Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth

Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth
Video by
Ben Folds and West Australian Symphony Orchestra
ReleasedDecember 6, 2005
RecordedMarch 12 & 13, 2005
GenreAlternative rock
Length1 hour 20 minutes
LabelEpic (Sony BMG)
DirectorRay Black
ProducerJohn Minor, Calvin Aurand

Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth is a DVD featuring performances by singer-songwriter and pianist Ben Folds, backed by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Filmed over two nights on March 12 and 13, 2005, at Kings Park and Botanical Gardens in Perth, Australia - a venue Folds jokingly refers to as a "luminous green petri dish" - the DVD offers 14 songs from the three major Ben Folds Five albums and Folds' debut solo album Rockin' the Suburbs.

Played to over 9000 fans,[1] the two concerts featured on the DVD represent the first time Folds' music was set to an orchestra; this is a trend Folds has since continued with performances with various orchestras around the United States and the world, including Cleveland's Contemporary Youth Orchestra,[2] the Sydney Symphony Orchestra,[3] the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra,[4] members of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia,[5] and the Boston Pops.[6][7] Folds' music was rewritten and arranged specifically for symphonic performance by members of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Simon Kenway.

  1. ^ Collins, Simon (2006-08-25). "Ben back in fold". The West Australian. Archived from the original on February 1, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  2. ^ "Contemporary Youth Orchestra". Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  3. ^ Thomas, Sarah (2006-08-25). "Ben Folds With The Sydney Symphony". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  4. ^ Wein, Gail (2005-11-12). "Pop Music Review". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  5. ^ Kilgore, Kym (2008-08-06). "Ben Folds heads out with new album". LiveDaily.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-01. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  6. ^ "Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops open 2007 season with indie-rock innovator Ben Folds, May 10 at Symphony Hall". Boston Symphony Orchestra. 2007-04-19. Archived from the original on 2010-09-25. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  7. ^ Eichler, Jeremy (2007-05-11). "Brawl, Ben Folds in a surreal Pops opening night". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2009-01-22.