once more with feeling

A couple of years ago, I had great big plans. I planned on a career in marketing, which wasn’t too far off actually. I planned on a huge apartment with a balcony, a living room full of books, a lovely kitchen I’d never use. I planned on getting married, on travelling the world with my husband and then having the cutest baby of all times.
And then, something happened, and I disliked all of my plans. I felt they were all to positive, too romantic, too unrealistic. Now there’s nothing, no plan A, no plan B. Whatever happens will happen. I don’t want to plan, because plans can ruin too much. You never exactly reach what you planned on, and all your plans will leave you with is disappointment and bitterness.

So, here I am now, without a plan. And it makes me happier than any plan could ever possibly do.

Somebody who actually has a plan is Jenny Owen Youngs. Not only a plan – a great, big one. “Great Big Plans” is the latest release of Jenny, a cute American singer/songwriter I saw live about 1.5 years ago in Vienna when she opened for Regina Spektor. Before the gig, I requested a song via twitter, and she actually played it. Because that’s just how awesome she is.

Did you know that Ben Folds used to live in Vienna?
Well, he did. When he was 17. He went to a Gymnasium (secondary school) on Mariahilferstraße, and he always took the U4 (our metro) from Karlsplatz to “Über St. Veit”, where he lived. He knew someone who knew Falco, and he used to walk around saying “Grüßgott” to everyone. He can sing you a song about saving a dog’s life in the metro station as well as a drinking song (Prost Prost Kameraden), which he learned from his friends when he was drinking instead of going to his German lesson.

This is what I learned about Ben Folds Saturday evening, when he played for the first time since his teenage-experiences in Vienna.
The concert was everything I expected it to be. It was a mixture of romantic songs (The Luckiest), danceable songs (Rockin’ the Suburbs), songs from the Ben Folds Five time, songs from his latest collaboration with the novelist Nick Hornby, meaningful songs (Gracie, written for his daughter) and fun songs (Rock this Bitch in Vienna). But there was even more.
For three songs, among those You don’t know me (featuring Regina Spektor in the original version), Ben was supported by the Australian Nr. 1 Kate Miller-Heidke and her operatic voice, which includes such an incredible range of pitches that she even outshines Mariah Carey.
Mr. Folds also did a cover version – of a Kesha song. Obviously the band picked at a random moment the number 1 of the iTunes charts, and now they’re playing this one cover on the whole world tour (poor them!). Of course, there’s not so much left of the original, except for the philosophic lyrics “The beat’s so phat it’s gonna make me come”.
Last but not least, the singer-songwriter surprised me with the first good sing-along I’ve ever experienced. For Not the Same, he encouraged the crowd to sing in 3 different pitches with him. And boy, it did sound good. Who would have thought that.

2.5 hours later, due to shoes with heels not being able to stand anymore and craving for a cigarette and a beer, I was convinced that it was a terrible loss for Vienna that Ben Folds left again after half a year. But who knows, maybe the next wunderkind is already on Mariahilferstraße, practicing Austrian drinking songs.

It’s so easy from above
You can really see it all
People who belong together
Lost and sad and small
But there’s nothing to be done for them
It doesn’t work that way
Sure we all have soulmates but we walk
Past them every day

Maybe that’s how books get written
Maybe that’s why songs get sung
Maybe we owe the unlucky ones.
(From Above)

Pictures courtesy of  Mr. Liebentritt, one of Austria’s most talented concert photographers.