As the lights come down, a few strategically placed beams bounce about on the sheer black backdrop. A piano, two bass guitars and a drum set are lit by the glowing lights. Loud, booming music, like what you would expect to hear from the opening of a “Star Wars” movie, begins to play.

A skinny man with shaggy hair and thick-rimmed glasses graces the stage and sits at the piano. The cheesy “Star Wars”-esque music comes to an end. The pianist gives a wink to the audience, signifying the music was just a cheesy introduction joke.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, than you have never experienced a Ben Folds show. Folds performed at the Orpheum Theatre in Madison Saturday and gave the crowd a night they’ll never forget.

The Orpheum Theatre was packed with a wide range of fans, ranging from young teenagers to senior citizens. It was a perfect venue for this type of show because it was small enough that no matter where you were, you could see the stage clearly and were still close enough.

It was my first time going to a Folds show, but thanks to a late 30-something man sitting next to me (who had driven from Michigan to catch the show) I was filled in on what to expect and how great of a performer Folds is.

Folds started with an older, slower song but then led right into a fast-paced, upbeat song off his newest CD “Songs for Silverman.”
The sight of his fingers flying across the keys of the piano was one of the craziest things I have ever seen. It was like they were no longer attached to his body.
As you watched him pound (yes, pound, sometimes with his fist) away at the piano, you couldn’t help but bob your head along to the music.

He played a number of different songs, ranging from high-energy songs like “Annie Waits,” “You to Thank” and “Zak and Sara” (a request shouted repeatedly by two teenage girls) to his mellower songs like “Still Fighting It,” “Landed” and “Gracie.”

Before Folds played one of his more politically debated songs on the ‘Silverman’ CD, he assured the audience it was never meant to be about politics. The song, entitled “Jesusland,” automatically gets that flak because of “the F-ing word Jesus in the title,” he joked.

He played a number of songs, including a new one he had only partially finished writing for the animated movie, “Over the Hedge.” He described the part of the movie where his song would be played as the part where “the turtle’s bummed out.”

Folds also played a cover of a song not suitable for print by the one and only Dr. Dre, something the man sitting next to me had told me he does at every concert.
It was an interesting take on a hardcore rap song since it was played very slowly and almost soothingly.

After his tribute to Dr. Dre, the band, made up of a bass guitarist and a drummer, left the stage so Folds could play his piano solo.
I thought this was incredibly cool because you could really hear the piano and focus on every key he hit. Even if you don’t like Folds’ music, you have to respect his talent as a pianist. There was one point in the concert where he had to stop to re-bandage his fingertips because his fingernails kept falling off from playing so hard. As he plays the piano, he stands with one leg in front of the other in order to put his entire body weight and force into what he’s playing.

Folds ended his solo set with an audience participation song entitled “Army.” Because the song is normally played with trumpets and there weren’t any available, Folds used the audience to mimic the songs of the harmonizing trumpet music as he played the song on the piano.

The band then came back and joined Folds for “The Ascent of Stan,” “Give Judy My Notice” and a few songs off his older CDs.
The band closed with the song “Philosophy” for which it played a longer, more intricate ending that really had the crowd on their feet.

As the band exited, the crowd began to cheer and clap for an encore. And of course, the band came back to the stage.
During the encore, they played “Rockin’ the Suburbs,” where Folds showed off his bass guitar and maracas skills.

After the final song of the night, Folds lifted his stool above his head and threw it at the piano, striking one final chord. As the stool busted and pieces flew into the air, Folds took his final bow of the night. It was the perfect ending to an amazing
concert.