Ben Folds To Headline Brilliance At The Bankhead Gala

LIVERMORE, CA — Award-winning singer-songwriter, musician, composer and record producer Ben Folds, best known as the lead of the eponymous alternative band the Ben Folds Five in the 1990s, will headline the annual Brilliance at the Bankhead fundraising gala on Sept. 10.

Folds replaces singer-songwriter Randy Newman, the “Toy Story” scorer who was announced as the headliner in February but had to pull out as he recovers from neck surgery. “Mr. Newman regrets having to miss this important fundraising event and sends his best wishes for a wonderful evening, and Livermore Valley Arts is certain that Ben Folds will delight our audiences at the highest caliber level,” Livermore Valley Arts said in a news release announcing Folds.

Folds boasts a long and celebrated career in a variety of genre-pushing, experimental music. in addition to leading an alternative band, is an accomplished classical musician, and has performed with some of the world’s greatest symphony orchestras. He was appointed the first-ever artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

At the Bankhead, Folds will perform alongside the Livermore-Amador Symphony.

The gala will kick off the Bankhead’s 2022 season, and will mark the Livermore Valley Arts’ 15th anniversary. Tickets include a gourmet dinner by On The Vine, live music at the Plaza beforehand, and a raffle and silent auction. See here for tickets.