Ben Harper, along with his band of Innocent Criminals, became a figurehead of chilled modern rock performance in the late nineties. He has been compared in character to the great singer/songwriters of the late sixties, yet his mournful sound is more often compared with nineties contemporaries such as Jeff Buckley. With this unique blend of acoustic showmanship and funk-rock chord structures, Ben Harper melds a late sixties rock ethic with a thoroughly modern attitude to create a soulful performance which is a must see. Many fans would say you can't truly appreciate Harper's music listening to his recordings. You must buy Ben Harper concert tickets to experience the full scope of his talent and influence.
Harper, born in Pomona, California in October of 1969, played guitar publicly from an early age, soon specializing in the aggressive slide-guitar style for which he would become noted. Consistent performances in and around Los Angeles led Virgin Records to offer Ben Harper a record deal in 1992, a partnership lasting for much of his career.
The peak of Harper's commercial success coincides with the formal introduction of his supporting band, The Innocent Criminals, in 1997. The cohesion of maestro bassist Juan Nelson with percussionists Dean Butterworth and David Leach provided Harper with one of the most enjoyable funk-rock ensembles of the day.
Although commercial and chart success has been hard earned, Harper enjoys a cult status among rock fans young and old due to the word-of-mouth advertisements of satisfied concert-goers. Continual innovations in live performance and a dedicated fan base has seen record sales increase steadily since 1997's The Will to Live, with Harper's recent effort, Both Sides of the Gun, reaching #7 in the billboard charts in 2006.
His durable recording career, fueled by intense live performances, has made tickets to Ben Harper concerts a very hot commodity. Ben Harper's fusion of funk-rock jams and melancholy acoustic ballads will leave you either elated or exhausted, but either way you'll be glad you went. With his often political collaborations, fiery rock and roll jams and haunting solo vocals, Ben Harper tickets hold something for every music fan.
