Half-Made Man sneak peek on Stageit.com

Ben Sollee ⋅ Music, stageit.com ⋅ , , , , , , , ⋅

 

We hope that you have taken a listen to Ben’s song, Unfinished, off his new studio album, Half-Made Man (due out Sept.25). Ben wants to pull back the curtain on preparing for the Half-Made Man release tour and get fan feedback on the coming shows. So, he has decided to set up an August residency through Stageit.com. Ben has performed on Stageit.com before, including one while he was Australia. Stageit.com is an easy-to-use site that essentially allows Ben to play for you in the comforts of your own house!

According to Ben, “Preparing for a national tour is such a romantic idea and we want to share the romance while footnoting all the work that goes in to the endeavor. For anyone who has been curious how we do it, these shows will be a unique insight and a lot of fun.”

So, join us on Wednesdays August 8, 15, 22, and 28th at 8pm to get a behind the scenes look at preparations for the Half-Made Man tour….and maybe hear a little of the new music!! There are only 50 tickets available for each show and, as always, they are pay-what-you-can shows. So, tell your friends and gather around your computers for a little something special with Ben Sollee!

http://www.stageit.com/bensollee

The Road From Newport: Ben Sollee on tour. On bike.

Ben Sollee ⋅ Uncategorized ⋅ , , , ⋅

In 2010, Ben embarked on the “Ditch The Van Tour.” Ben and his band abandoned the comforts of a motorized vehicle and hauled their gear and instruments (yep, the cello too) across the country on bicycles. Ben’s mission was to engage a greater sense of community involvement at every performance. By huffing it on two-wheels between cities, instead of driving or flying, Ben and his crew were able to discover people and facets of our country in ways that traditional touring could not allow. According to Ben, “It’s not about being green or even sustainable… we want to exploit the limitations of the bicycle to slow down and experience the rich communities and people that I’ve spent years flying-by and driving past.”

Well, Ben is back at it for his 3rd bike tour! Following a performance at the prestigious Newport Folk Festival, Ben Sollee will once again load up his gear, strap his cello to his bike, and pedal up the Northeast coast. The Road From Newport: Ben Sollee on tour. On bike. is a week-long journey traveling on portions of the East Coast Greenway from Newport, RI to Portland, ME.

Newport Folk Festival’s history includes over 50 years of showcasing artists who have impacted the direction of folk music. Often likened to “coming home” to the very roots of the folk-music tradition, the Newport Folk Festival is an annual favorite of fans and musicians alike. On July 28, 2012 Ben Sollee, joined by percussionist Jordon Ellis, will bring his signature sound of cello-infused blue-eyed-soul to the esteemed event. Shortly thereafter, Ben and Jordon will embark on bicycle for a 4-date tour run with stops in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

Daytrotter session is live!

Ben Sollee ⋅ Daytrotter, Music, Uncategorized ⋅ , , , , , , , , , ⋅

Last Fall, Ben and Jordon recorded a Daytrotter session in Asheville, NC at Echo Mountain Recording Studio. The four songs included are Hurting, Something, Somewhere, Somehow, The Globe and a cover of Paul Simon’s Obvious Child. Ben has recorded two previous Daytrotter sessions (one with Daniel Martin Moore):

2008 Ben Sollee Daytrotter debut:

 

 

 

 

 

2010 Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is Daytrotter? This is from their site:

There are so many music/entertainment websites that copy one another, scrambling so fast to “discover” or present something new to the world. And just because you get there first, it doesn’t really make you an explorer. We did poke a stars and stripes into the moon, but we could always see it. We knew it was there. It wasn’t new. We can always come along and say we did, saw, heard something first, but we’re never right. What Daytrotter is attempting to do is to not kid around with you and tell you that we found something that you never knew existed. We are going to contribute to the musical landscape, not just toss it around like a used book or a stolen pick-up line. We’re going to give you something that you truly have never heard. We are not giving you songs from someone you love’s record album, thereby stealing from someone you love. We’re giving you exclusive, re-worked, alternate versions of old songs and unreleased tracks by some of your favorite bands and by a lot of your next favorite bands.