Ben Folds Five - Underground (from Sessions at West 54th)

Music video by Ben Folds Five performing Underground (from Sessions at West 54th). (C) 2001 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
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[@matthewchung5288]

those guys at the back are having the time of their lives

[@elliotb1137]

I don't blame them.

[@davidbennett6585]

Literally the least “underground” looking guys I have ever seen!

[@shoeflaps]

They're all office middle-managers now.

[@Wayzor_]

@@shoeflaps Not all of us lol. GenX still putting you kids to shame.

[@ChromeCobra420]

Legend has it they still are.

[@ethancooney3331]

For me what makes this band special is when they transition into like 30 second jazz gasms

[@danielstevenson2772]

They were originally called "Jazzgasms." JK, funny comment, though. I agree it's those jazz chops they throw at your that makes it even cooler when they rock.

[@high-defRJ]

Wouldn't expect Ben Folds Five to be a jazz trio, but if they were called upon to put on a jazz show, they would probably do it so well.

[@colin-nekritz]

@@high-defRJall three took jazz composition in college and have referenced jazz in interviews with Robert being the only one expressing he doesn't like jazz but can play it.

[@incvd]

Hell yeah agree

[@frarfarf]

yeah the choice to just finish a song like that is so cool

[@danieljohnson2562]

In 1998 I went with my mom, sister and Brother in law to Phoenix Arizona to scatter my dad's ashes in the desert (that's where he wanted them) and while we were there I watched this in our hotel room. Instant fan.

[@493Jester]

The Charlie Brown crew dancing in the background. Lucky to be there. Glad someone got up and cut the rug a little.

[@jamesdoctor8079]

Most underrated drummer ever

[@colin-nekritz]

Darren is criminally underrated in terms of touch and at times raw power. Guy studied jazz and John Bonham which is why he exhibits both.

[@Meller83]

I would argue he is the best drummer alive. He’s the mf man!

[@noahpacheco944]

west 54th seems like the best they've been live recorded the energy is impeccable

[@tarekabdallah6554]

Totally agree....i remember when this was on pbs all those years ago....i ran out immediately and bought "forever and ever amen"!! Wish there was some of rufus wainwright from this show here. That was an amazing one too!

[@bryanfouts287]

Their set at Bonnaroo in ‘12 is pretty damn solid too, the sound is better here tho

[@incvd]

One hundred percent

[@skutterbuster666]

"Officer friendly's little boys got a mohawk, so he knows exactly where we're coming from" Best Ben Folds Five lyric by far

[@blutos]

3:41 Backflip and a dude doing a surprise "EVERYTHING'S HAPPY". Doesn't get much better than that!

[@mattman402]

Ben Folds is one of the most special musicians in all of music and time. His band right along with him. Absolutely fantastic. Amazing and inspiring music. Ben Folds made me want to pick up the keys and I’m so glad I did. I have him to thank. Ben Folds and the Beatles will forever be the best songwriters I’ve ever heard.

[@ChrisGorski]

Ben Folds was never greater than during his BFF days.

[@thekout]

I mean, hes been as succesful ever since.

[@RancidRandalI]

@@thekout He probably meant in terms of his songwriting.

[@lefthooklansing]

Rockin The Suburbs was his best, even better than Reinhold .

[@RancidRandalI]

David Perrins his best solo album yes, BFF self titled and whatever and ever amen are his best work

[@danw9464]

100 mf per cent

[@willieboy555]

The drummer is just bad ass in this band.

[@colin-nekritz]

Darren Jessee. Met him, super nice guy.

[@steeno861]

@@colin-nekritzyou met THE darren jessee!?

[@Meller83]

@@steeno861I have too and can confirm his niceness! The coolest dude.

[@Rehash84]

A young Fredrick Durst there, throwing 'mad signs', as he might term it.

[@oliverrees433]

Wow, when Ben kicks in with the line "but I love to mix in circles, cliques and social coteries" it just sounds so special, so amazing. In saying that, this whole performance has something quite special about it!

[@hamachan7766]

何故こんなに人気がない？ 20年以上前のヒットは言え今でも色あせてないと思うけど。

[@jimijackson]

Underrated band

[@goctagonrecovery3270]

It’s absolutely incredible how much noise three guys can make. This performance is beyond perfect.

[@richieboy6825]

So agree!!!

[@dawgboybinley6128]

it truly is. I always loved this album, but never saw them live and never actually even saw a live video until now and i'm completely blown away. I never thought they would have been able to do this song as good as the recording, but it might even be better. These guys were truly dynamite.

[@jpmojo]

Took my younger sister and her friend to a BFF show in NYC in ‘98 … what an incredible show …she became a life long fan too that night .

[@jpmojo]

Took my younger sister and her friend to a BFF show in NYC in ‘98 … what an incredible show …she became a life long fan too that night

[@carlypeters898]

Where have these videos been all my life???

[@benjaminnormal9968]

Hidden away by youtube

[@saxysadie]

The biggest secret i somehow missed when I was in high school! See Ben in concert- he’s great!

[@korbendallas7181]

Copywrittin. I got this dvd for like 11 or 12th birthday. Still my favorite dvd till this day. Got a bunch of nice extras

[@leokimvideo]

Seamless throw to jazz..class act

[@billvill61]

Absolutely love the tone of Sledge's bass!

[@adamhagen5704]

this song really shows how talented the rhythm section actually is!

[@timothydillow3160]

Some nights you just hit one out of the park.

[@TimmyRiordan]

Ben Folds circa '97 one of the best shows I've ever seen.

[@mazz29]

The sound of that snare at 1:26 could not be crisper. Darren's ear on the set is one of the many things that made this band so good.

[@ezrac704]

it amazes me how this sounds almost just like the original.

[@richieboy6825]

That happens when you have real talent & great equipment!!!

[@user-lo1cl8de1s]

Always loved that signature bass distortion

[@rubybeth]

I feel very old. I watched this when it was on PBS. I loved "Sessions at West 54th."

[@lewis123646]

Oh they aired these on, PBS? That's awesome (I had no idea thanks for the info).

[@bethringsmuthstolpman404]

@@lewis123646 yes, it was a show produced for public television.

[@lewis123646]

@@bethringsmuthstolpman404 I had no idea! Didn't know what it was produced for. I've only seen one other one with Beck which was good (also in 97'). Very cool.

[@bethringsmuthstolpman404]

@@lewis123646 that was the same episode as this, Beck/Ben Folds Five. Wikipedia has the full list of pairings. I loved the Ani DiFranco episode, too.

[@lewis123646]

@@bethringsmuthstolpman404 Oh really? I'll have to take a look at that. That's a really good episode with a double bill of Ben Folds Five and Beck. Sounds like a very well currated show, I'll have to check out the episode list. Thanks for all the info! Very nice of you!

[@BJR1977]

Brings back wonderful memories

[@matthewpilon4422]

Ben definitely got his ego get the best of him when he ditched everyone else and went on his own. Yeah he is the primary guy, but the trifecta of the OG Ben Folds Five made it work.

[@colin-nekritz]

Was never as good. I have all his stuff but he had partners and band tension pushing each other and keeping Ben in check without which he became watered down.

[@Wayzor_]

This show is what introduced me to Ben, oh so many years ago.

[@dynaboyjl.4220]

I feel like there's maybe three men on earth who can better handle a piano and a crowd at the same time than Ben Folds.

[@NJJ77]

Errol Garner. Sadly departed 😥

[@ezrac704]

0:04 has no one pointed out how people took him seriously when he said "I was never cool in school"? I love the huge smile that forms on Bens face.

[@SeanBialo]

lmaoo, ben's smile when he goes "no, no" is just amazing

[@FlameMage2]

I think that's just the reaction of people realizing what song they're about to play from that one line and the smile is happiness that people are psyched that fast.

[@ezrac704]

@@FlameMage2 But then again, he says "no, no". Still a good thought though...

[@billvill61]

Drummers are always cool...

[@colin-nekritz]

@@billvill61alas Darren wasn’t, it’s why he wrote the Hotel Lights song “Small Town Shit” about where he grew up in NC.

[@frankfaker519]

perfect live played end. respect

[@davidclegg4760]

That’s how you play a bass!

[@beef88]

Really like this performance when it kicks off

[@sabinetapia1659]

Giving me serotonin

[@frankfaker519]

Oh man. This song is sooooofckn great

[@tatasuzanne4316]

This is just freakin awesome

[@jean-noel4593]

Oh God ! I thought I was a specialist of 1995... Pulp, Blur, Oasis, Verve, Pavement, Elastica, Radiohead, Teenage Fanclub, Supergrass, Bjork, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, Tricky, Sonic Youth, Slowdive, Leftfield, Apex Twin, Fugazi, Chemical Brothers, Tindersticks, Blackgrape, The Charlatans, The Boo Radleys, Morphine, Echobelly, Catherine Wheels, Cast, Morrissey, Spiritualized, Belly, Mercury Rev, etc. They all have their space in my discography. I have to be over 50 to discover that genius.

[@TheRhosoftherovers]

Love it, love it, love it!

[@141jm]

Love from New Zealand

[@aagrape3377]

I loooove this!!!!!!!!

[@RomeoProjects]

That was talent, That was gold!

[@artcoreplayer]

sheesh.... tight.... wow

[@msanrai]

The best band..hands down.

[@joet7644]

Wow, just wow

[@harrymapex]

What a brilliant live version!!!!!!

[@fatiuspau8l551]

So much better when you add the five......

[@2lileyazilirmis]

this concert is from 97 if I don't know wrong, 8 years before I was born. so sad!

[@rubberchix]

hang in there bud

[@ezrac704]

Yeah, wish I had been born earlier

[@MrBeefseven]

I’m so glad this was posted!!! Always wanted to see this :)

[@nickauclair1477]

I needed that

[@alexcurtice5834]

0:25 I had no Idea shaggy could sing!

[@tsurc1090]

Lolll he definitely doesn’t look like shaggy now

[@daneschipp]

Could someone in the journalism or filming industry do a "Where are they now?" style documentary on the group in the background? I missed them as much as I missed this killer live version of this song.

[@anthonyshea3924]

That was tight af in all its meanings

[@crlyhdedfnck]

Every song performed at west 54th is basically their best songs but better, I rather listen this version of Underground instead of the original.

[@JoeHuman]

I'm LIKE number 999. Underground Devil 🤘🏾

[@BekramCarr]

Bro in the back really hit that hand spring

[@manifestgtr]

They should’ve had sledge sing more. He’s got a really cool voice in this context

[@ukimusya]

さいこー！

[@mauricioamendola1775]

i'm here once a week

[@frarfarf]

Robert Sledge looks like Jack White, and is also a beast, like Jack White

[@nedflandersdittlie]

Yes! Fuck ya! Thank you!

[@pashanon]

Why I can't help tap dancing hearing this?

[@patriciofernandez2711]

Fucking fantastic

[@theaziz2001]

I need a song with only Roberts voice

[@theonlygannonyouknow8257]

they recorded one but didn't release it. Look up "Prince Charming" by BFF

[@theaziz2001]

Gannon Young just heard it and I’m stunned they never released this lol

[@BarryHawk]

Great voice. Where's his solo album?

[@lackadaisical2738]

2:19 you cant miss him

[@pamelapichler8926]

wtf that outro!

[@einsteinstheory4250]

Bloody brilliant, but they need to get rid of those rappers in the background

[@tomb407]

"Only the band Keane could've been.... "

[@RedPilledAsFuck]

*sniff*

[@Kazinga123]

*sniff*

[@Htheorphanarian]

Ahhh bloody KZbin have removed the Conan performance! 🤬🤬🤬🤬😭😭

[@stevefreeland9255]

Where are the other two? 😃

[@BenryDess]

They were supposed to bring the bleedin lights down so we can introduce the secret forf an fiff membahs of our group!

[@charlotteelenore1399]

there are only three lol. that’s the joke. ben folds five, but there have only ever been 3 of them.

[@user-er4qp4hu1q]

I wander if I had become upon dog.

[@Boylieboyle]

Thumbs the f up for Divine Comedy to cover BF(F)'s material (to put it coldly) and wice wersa? Just imagine we're vital components of the great purpose and make it happen - Ben Elton (not really)

[@P715R]

Those kids in the background grew up to be Trump supporters

[@ChromeCobra420]

These comments aged well... lol

[@bgbstrm2352]

My fave band ever since Kate came out. What a performance! 💯🎵🎶