Ben Folds Five reunite and rocks Indy

by Lindsy Schaiper Photos by Eric Prew Excitement would be an understatement to describe the moments leading up to the Ben Folds Five reunion concert on Wednesday, October 3, 2012 in Indianapolis. The event was held at the Old National Centre (formerly and still really known as the Murat Theatre) in downtown Indianapolis. The theatre itself sticks out like a sore thumb when driving through downtown as its Middle Eastern-themed décor separates it from all other surrounding buildings. Regardless, it is a super cool venue with its vintage décor and ornate interior. Kate Miller Heidke came out on stage, serving as the evening’s opener. To say she has impressive range would not do her justice. That girl can sing and proved it song after song while throwing in every sound, including sultry, mellow,  loud and what sounded like opera. What the crowd really liked best though was her comical version of “The Real Slim Shady,” to which they applauded with standing ovation. Finally, the moment had arrived and here comes what everyone had been waiting for- Ben Folds Five reunited on stage. They began the show by transitioning between the old stuff that everyone loves and the new stuff from their upcoming album The Sound of the Life of the Mind. The crowd remained on their feet the entire show and as the band wound down the performance with old favorites such as “Kate,” “Army,” and “Song for the Dumped” and the crowd couldn’t help but cry for more. Not only did they give a good musical performance but the short interactions with the crowd in between songs were quite comical. Needless to say, the excitement had not lead to disappointment and regret as most people left the show even happier than when they entered.