Ben Caplan gave a full house at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, a small taste of the South Country Fair, during an energetic solo performance, July 17.
While I missed opening act Jordie Lane, I arrived in time to hear the raucous crowd cheering wildly as the Halifax based Caplan did his best Tom Waits impersonation whether pounding away at his keyboard or thrashing at his battered guitar while his eyes made him look like he was possessed.
He brought Taryn Kawaja on stage with him for a tender duet on the keyboards then stepped down from the stage for her to play a pretty solo song.
He returned to play a blend of Nick Cave, Geoff Berner and Tom Waits inspired original jazz tinged folk music.
He channeled the spirit of Cab Calloway as he played a crazy call and response number, having the audience shout and scat along with assorted lines and utterances.
I believe the last song in the set was a cover as a lot of people were singing along with it. He ended it and the set with a cascade of cacophonic chords on the piano.