Photos by: Rashid AlKamraikhi
