popwreckoning

Last month, PopWreckoning special correspondent Erin K. Staton reported on the Ben Folds Five special reunion show for MySpace’s inaugural “Front To Back” performance. For the performance, Ben Folds, Robert Sledge and Darren Jessee took the stage together for the first time in almost a decade to play in the band’s original hometown of Chapel Hill, North Carolina on September 18, 2008 at the UNC Memorial Hall. The trio played The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner in its entirety (front to back, get it?!) for the concert.

The show is being rebroadcast, starting today, on the Front to Back official MySpace Music profile. You read what Erin had to say, now you can experience the show for yourself.

Front to Back asks leading artists to perform one of their own seminal albums, from front to back, in a live concert that is then later aired on the site. The inaugural episode features interviews with the original members of Ben Folds Five, along with Chris Walla from Death Cab For Cutie, Andrew McMahon from Jack’s Mannequin and Ben Lee. The program can be viewed on myspace.com/fronttoback as an uninterrupted hour-long feature or by individual song.

The proceeds from concert went to benefit Operation Smile: Changing Lives One Smile at a Time. For more information, please go to operationsmile.org.

Additional “Front to Back” performances will be announced by MySpace Music in the coming months.

Ben Folds Five: website | Front To Back recap
MySpace: Front To Back

MySpace recently announced the launch of its newest music program, “Front to Back,” celebrating iconic albums that have helped shape the MySpace Generation. MySpace kicks off this program by reuniting beloved alt-pop band Ben Folds Five with an exclusive one-time live performance of their final studio album together, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, in its entirety.

The concert will be the band’s first performance together in nearly ten years and will take place in the band’s former hometown of Chapel Hill, North Carolina on September 18, 2008 at the UNC Memorial Hall. The show will be rebroadcast on the “Front to Back” official MySpace profile in October .

We are honored and excited that Ben Folds Five is helping launch this new music program,” said Josh Brooks, VP of Music Marketing for MySpace. “‘Front to Back’ is about connecting and re-connecting the MySpace community, fans and bands alike with some of the most acclaimed and inspirational albums ever produced.”

“When MySpace approached me about doing this gig,” Ben Folds said, “I misunderstood and thought they wanted us to play Purple Rain front to back, so of course I said yes. But we’re happy to do The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner instead. Of our three albums, this one brings back the most vivid memories. It was actually written to be one song of many movements, which is why there are motifs that appear throughout the album. That should make Reinhold a natural to be played front to back.”

“Front to Back” asks leading artists to perform one of their own seminal albums, from front to back, in a live concert that is then later aired on the site. The airing of the event includes interviews with the band as well as artists who were influenced by the album. Presented by Nowwhat.com, tickets to the Ben Folds Five “Front to Back” taping will go on sale to the public through etix.com on September 8th at 10 AM EST. Additional “Front to Back” performances will be announced by MySpace in the coming months.

The proceeds from concert will benefit Operation Smile: Changing Lives One Smile at a Time. For more information, please go to operationsmile.org.

You don’t want to wait until October to catch the performance (and neither do we!) so Editor Nick Davis is heading over to Chapel Hill to be at the historic event. Be sure to check in for coverage here at PopWreckoning on the Ben Folds Five reunion and the launch of MySpace’s “Front to Back” endeavor.

Ben Folds Five: website
Front to Back: myspace
Operation Smile: Changing Lives One Smile at a Time: website