Ben Kweller / Convoy / Pony League

I waited in line for a while. I wasn’t sure when the show started, so I just showed up. There was a decent sized crowd, but it didn’t look sold out to me. To pass the time, I watched BK and friends play a game of what looked like whiffle ball in a neighboring baseball field. Looked like it beat the crap out of standing in line and getting felt up by the security guards.

Opening act was a band from Texas called Pony League. I enjoyed them very much even though I’ve never heard of them until now. I thought they sounded like a folksy Anniversary or Koufax type. They had keyboards as well as the typical band get up of guitars, bass and drums. I couldn’t see these guys due to my height so I couldn’t tell you about they way they presented themselves on stage. Over all, I felt highly about them.

I was shocked to see Ben Kweller setting up their stage right after Pony League. I was so sure they were headlining. So I asked Event Staff what was going on and I got some unclear story about Ben and Convoy. So I sat and waited, until I eventually squeezed to the front. Ben opened up with his own version of “Fools Rush In”, which I liked. I know you think it’s lame that any band open up with a cover song, but it was good. He seems to like to open with cover songs because at his last San Diego performance with Dashboard Confessional, he played “BK Baby” which is his take on Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice Baby”.

Let’s stop and talk about the crowd for a moment. Sadly, they weren’t into Ben as much as I think they should be. It’s probably just me, but I think Ben Kweller is awesome and is worthy of so much more praise and attention than he gets. My ever so observant assistant noticed that the crowd was only paying much attention while Ben Played his radio single “Wasted and Ready”. I believe that was after his whole speech about all the great things in Anaheim. Too bad we’re in San Diego. Ben Kweller closed with a rocked out lengthened version of “No Reason”. The crowd was treated with a double intro because one of the strings broke and the band started the intro over…for fun? The set was too short and I really believe the band wasn’t into giving it their all. They had Anaheim the night before and Hollywood the next day to look forward to. I positive they were tired, but I still think they could have rocked a little harder. But that’s just what I expected.

I didn’t stay for more than a few songs from Convoy’s, for the reason that I was tired and had class in the morning. But what I did catch was a delivery of up beat rock and roll. People in these neck of the woods rant and rave about Convoy. Quite possibly because they’re from San Diego? I don’t know. Do they get the raves outside this town? They’re not at all the typical music I am into but I think they’re pretty good. I think they might be one of those next big things. That’s just my prediction.

Overall rating: Disappointed. I think it was because I pumped myself up for the show a little too much. There were 3 factors that played a roll in my over all feelings about the show. 1) Ben Kweller’s set wasn’t long enough. 2) Ben, you were in San Diego, not Anaheim. 3) Why wasn’t he headlining?