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Announcements

Rest of Europe solo tour cancelled

Ben has had to cancel the solo portion of the current European tour due to a case of tendinitis, which as you can imagine, makes playing the piano very difficult and painful. The show, with the band, will go on through Edinburgh on 18 November. Those holding tickets should be hearing from the performance venues shortly about refunds or other arrangements.

Ben provided the following explanation on social media:

To my European friends, I have a right case of tendinitis in my left hand and forearm, and some nerve issues in my left wrist and thumb joint. This appeared as I embarked on my UK tour, and it’s not been subtle. I can’t even tie my shoes, and it’s not from the tequila. This, I’m told, will recover. But I have been advised by my doctor to cancel my upcoming European solo shows, rest and rehabilitate. I hate that personally, and I’m sorry. As for the UK, I’m confident these are some of my best shows. The band accompanying me on the UK run is really special, and we’re ON IT. Having a band on the UK shows means I can work around the injury, simply because playing piano doesn’t require an athletic left hand. If I didn’t mention this to you, you’d never notice, except that my shoelaces are untied. So we will stay the course to finish this UK run strong in Edinburgh. But the trademark of my solo performances is a strong left hand, which I depend on abusing to create the full band sound. It’s my style. So the tour dates without the band scheduled after Edinburgh are cancelled. It was a year of looking forward to this rare tour. Not to mention I keep stepping on my untied shoelaces. My team is in contact with the venues where I was scheduled to perform, so you should hear from them soon about refunds and such. Much love and apologies, Ben

Having had nerve issues myself, and realizing that nerves are very strange things that affect you in weird ways, my sympathies are with Ben as he recuperates and regains his left-handed strength.

Solo album and tour slated for 2023

What Matters Most

After an eight-year recording hiatus, Ben Folds has announced a new album project, What Matters Most, due out June 2. The first song from the album, Kristine from the 7th Grade, was teased last fall, and the first single Winslow Gardens being released this month.

The album will be accompanied by a tour of North American cities including dates previously announced, spanning from April to August. Dates announced so far are on our tour dates page.

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Back to the Cradle

Cat's Cradle

Courtesy Chapelboro.com

When Ben, Darren and Robert first assembled as a band in 1994, one of the first places they unloaded Ben’s Baldwin was at the Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, N.C., the little town just down the street from Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina (famous in song for Kate handing out the Baghavad Gita on Rosemary and Cameron Streets). The Cat’s Cradle hosted Ben Folds Five for the first time on February 10, 1995 as the fifth stop on a mostly Southern tour as the band was gaining popularity with each gig.

Now, Ben is returning to the Cradle on October 17 for a very special private one night only appearance in support of North Carolina Democrats. (more…)

Buckle up, kids

UPDATE (September 8:) More show cancellations and postponements: New Haven, Dallas, Tampa, Charleston, Portland and Detroit. Remaining shows are still on the schedule. Only fully vaccinated patrons will be admitted and masks will be required. Even though the venues have been working hard to ensure a safe experience, with the general rate of infections in these areas they feel it’s not prudent to proceed with these shows.

UPDATE (August 13): York and Bensalem, PA shows have been postponed into 2022. The remaining shows are still on the schedule, but attendees will be asked for proof of vaccination (so bring your CDC card), and masks will be required inside the venue for any indoor shows through 2021. Ben’s crew is working with venues to ensure that these requirements can be met. The best bet is to check with the venue if you plan to attend and have any questions. See Ben’s social media (@benfolds on Twitter, @actualbenfolds on Instagram) for the full statement.

With the pandemic shifting gears, Ben has posted some advice about the upcoming tour – specifically, don’t be surprised if there are changes or cancellations to some dates and venues.

Buckle up kids, it’s going to be a wild ride. My upcoming tour is likely to take some unexpected turns as we continue to see the latest COVID virus variants sweep across the country.

While I intend to make my best effort to proceed with our announced shows, there is a possibility that we may be looking at concert postponements or cancellations.

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VIP sessions canceled on upcoming tour

Citing an increase in the spread of COVID variants, Ben has decided to cancel the pre-show VIP events held in conjunction with the upcoming tour of the US. A statement posted to social media expressed the concern in the health risks involved in hosting the intimate sessions in the current climate. Refunds will be issued to those who have purchased tickets to the premium sessions. The evening performances will continue, however. The tour kicks off August 27 in York, Pennsylvania. Visit our tour dates page for details on the scheduled shows.