Ben Gibbard

I was a little worried about the venue but the sound was awesome and of course the artist always rocks!

Ben's solo performance was absolutely amazing. The setlist was great, his talent was unbelievable, his voice was wonderful and raw - he was not afraid to struggle in front of the audience to hit some of the high notes, which I actually liked rather than him singing in a different key - and he had a great stage presence and was really funny! I hope he puts out more solo material, but if not, I hope he does more solo and/or acoustic shows in the future. It was worth the trek into NYC and staying up all night. Way to go Ben - thank you!!!

Good show. Very mellow. Ben G. rocked his acoustic guitar and played piano. There was a comic that opened and he wasn't that funny but I've seen worse. Ben G. was great. At part his performance gave me chills and made a girl in front of me cry which I thought was nice that it affected her so deeply.

This was just the best in terms of venue-artist match up, performance, everything. What an amazing amazing concert. One of my favorites of all time

This was basically a Death Cab and Postal Service concert, with some great solo songs thrown in there. Ben was by himself on stage with a guitar and a piano and played a bunch of hits. It was awesome to hear some of my favorite songs unlike I have ever heard them before. Wish he would put out a live album!!!

I'm a big fan of DCFC and Postal Service, so obviously I was really excited about this venue. The place was ugly and run down, the opening act was boring, Ben's energy was very low compared to DCFC's shows.

What an awesome show! Ben was fantastic. The venue was fantastic.

He performed a great mix of solo, DCFC and Postal Service songs. He was charismatic and a delight to see!

Owen Ashford was an ok so so opening act but we all knew we were there to see Ben and he didn't let us down.

2nd time I've seen Ben in concert. That man really knows how to put on a good show and speak to an audience. He's incredible.

I did not expect it to be as good as it was. I was over the opening guy 3 songs into his set. But Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar were phenomenal!!! So was the band they were playing with...all of them were great!

If you are a fan of thoughtful, outstanding music this is your show. Simply incredible watching a group of extremely talented musicians plying their craft. Superb. I hope they add more dates!

i have noone to blame but myself. i should've read the act more closely. i had never heard of jay farrar before and expected a more postal service-esq side project from ben gibbard. i should've saw this genre coming given the tribute to jack kerouac. his stories are as longwinded and belabored as the the indie country folk creation. i actually enjoyed the opening act from the long winters more. overall, it was well executed as expected, but the songs were forgettable. gibbard has done better.

ben gibbard was AMAZING. i remembered why he was my favorite artist :)

The show was amazing. Granted i was at the very front so i heard a lot better than most im sure. The songs were done very well and the entire album matches it.

I new what to expect going into the show, but I was hoping for slightly less Jay Farrar, and slightly more Ben Gibbard. After all, the show is billed as "Ben Gibbard and Jay Farrar,." All in all though, it was fun, and they were good.

Great show! I bought the album earlier in the week and played the hell out of it. They played it straight through with a couple of cherrys at the end. As much as I like the studio versions, the live performance was much better. Mark Spencer kept the volume and intensity high, and Gibbard and Farrar traded vocal styles as if sharing the wheel in a Kerouac inspired cross country road trip. And the el rey was nice, not too crowded, and a cozy intimate feel.

Ben was super nice and his performance was very beautiful. Thao was super cool too and had a really unique sound

Wonderful acoustics in this special hall played nicely with the performer's voice and instruments.

I was a bit nervous going to this venue as it was my first time here, but I was pleasantly surprised. The seats were arranged so that I felt very close to the stage despite being in the cheap seats. The opening act was dreadful (don't remember the name) but he was nice and I was okay sitting through it. Ben was great. I have been a Death Cab for Cutie and all around Gibbard fan for 10 years now and this was my first concert. I had avoided them in the past because I thought I would have to sit with screaming teenagers and not get to even hear the music. This was not that at all and was everything I could ever hope for. It was just Ben and a guitar and his piano. It felt very relaxed and the audience was super chill but obviously huge fans. At the end you could see everyone mouthing along to every last word trying to make the evening last as long as possible. Perfection!

This guy is no new comer....but is unsurpassed in his writing skill not to mention a fine range.........melodic,indie yet not ,POP....nope whatever.......a visionary in hard times.....hey....forget the crap.... HE IS GREAT !

The music was excellent as always for Ben... The crowd was pretty good (only a few songs ruined by aspiring YouTube videographers and people with super important text messages), and been quickly built up a great rapport with the crowd that turned in to half comedy show and half concert, very entertaining and very intimate. I had a great time and I look forward to the next time I can see him live.

I thoroughly enjoyed this concert all the way through. He played a variety of material including his new stuff, some Postal Service, and a lot of Death Cab for Cutie. Even though it wasn't a super small venue he made the entire show seem very personal and connected. He used humor to connect with his audience. Any fan of any of his bands would enjoy this.

This was a perfect concert with two excellent singer song writers.

It was like hearing Ben for the first time -- between the stripped back sound and the Ebell's amazing acoustics, it was a delight to be surrounded by the velvety smooth sounds. Very intimate performance. Felt like sitting with him in a coffee house jamming. Loved every second!

Ben Gibbard's solo show at the Wilshire Ebell was an experience I'll never forget. Just Ben, a mic, his guitar, and a piano. Intimate setting - he told jokes all night and engaged in witty banter with the crowd. Some of the best singing I've ever heard, and very good sound at the venue. He's the Lennon/McCartney of our times, in terms of songwriting. HIGHLY recommended.

I have loved Ben Gibbard ever since I heard the Postal Service album. I have most of the Death Cab albums and enjoy his solo work. Seeing him by himself was a treat. He did a nice combination of his current solo work, Death Cab, and Postal Service. He reacted to the audiences comments with little quips, which was fun. It was an overall laid back show and would recommend seeing him to any fan.

The Ben Gibbard show was excellent. The opener, Damien Jurado, was very endearing. From his quiet, melancholy melodies to his playful banter with the audience, he was a pleasure to witness. I will definitely be picking up some of his music after seeing him live. And then there was Ben. His performance was great. The set list was to die for. He played THREE Postal Service songs! Plus a bunch of Death Cab songs. Plus a good handful of songs from his solo album. AND, a few others for good measure. This was a dream come true for any real fan. This was also the happiest and healthiest that I've ever seen him. He seemed to be having fun with it all. Just Ben and a guitar. The show was spectacular.

It was the perfect venue to hear Ben. What a great set list even though he didnt play one song we were hoping for :)

I usually don't write reviews, but this concert warranted one. What an amazing show! Gibbard is a one of a kind talent who can literally carry the entire show on his own, which he did! Great venue as well!

I expected the Ben Gibbard show to be a night of hearing his new solo album played with a band. I was thrilled when I took my seat and saw nothing but a piano, an acoustic guitar, and a few monitors on the stage. Ben played his solo songs, Death Cab For Cutie and Postal Service favorites, and some other fine tunes, all acoustically!!! A real blessing for any Death Cab fan. The venue was perfect for the event, and you could hear a pin drop through each song only to be followed by a huge roar at the conclusion. Listening to Ben finish the night with I Will Follow You Into the Dark and actually hear the song without every yahoo in the place singing along was a true joy. The best buzz moment of the night though was Ben's rendition of Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flower's In Your Hair)". McKenzie just passed away this August and Ben's tribute was the perfect way to say thank you for such an incredible song. I hope that Death Cab For Cutie never splits up but if they do, it's nice to know that a solo show with Ben can be just as amazing.

We got there early and got seats in the front row, about 50 feet from the stage. Ben performed completely solo, accompanied by only his piano an guitars. He was super charming and played all my favorites - alternating between Death Cab songs, Postal Service songs, and songs from his new solo album. What a fantastic way to spend 2 hours!

Ben does an amazing job producing a whole lot of sound for a 1 man show. His voice live is the exact same as his recordings. He didn't really choose anything real exciting for his setlist; it was pretty much a collection of hits and tracks from his new album. I was a little bored as I felt like I was listening to a cd, although there is no way to say the show was at all disappointing. The chicks in the crowd certainly all had their panties melted.

awesome show. Ben & his guitar/piano...playing songs from solo records, Death Cab...and POSTAL SERVICE!

I love the music the simple presentation, such a honest song writer.

The event was amazing! The Synagogue itself was beautiful and was such a cool experience. I had read Ben was going to be doing his folk-ier music and how others were not that impressed before I bought the tickets, and so I was worried it wouldn't be a good show. Well, Ben blew it out of the water and while it was folky(it was acoustic), it was amazing. His songs were still incredible minus the synthesizers and other instruments on his CDs. He played some of his Postal Service/Death Cab songs as well. Amazing.

Amazing show with new originals as well as acoustic set of Death Cab songs. Venue was perfect for this show!

One of kind songwriter, brilliant performer. With awkward endearing chit chat between songs. A great Sunday night.

This was my second time seeing Ben Gibbard. I had high expectations because the first concert I saw (DCFC) was incredible. Seeing Ben G. at the Keswick was totally worth it. Although it didn't have the high energy of a DCFC show and wasn't as electrifying in that regard, the setlist was great and I enjoyed the chance to hear laid-back acoustic renditions of old and new songs. Ben's musicality was great, and this concert really showcased him as an accomplished singer/songwriter (a nice contrast from DCFC frontman). My only disappointment was with the opener; while humorous and quirky, Advance Base didn't seem to fit with the atmosphere of the evening, and lost the crowd pretty quickly. I think another opening act would have been better; perhaps something more in line with the rest of the show. An opening band (as opposed to a single person) could have also been a nice touch; since the show itself was Ben G. alone, a band preceding him could have offset his act nicely. Wish I could give the concert 4 1/2 stars for that! About the venue: the Keswick Theater is a charming space, but what other reviewers say is correct-the chairs are REALLY uncomfortable and kind of old/grimy. Didn't detract from the show for me, but worth mentioning. Arrived early and found a parking spot very easily, which was a plus.

Just Benjamin and his bevy of acoustic guitars in this lovely theatre made for a fantastic show. It was so great to see him play Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie songs along with songs from his solo album. It was definitely a treat!

Ben is a truly prolific artist and his solo set did not disappoint. He played a 2 hour set that had music from his new album, a few Postal Service songs, Death Cab for Cutie classics, and other side projects of his. He is very engaging with the audience and really puts on an amazing show. Strongly recommend!

Ben Gibbard is simply amazing! Played songs from his new album, death cab, and postal service. Excellent show! Advance Base was great too!! Owen and I could be BFFs.

Perfect night! As usual, Ben was spot-on musically, but the intimacy of the venue coupled with his acoustic set made this an unforgettable evening. It felt as if he was lounging in my own living room, just hanging out and talking between songs in a private concert.

Ben Gibbards's solo performances are extremely special and very intimate. He arrives alone on a relatively bare stage; just him, with acoustic guitars and a personal piano. The song selection he decided to utilize ranged from among a handful of tunes from his recent solo effort "Former Lives", as well as a respectful mix of earlier material ranging from the Death Cab for Cutie catalog, as well as a collection of uniqely special material from the seminal Postal Service record. His performances were emotional and touching, and he utilized any and all down time by relating humorous and poignant tales of life both on and off the road. In my humble opinion, he really should make every effort to schedule occasional solo tours much like this one, because they offer his audience a rare and unique glimpse into the inner workings of a complex and fascinating artist such as himself.

I've seen DCFC several times over the past ten years and they've always been great. This show was particularly incredible because it was as if DCFC boiled down my favorite elements. Ben's voice is amazing, and the use of acoustics allowed his voice to carry the emotion in each song. His personality gave the show further depth and just made the whole experience feel that much more intimate. I wish he would record a live album, or come every week and perform.

Couldn't get enough of all of his acoustic version of songs from Death Cab for Cutie to The Postal Service. It was so chill. It felt like a night hanging out with Ben Gibbard.

Words are not enough to describe the concert. I've been Ben Gibbard's fan since I was a teenager, but it was the first time I had the chance to see his performance. It was just amazing, the union of simplicity and talent. The whole concert was breathtaking and I will definitely see his concert again when I have the chance.