Ben Watt, best known stateside as half of beloved pop duo Everything but the Girl, made his Los Angeles debut as a solo artist last Friday. Touring in support of his well received new album, Hendra, his first solo effort penned under his own name in 31 years, a melancholy, occasionally heartening, expertly crafted set of folky, sometimes mildly rocking songs, Watt played to a modest, appreciative seated Echoplex audience.
A large part of the draw for the evening no doubt (Watt himself would surely admit as much) was his principal collaborator on Hendra who was billed to accompany him on guitar, Bernard Butler. Now twenty odd years on since those classic early Suede years, Butler comes to us as nothing less than a contemporary legend, and a worthy partner to Watt, who thanked him from the stage both early and late in the set. . . [Continue reading]
Ben Watt | benwatt.com
