Ben Stalets, LEAVE CORP and Wholehearted Halfwits to play Casa Friday.
Strumming his own experiences, songwriter and guitarist Ben Stalets will be playing acoustically this Friday at Casa Nueva, along with Athens bands LEAVE CORP and Wholehearted Halfwits.
LEAVE CORP is an Athens band that plays with an emphasis on tasty guitar licks and melodic harmonies, said guitarist, vocalist and Ohio University alum Dan Dreifort.
The band recently played Brew Week sets and indulges in a wide variety of influences to form its sound, from reggae to latin music. Dreifort said he has a long history playing music in Athens with various bands in the past, and says he is excited to play Casa Nueva.
“I remember playing the very first Athens Community Music Festival with one of my older bands,” Dreifort said. “The festival was on top of the parking garage and our set was right at sunset, so we got to play right as the sun went down. This show is going to be a lot of fun, we haven’t performed in a while, so we’re really excited about it.”
Ben Stalets is a Toledo native who has been writing songs for close to four years with his unique brand of country-blues. This show is a stop on his current Ohio tour to promote his new eleven-track album Winds Blown Cold, available on iTunes.
Despite only having two years of stage experience under his belt, Stalets has opened for big name acts such as folk singer Valerie June and outlaw-country rocker Whitey Morgan.
“It was very nerve-wracking, going from coffee shops to opening for big audiences. I used to get really nervous and barely be able to play the guitar, but I’ve started to get a lot more used to it,” Stalets said. “You just have to go up and do your thing. At those two big shows, I had the best time and got the best responses from people, so it was definitely a good experience.”
Stalets said there will be something for everyone, from happier songs that make you want to dance, to more somber songs of reminiscence. Stalets draws on notable folk acts such as Woody Guthrie and songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Hank Williams Sr. for inspiration, making it a priority to infuse a narrative into each song.
“I draw on my own experiences and try to connect with people through them,” Stalets said. “You can only sing about what you know, otherwise you’re basically faking it and people can figure it out pretty quickly. I just try to make sure people have a good time, it’s about being authentic.”
sn002310@ohio.edu
