HE IS a lead singer in Gomez, the British band that brought the blues to student and indie audiences in the late nineties/early noughties, but he also operates as a solo artist.
Ben Ottewell, an inspired guitarist and the man GQ described as possessing a voice “not of this world”, takes a break from his Gomez duties to play a solo show for Strange Brew at the Róisín Dubh on Thursday December 11 at 9pm.
Ben first emerged as a solo artist in 2011 with the release of his debut solo album Shapes & Shadows. A track from the album, 'Take This Beach', appeared on FX’s Sons of Anarchy, overall allowing Ben to enjoy a series of successful solo tours across Britain, the US, and Australia.
This year Ben released the follow-up, Rattlebag, which saw him collaborate with former Tunng member Sam Genders. “Sam and I grew up together in a little village called Bonsall in Derbyshire and have been friends since childhood,” explains Ben. “I love his songwriting, the stuff he did with his bands Tunng and The Accidental, particularly lyrically."
Lyrically, Rattlebag itself deals with salvation and redemption, sanctuary and braving rocky seas, while musically it mixes infectious melodies, bluesy riffs, and anthemics.
Tickets are available at www.roisindubh.net, the Ticket Desk at OMG Zhivago, Shop Street, and The Róisín Dubh.
