The Hawk

Issue date: 9/26/07 Section: Entertainment

The set at the Tower contributed to an intimate setting.

Traveling through more than 14 states in less than a month, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals made a stop at the Tower Theater Saturday, Sept. 22. Harper and his band took almost no time off from their summer tour to promote their new album, "Lifeline." The newest addition to this impressive 11-album discography was recorded in only seven days.

Ben Harper said of the recording process, "After nine months of touring, and at the close of an eight week tour of Europe, my band The Innocent Criminals and I loaded directly off the road and into an elegantly humble recording studio in Paris called 'Studio Gang.' The record … was recorded and mixed in seven days on a 16-track analog tape machine. There were no computers or Pro Tools used anywhere in the process."

Pro Tools enables bands to re-record over any miniscule mistakes they make without having to redo the entire song. By using a reel-to-reel analog recorder, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals would have had to record their album perfectly the first time or face rerecording songs in their entirety.

The intense effort put into their newest album did not go unnoticed at the Tower Theater show. Nine out of the 19 songs played were from "Lifeline," including the first two songs of the encore. Also included in the encore was a cover of Bob Dylan's influential "Masters of War." More than just covers, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals mixed up their own songs to create a unique live experience. At one point in the show, Harper became very quiet, commanded his bandmates to stop playing, and sang a cappella. The silence that came over the crowd, along with the dim lighting and delicate hanging crystal chandeliers, created an intimate feeling. Such a feeling is difficult to achieve when an audience member sits among a few hundred other people.

The stage set suggested various moods for the audience. Five crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, gracefully catching the light poured through them. A smoke machine created a gentle fog on the stage as the lights changed different colors. The light show varied for each song, ranging from more upbeat songs with bright pinks and yellows to slow songs with a solo spotlight on Harper. The spotlight was always well-deserved as Harper showcased his many talents. He switched effortlessly from lap steel guitar, to acoustic guitar, to piano, proving that there is more to him than just his smooth, ethereal voice.

The band's current tour will continue traveling across North America until Nov. 15, ending in Seattle, Wa. Along the way, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals will be making stops in Toronto, New Orleans, Miami, and Los Angeles. The band will also make an appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on Oct. 1.

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