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Posted on Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 10:50 a.m.

Ben Folds to play Hill Auditorium in charity concert; tickets on sale Friday

By Bob Needham

Note: The start time for online sales has been changed to 4 p.m. Friday, March 15.

Ben-Folds.JPG

Ben Folds performs at the 2008 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee

AP file photo

The University of Michigan student group MUSIC Matters today announced a solo concert by Ben Folds at Hill Auditorium on April 11.

Tickets start at $20, $35, $50 and $55, and go on sale at 11 a.m. March 15 at the Michigan Union Ticket Office, in the basement of the Michigan Union on State Street. They will be available online at www.michiganmusicmatters.com/tix starting at 4 p.m. that day.

The concert is presented by MUSIC (Michigan Undergrads Serving In the Community) Matters and sponsored by Michigan Hillel. This is the group's second year producing a charity concert; proceeds will benefit need-based scholarships for high school students to attend U-M.

“We are excited by Ben Folds' ability to bring together a wide range of students and community members,” MUSIC Matters Acting President Coby Joseph said in a press release. “His engaging performance style and career-long commitment to charity make him the perfect artist for our benefit concert.”

Folds became a star with his 2001 album "Rocking the Suburbs." His latest album, made with his band Ben Folds Five, is "The Sound of The Life of The Mind."

Folds played Hill Auditorium in 2008 as a headliner for the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. He played the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor in 2006 and 2009.

More information from the press release:

The Ben Folds concert will be the capstone event for MUSIC Matters’s entire Day of Festivities on the Diag at the University, called SpringFest 2013. Arts organizations, a cappella groups, and dance performances will all be featured along with club’s booths, games, and a “Restaurant Row.” It will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The goal of SpringFest is to unite the diverse University of Michigan community for a fun afternoon on the Diag,” explains MUSIC Matters Founder and President Phillip Schermer. “The entire day of festivities, capped off with the Ben Folds concert, serves as a culminating event of the academic year, bringing the entire campus together for one big, final celebration.”

MUSIC Matters (Michigan Undergrads Serving In the Community) is in its second year at the University of Michigan. Its goal is to bring one concert to the University of Michigan per year and donate the proceeds to charity. Last year, they brought Grammy-nominee, J. Cole, to Hill Auditorium and donated $10,000 to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

This year, MUSIC Matters took on the issue of college affordability when choosing its charity. With the proceeds from the concert, MUSIC Matters will endow one of the first-ever student-funded scholarships at the University of Michigan. Megan Pfeiffer, MUSIC Matters Vice-President, explains, “As students of the University of Michigan, we are passionate about our education and giving that opportunity to others. We don't want financial need to be a roadblock for people when deciding their future, especially for becoming one of the leaders and best.”

Michigan Hillel is the lead sponsor of this year’s MUSIC Matters concert. Dalia Adler, Chair of Michigan Hillel, says “Michigan Hillel has gladly chosen to sponsor and partner with MUSIC Matters because it is an incredible way for us to support an event focused on the arts— an area that Hillel has really started to focus on this year. By collaborating to bring in Ben Folds, it’s an opportunity for us to showcase not only our commitment to growing our own involvement with the arts, but our commitment to growing arts on campus as well.” She continues, “the concert and the pre-concert events bring together the entire student body, and to be part of cultivating such a community is both an honor and at the crux of Hillel’s values. MUSIC Matters unites Michigan in such a unique and inspiring way, leading to our eagerness and excitement to support a cause that empowers students and truly enhances the culture on Michigan’s campus.”

Bob Needham is director of entertainment content for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at bobneedham@annarbor.com or 734-623-2541, and follow him on Twitter @bobneedham.

Comments

Bob Needham

Fri, Mar 15, 2013 : 7:03 p.m.

Definitely seems to be a lot of buzz about this one!

Scott

Fri, Mar 15, 2013 : 6:45 p.m.

I was at the 2006 show (the one in the video above). Awesome show and can't wait to see him again. He consistently puts on a great concert. And he's funny as hell.

billchase2

Fri, Mar 15, 2013 : 4:28 p.m.

Just purchased some excellent tickets! Can't wait! I missed my opportunity to see Ben Folds back in college as he was ill and had to cancel some shows. Time to finally see him live!

John Counts

Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 6:57 p.m.

The last time I saw Ben Folds was when he was Ben Folds Five at Clutch Cargo's in Pontiac in 1998. I think it might be high time I checked him out again.

Melanie Maxwell

Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 7:13 p.m.

I was there at that show too! It was one of the first shows I took my then 12-year-old sister to. I liked playing the part of cool, older sister with great musical tastes! It's been fun sharing his music over the years even with the generation gap.

Bob Needham

Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 5:27 p.m.

Note: The organizers just told me the start time for online ticket sales has been moved to 4 p.m. on Friday.

Julie Baker

Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 5:03 p.m.

I saw Ben Folds a number of times while I was in school at MSU. He's such a great storyteller and is really into involving the whole audience in his performances. It was always a blast. Love that this show is for a good cause, too!

almightydanish

Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 3:17 p.m.

Ben Folds on Thursday and The Slackers on the following Friday. That's turning into a great week for music in Ann Arbor.

Bob Needham

Thu, Mar 14, 2013 : 3:29 p.m.

The same night as Ben Folds, the Blind Pig has a Talking Heads tribute band -- that could be good too! And that Saturday, the Michigan Theater has the Fab Faux: http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/fab-faux-will-return-to-michigan-theater-this-time-playing-the-white-album/