http://www.last.fm/music/Ian+Axel
The Studio at Webster Hall
125 East 11th St. – East Village

Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Carol King, Stevie Wonder, Randy Newman, Billy Joel, Elton John, Bruce Hornsby, Joe Jackson, Tori Amos, Ben Folds, Alicia Keys, John Legend

These are some of the greatest and most well known rock piano players that have ever tickled the ivory. One thing these talented rockers have in common is the fact that they have such different styles. In no way can you listen and mistake one for the other.

On Wednesday, February 16, 2011, Jen and I went to a record release party for Ian Axel. A friend of ours kept telling us how good he is and her friend signed him on his label and you have to check him out. So, I saw he was playing a show for his CD debut “This is the New Year” at The Studio @ Webster Hall. The Studio holds 300 people. The tickets were cheap at $10 each and the show was a 16+ show. The show did sell out. The cost of the tickets and the fact that it was a 16+ show definitely made me question my decision to go.

We arrived at The Studio during the last song of the opening act Julia Nunes. I can’t say much about her because I know nothing about her. We found an open spot at the bar. Now that I look back at it, finding an open spot at the bar wasn’t luck so much as the fact that half the crowd was underage. The bartenders looked like they were 16. They were wearing panda caps? We got the wrist band and the smiley face stamp to prove we where of drinking age. So we ordered some drinks and looked around for our fan friends who showed up at the bar moments after us.

The show started after a short intermission. The band came out followed by Ian, Ian sat in front of his piano and opened with a song called “Leave Me Alone”. From the time he began until the time we left, which was before the show ended, all I could think of was Ben Folds. Give it a listen and tell me I’m wrong.

I am a fan of Ben Folds. I saw the Ben Folds Five, Whatever and Ever Amen tour. And the Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner tour. I saw Ben Folds several more times after that. I saw Ben Folds do a show with Duncan Sheik and Joe Jackson. That was a great show! Altogether I have seen Ben Folds like six times. So I know my Ben Folds and Ian Axel was doing a very good Ben Folds show.

Jen and I stayed for every song but maybe one. We left after a ballad called “Say Something”. I had reached my breaking point. It wasn’t the fact that Ian and his band weren’t talented, because they are! They are a truly talented group but at some points annoyingly poppy. You can hear the talent on “The Waltz” and “Hangman”. But, for the most part the sound is definitely a more commercial pop sound. They are nothing new. It’s been done.

You can pick out Ian’s influences like (OBVIOUSLY) Ben Folds, Jack Johnson (Ukulele), Oh, and Ben Folds. I know, not much is original anymore and the kid has talent. But, how could a room full of 300 people stand and listen to something that has been done, and not so long ago. I imagine age has something to do with it. I found it really sad. So after the ballad called “Say Something” I had to go.

Maybe Ian will stick around for a while and find his own sound. Maybe 10 years from now someone will be copying him. But for now I’ll stick with the piano rockers listed above.