Ben Danaher Captivates Fans at NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall

Wednesday night (Sept 19) in downtown Manhattan, guests at Rockwood Music Hall had the pleasure of listening to singer-songwriter, Ben Danaher perform all 11 tracks from his debut album Still Feel Lucky (Check out our First Impression review of the album here). The intimate venue was the perfect setting for the singer’s heartfelt vibe.

Danaher is a musician who relies on raw talent and honest lyrics, reminding listeners of the importance of this type of artistry in country music. Strapped with an acoustic guitar, the singer began his set with his track, “Hell or High Water”, co-written by country superstar Maren Morris. As he progressed with his music, more fans sat down to listen to his set, and of course, the stories behind his lyrics that the singer shared in between songs.

Prior to singing his title track, “Still Feel Lucky,” Danaher shared a story with the audience about living with his grandmother in Vermont after a series of familial tragedies and difficulty fitting into the Nashville music scene.

“Everyday she [his grandmother] would talk about how lucky she was. When I got back to Nashville, I had to do a new way of thinking, at least for this song.” After the heartfelt performance, the “Still Feel Lucky” singer laughed, stating “That was the fastest, happiest song I got.. It all goes down hill from here.” Ironically, the night only got better as Danaher appeared more and more comfortable on stage and interacting with the audience.

The night was filled with memorable moments, including the artist discussing his most prized possession, his 12 passenger van named Carl. As well as his first trip to NYC; however, one of the more poignant moments of the night was when the singer-songwriter opened his heart to fans, sharing the song he wrote for his young niece, after her father was tragically taken from her. The singer wanted his niece to know that she wasn’t alone in missing someone.

“I was kinda kicking around in Nashville, playing songs for people that were too sad. I took it as a reason that I wasn’t fitting in with country music, which is weird that sad music isn’t country music anymore. I thought that was the point. After my brother passed away, I didn’t want my niece to feel that it wasn’t okay,” he explained just before singing “Everyone’s Getting Over Someone.”

Danaher ended his Rockwood set with a brand new unreleased song, “The Apple and The Tree,” and left the show with many brand new fans in his corner. For future tour dates and more information, visit bendanaher.com.

 

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