I believe in a better way....

Thats what Ben Harper sang last night....and I was singing along with my hands in the air...jumpin up and down.......agreeing with him.

Wow! what a concert...this guy sings with passion, urgency and an intenseness that at times is overwhelming. He has a spirituality that oozes out of his music and his songs...when he sings something....one is moved...you know he believes in what he is singing about and he makes you a believer too. Harper is all about the music...he moved with precision between songs to get ready for the next one....and when performing he gave it his all....no holding back and it was all left on the floor.

There were mostly Japanese in the intimate surrounds of Namba Hatch in Osaka.....a few Gaijin....mostly loud and obnoxious Australians. The Japanese were right into it...mostly die-hard fans by the looks and they had a good time. There was no trouble...no idiots bashing into each other...no drunken people making fools of themselves.....fans, wanting to lose themselves in the music of their musical hero. Girls next to me were crying during the slower songs and that was something new. I have to admit there has been the odd moment during a U2 show where I have felt overwhelmed and a tear or two has escaped the eye...so i guess i understand the emotion. I really enjoyed sharing my night with these people and I look forward to other concerts in Japan.

There were moments during the show when I felt I was singing in a church service....there was a spirituality there i have only experienced in church and other worship times...and I was moved!!
Harper sang about faith and the gospel and believing in a better way...i knew what I meant when I sang those words and I felt that when his eyes found mine...that we were on the same page.

The concert was well paced...never staying too long on one genre but moving between rock...acoustic and being a mix of blues and reggae inspired beats. Harper can rock out with the best and then he can draw everyone real close and intimate with just an acoustic guitar...sheer brilliance was on display and when He came right out front from behind the mic....wow! something special.....He just yelled out the words to the crowd...in passionate bursts that made one simply stare in awed disbelief at what was taking place......an amazing meeting of artist and his audience.

Standout songs were....two hands...the Gospel....Better place...Burn to shine and Burn it down.
The buildup to a rousing creascendo in the last song was "gotta experince it to believe it" stuff...the audience around me was one in spirit...and in action...jumping up and down in unison and waving fists into the air.....we belived in what Harper was singing about and we wanted to experience it. For me...that way is Gods way of loving others...thinking of others before oneself. I can't help but feel that Harper believes the same thing....music has the power to speak to people and bring about change....Harper sings about things that matter and one can only hope that his audience will grow and listen...and maybe...change.