These are personal stories. The ground moves beneath your feet as you listen because there’s a sense that Ben Ballinger is communicating with every fiber of his being. Not only the singular voice – naturally amplified and almost defiantly not needing a microphone – but the entire heart, soul, and ravaged mind. Sometimes it feels like a ticking time bomb. Other times, it’s a tattered spirit left fluttering weakly in the breeze. Start with 2011’s Fabrication, Ballinger’s fourth studio release; then soak up The State I’m In (2014) and follow that with the six-track scorcher Something To Show For It (2019). That’s your primer. You’ll have a damn good idea why the live performances are worth your time.
Join Ballinger for his weekly residency set tonight, Monday June 21, at Hole In the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe. This evening’s show includes a solo set by Emily Whetstone (Van Mary), and a performance by Eamon Fogarty. The music starts at 9 p.m.