Brave UK act shines at House of Blues Boston
If you didn’t catch UK artist Ben Howard at House of Blues in Boston, I’ll catch you up as if you were in the front row. Picture yourself entering the venue, maybe getting a beer or two, and making your merry way to sway in the crowd listening to Howard’s incredible sound. “Is It” is Ben Howard’s most recent album, produced in 2023.
It’s a little different sounding than his others, and here’s why: In March 2022, Howard experienced two transient ischemic attacks, also known as “mini-strokes” on two random afternoons in his garden, one month after the other.
After hospital visits, and not many answers, “Is It?” became the answer: it became an album that replicated Howard’s inability to think or speak clearly. Howard’s band consists of Mickey Smith, who plays bass, guitars, percussion, R.D. Thomas on synths and keys, and Nat Watson on guitars. Two of them were barefoot on stage, which gave the audience a personal look into their indie folktronic sound. Howards’ performance was simultaneously emotional and uplifting.
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