Ben Goddard at The Garage

As a musician with considerable success in behind the scenes writing, Ben Goddard accompanied by his band The Heartbeats have come to perform at The Garage unsigned, but with undeniable talent. Passionate about music, Goddard has been creating and releasing it digitally for over five years. The band are still working on building a following and getting their music out there, and are currently touring venues around the country.

The set features mainly original tracks, old and new, with a charming cover of 1944’s Dream in the middle. It is inserted, in all likelihood because – as Goddard jokes a number of times – most of the audience members are unfamiliar with his original material. Admissions such as this pepper the performance, giving him a slightly over-apologetic stage presence, which ultimately is unnecessary.

The fact that his material is generally so unknown, however, is surprising after attending this performance. They cover a number of popular genres, from hard rock all the way to indie folk, with catchy and well-developed songs. Tempted, released online last December, certainly has all of the necessary elements of an indie hit single.

Regardless of his regrettable lack of exposure, Goddard’s voice leaves very little to be desired, as he sings very well – especially on indie tracks – and the band play confidently, modulating from hard rock guitar to electronic keyboard with ease. The band’s relaxed manner results in a friendly show, in which they truly showcase their talents and music. The best is saved for last with their closing performance of new song Dr, which is easily the best track on their set. It is a good sign for things to come from this talented band, who are still developing and looking for that defining sound.

 

Sarah Sutton
Photos: Adriana Ayala

For further information about Ben Goddard and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Tempted here: