By Emily Farra

Ben Kweller and Julia Nunes put on a captivating show this past Saturday at Bloomington’s Buskirk-Chumley Theater.  Both artists won the crowd over with their impressive live performances, raw emotion, and undeniable connection with the audience.

As a major Kweller fan, I almost forgot the fact there would be an opener—I was consumed by the excitement of seeing an artist I’d listened to since I was fifteen years old and sporting a Ben Kweller T-shirt.  I was a huge fan back then, more than slightly obsessed with both his iconic Sha Sha and self-titled records.  (And yes, I might have Facebook friend-ed him.)  But, much to my pleasure, Julia Nunes did not disappoint—in fact, she made a fan out of me, and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one.

The little-known Nunes is kind of a big deal—she’s gained fame almost exclusively through her viral YouTube videos, played at Bonnaroo twice, opened for Ben Folds four times, and is even admired by Molly Ringwald.  Yep, Sixteen Candles’ awkward Samantha Baker mentioned how Nunes “inspired her to learn ukulele” on Good Morning America.  How wonderfully mainstream.

Nunes is very much known for her impressive musical talents on ukulele and guitar.  She played both instruments in a refreshingly straightforward and honest manner, especially coupled with her equally candid and emotional lyrics.  My favorite Nunes song from the show, “I Think You Know,” mixes sincere emotion with observant, seemingly-mundane everyday life: “If you’re gone then I’m gone / whatever road you are on, I know we’ll survive …I found a piece of you on the floor next to couch / Near the gummi bears that your mom left out…”  It’s so simple it’s almost too good.

Nunes appealed to the broken hearts in the crowd with her refusal to only play her prettiest, happiest songs; sometimes she even sounded angry, and showcased that honesty and passion are an intrinsic part of who she is as a musician.  See her website here.

The four years of anticipation for a Ben Kweller concert were undoubtedly worth it when I witnessed his epic performance after Julia Nunes; Kweller opened with a fan favorite, “On My Way,” and it couldn’t have been better.  With lyrics like “I’m in love with someone who’s as pretty as a flower / Her life give me power so I’m buyin’ her a ring …Aw, mom, I never thought that I could love no one / But tonight I’m on my way,” it’s kind of impossible not to feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

As any Kweller fan already knows, his lyrics are always thoughtful and heartwarming; that’s just part of the unending appeal of Kweller. It was even more amazing to hear his lyrics live and in such an intimate setting.  I wasn’t once disappointed with his set list—he played lots of old favorites like “I Don’t Know Why,” “Run,” “Living Life,” “Sundress,” and “My Apartment,” which he told us he wrote on the fire escape of his first apartment in New York City.

Kweller was an unbelievable live performer—it was so refreshing to realize he sounded even better than on his records.  Not only did he play and sing well, but his songs were infused with so much emotion and honesty that it was like listening in on a private jam session.   Kweller was uninhibited and I’m assuming he forgot we were there from time to time—his performances were perfectly aligned with the mood of his songs that no CD could match what we experienced.  We were undoubtedly witnessing a true artist in his element.

Kweller was equally enamored with the crowd as we were with him.  He very fondly stated that it was difficult to play to fans that were such “great listeners” – it prompted him to frequently change his set list to accommodate the changing mood.  At one point he even invited guests on stage to shake their keys as impromptu sleigh bells in his song “Until I Die.”

Kweller was so good I was legitimately stunned when he left the stage.  My heart sank with disappointment when everyone began clapping and cheering—was it seriously over? But true to form, the impossibly charming Kweller hopped right back up to play a much-needed encore.  Naturally, he chose Sha Sha’s “Falling”—arguably one of his best tracks to date, and a song that almost perfectly captures the deep-down essence of his music.

Ben Kweller and Julia Nunes put on an amazing and nearly perfect show that the audience will surely never forget.  I can guarantee everyone has pulled out their old Kweller albums and kept them on repeat since, and Nunes’ website has probably tripled in hits.  The Bloomington concert scene certainly never fails to amaze.

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