Day 17: Ben Barritt | #HITSBC17

Hey guys!

Whilst it's super exciting to welcome all these new faces to the countdown, it's also extremely wonderful to have friends of HITS get involved again.

Every year when I message everyone to invite them to join us, we all have a collective "can't believe it's been another year" moment and I couldn't enjoy that more if I tried.

So yeah, it's been another year and we're all here again, celebrating another year of fantastic music with everyone on house in the sand.

Ready for day 17?


What is #HITSBC17?
HITSBC17 stands for house in the sand's Birthday Countdown 2017.
Throughout the entire month of February, we are going to celebrate house in the sand's fifth birthday.
(Because why celebrate on one day, if you can celebrate for an entire month, right?)
With the support from some of the finest artists and bands around, each day in February will be filled with an exclusive performance just for us.

Who is performing today?
Ben Barritt.
He is singer/songwriter/guitarist from London, UK based in Berlin, Germany.

His sound blends an impressive amount of genres; from soft and calm acoustic tunes, to folky rhythms to souly jazz songs with sprinkles of rock and r'n'b.

Originally being from London, England, a lot of his songs tell stories about the little things at home: walking through the dark streets on the way back from the pub or using the London underground to see the person you love.

A few of those stories can be found on Ben's EP "Sundial", and even more of those stories are told on his debut album "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?".
You can usually find Ben gigging with his band.

What needs to be said about this performance?
It's a super calming performance which is p e r f e c t  for you, if you had a stressful day.
You'll find yourself relaxing and focusing on the song which is delivered in such comforting manner.
Whether you're familiar with Ben's sound or not, you'll dig this!

Here we go, check out Ben's performance of his song "Keep It Coming" and enjoy!





Where can we find Ben Barritt online?
Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

Who deserves a thank you?
The fantastic Ben, who put some serious work into this video and is such a pleasure to work with every time and has been so supportive for such a long time.

What can we do now?
If you enjoyed this video and post, please help us reach more people.
Share it online along with the hashtag #HITSBC17.
We would love to hear what you think, so please feel free to comment.


And that's it for day 17!
Mega shout out to everyone who's been here since day 1 and has been so supportive of this countdown. You're all fabulous!



Day 16:                                                                                          Day 18:
                                                                 

Thank you for your visit!

Credits // Text: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Ben Barritt | Video: Ben Barritt for house in the sand

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Day 21: Ben Barritt | #HITSBC16

Hey guys!

21 days, three weeks of live music non-stop.
Not only does that sound intense- it is intense!

But that's the beauty of hosting this countdown, it's challenging and it's pretty unique.
It's a party for music lovers and that's pretty damn cool!


What is #HITSBC16?
HITSBC16 stands for house in the sand's Birthday Countdown 2016.
Throughout the entire month of February, we will be celebrating this website's fourth birthday.
One artist/band a day is going to wish us a happy birthday and then perform a song exclusively for this sweet occasion.

Who is performing today?
Ben Barritt.
He is a musician based in Berlin, Germany.

As a guitarist the variety of genres he plays is incredibly wide - from touring with Americana singer/songwriter Erik Penny to touring and recording with indie folk-rock artist Jim Kroft - Ben does it all.

His own sound blends an impressive amount of genres; from soft and calm acoustic tunes, to folky rhythms to souly jazz songs with sprinkles of rock and r'n'b.

Originally being from London, England, a lot of his songs tell stories about the little things at home: walking through the dark streets on the way back from the pub or using the London underground to see the person you love.

A few of those stories can be found on Ben's EP "Sundial", and even more of those stories are told  on his debut album "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?".

What is special about this video?
It's the first and only on stage performance on this countdown.
We love live audiences and the atmosphere at a gig, so shooting one video at a gig only made sense.
Ben always performs at that time unreleased songs for HITS and this one is no exception.


So here are Ben Barritt and his band perfoming "Counting Every Minute" for our birthday!




Where can we find Ben Barritt online?
Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

Who do we need to thank?
house in the sand's good friend Ben Barritt who's always up for whatever we come up with.
It's always a really creative process to work with him and I really enjoy that.
Cheers, Ben!!

What can we do now?
If you've enjoyed this article, please help us reach more people by sharing it along with the hashtag #HITSBC16.
Everybody who uses the hashtag on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram has the chance to win something lovely once the countdown is over.

I hope you enjoyed day 21!

Day 20:                         Day 22:




Thank you for your visit!

Credits // Text & Video (camera): Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Jim Kroft | Video (performance): Ben Barritt & band | Video intro (audio): Martin Kelly | Video intro (visual): Vanessa Jertschewske

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Gig Photography: Ben Barritt & Band at Kellerhalle, Karlsruhe

Hey guys!

Alright, here's a fact: I went to see Ben Barritt and his band about a week ago. Usually, all concert posts are up within two days after the show.
This one clearly isn't.

So why is that so?
Because I only got one more show to shoot this month and I kind of wanted to take as much time as possible to edit this. Simply because I love editing gig photographs.
So yeah, I've been very selfish. Sad, but true.

But I've finally got it done! Here are the photographs of Ben Barritt & Band at Kellerhalle, Karlsruhe.

I hope you enjoy!

 
Ben Barritt is a musician based in Berlin, Germany. 

As a guitarist the variety of genres he plays is incredibly wide - from touring with Americana singer/songwriter Erik Penny to touring and recording with indie folk-rock artist Jim Kroft - Ben does it all.

His own sound blends an impressive amount of genres; from soft and calm acoustic tunes, to folky rhythms to souly jazz songs with sprinkles of rock and r'n'b.

Originally being from London, England, a lot of his songs tell stories about the little things at home: walking through the dark streets on the way back from the pub or using the London underground to see the person you love.

A few of those stories can be found on Ben's EP "Sundial", and even more of those stories are told  on his debut album "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?".

Below are my photographs of Ben's show at Kellerhalle in Karlsruhe, Germany.

The venue, Kellerhalle, was absolutely beautiful.
There were couches, candles and other cozy elements everywhere.

With the scene being set perfectly, Ben and his band couldn't wait to go on stage and play.

The band next to Ben consisted of Micha (drums) and Hannes (bass, backing vocals).
Both musician absolutely know how to present their skills and both made it obvious that they had fun.

The interaction between Ben and his band was so nice to observe; it was professional but still a very friendly connection.

It was so nice to see the way Ben interacts with the crowd and manages to entertain his listeners in such charming and light manner. 

The setlist was a clever mix of slow ballads and up tempo tracks; whilst the calmer songs invited you to simply listen and think about their meanings, the faster songs invited you to adapt to their ease, their cheerful atmosphere.

Ben's vocals are warm and expressive and very well used to transport the stories he tells. 

Watch Ben's latest music video below:





Many, many, many thanks to Ben, Micha & Hannes for being so much fun to hang out with before and after the show. I had a lovely evening and already look forward to the next gig! 



Ben Barritt online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram





Thank you for reading!

Credits // Text & Photography: Vanessa Jertschewske | Video: via Ben Barritt on YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/benbarritt)

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Giveaway: Ben Barritt CD [closed]

Hey guys!

I love love love hosting giveaways.
 I love writing little notes, throwing in a little surprise and then receiving a lovely reaction.

It's been a while since I last got to send something to one of you, but today offers the next chance!

The ever so wonderful Ben Barritt sent me an extra copy of his debut album "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?".
So I've decided to give it to one of you.

If you already know Ben, I'm sure you won't hesitate to enter.
In case you don't know him, here's our review of said album.


Rules:

Please pick only ONE way to enter!
All entries count the same, winner will be picked completely randomly.
Giveaway is open world-wide.


enter via Twitter:
- follow Ben Barritt and house in the sand
- send a tweet to @houseinthesand and tell us your favourite artist/band right now

enter via Facebook:
- like Ben Barritt and house in the sand
- post your favourite music video on house in the sand's wall

enter via Instagram:
- follow Ben Barritt and house in the sand
- tag house in the sand in a photo which represents your love for music


Giveaway ends Sunday, 30th September 2015, 6pm German time, winner will be contacted via his entry.



Good luck! :)






Thank you for reading!

Credits // Text, Image: Vanessa Jertschewske

*Giveaway is sponsored by Ben Barritt*

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Album Review: "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?" by Ben Barritt

 

Hey guys!

Hearing new music is always pretty exciting and it's something I'll probably never get tired of. 

I feel very lucky to be in the position where strangers send me there music before it's out and ask me to review it.

But I have to admit that it's always very wonderful when that request doesn't come from strangers,

 but from acts I've known for a while. 

And that's the case with today's album review; I've known Ben Barritt for a few years now, we've worked together multiple times and it's always been a lot of fun. 

The release of his debut album was something we've spoken about quite often and now that it's just around the corner, I'm absolutely stoked for him!

Artist: Ben Barritt

Title: What Would You Like To Leave Behind?

Genre: Folk, Jazz

Label: independent

Release: 14th October 2016

HITS rating: 9/10

Ben Barritt is a musician based in Berlin, Germany.

As a guitarist the variety of genres he plays is incredibly wide - from touring with Americana singer/songwriter Erik Penny to touring and recording with indie folk-rock artist Jim Kroft - Ben does it all.

His own sound blends an impressive amount of genres; from soft and calm acoustic tunes, to folky rhythms to souly jazz songs with sprinkles of rock and r'n'b.

Originally being from London, England, a lot of his songs tell stories about the little things at home: walking through the dark streets on the way back from the pub or using the London underground to see the person you love.

A few of those stories can be found on Ben's EP "Sundial", but he's about to share even more of his music on his upcoming debut album "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?" which I'm going to review for you today.

Tracklist:

1) Underway

2) Dancing Shoes

3) Trouble The Water

4) One Of These Days

5) Flying Home

6) Cracks 

7) Queue

8) Always Making History

9) Now

10) Companion

Opener "Underway" represents the variety of sounds and genres Ben offers; it's upbeat in the verse and chorus but it's calm in the bridge. It's funky and it's folky, yet it still draws in the jazzy elements which you'll find when you listen to Ben Barritt. It's lively, but still not too crowded to be enjoyable.

"Cracks" dims the light, gets more mysterious, more melancholic and nostalgic. This track stands out due to the fantastic combination of a rather dark riff on the acoustic guitar and the light but resistant percussions. The backing vocals sung by Mishka Adams highlight the song in a charming and convincing manner.

The jazzy side of the album is very present in "Now". A catchy bassline, Ben's warm vocals and percussions which underline the vibrant attitude of the song. The lyrics ask us the same question as the album title does - "what would you like to leave behind?" - a thought provoking, yet positive song.

The final song, "Companion", is a beautiful ballad with an even more beautiful message - seeing the simplicity of a complicated situation; a relationship with a person who is far away. Instead of thinking about the complications, this song is all about being someone's companion and walking with them. The calmness of the song is soothing, comforting and it's the perfect closure for the album.

To sum it up: With Ben Barritt being an incredible lead guitarist for many acts, it's no surprise that he offers his listeners brilliant riffs. But there's more to "What Would You Like To Leave Behind?" than just great guitar work - every element is used so well, every composition works from start to finish.
The wait for this debut album was well worth it!

You should listen to these songs: Underway, Now, Companion

Ben Barritt online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud

Thank you for reading!

Credits // Text & Video: Vanessa Jertschewske | Image: Ben Barritt (artwork by Lucas Dietrich)

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Gig Impressions: Ben Barritt at Stoffel, Frankfurt

 

Hey guys!

Thursday evening; the sun is still up, people are wearing shorts and dresses, kids are running around, large groups of friends and strangers are sitting down together and are having a few beverages and there's music playing.

Not just music from a radio, but live music on a lovely stage.

Sounds like a gorgeous evening, doesn't it?
Well, it was.

Earlier this week I went on a very spontaneous roadtrip to Frankfurt to see the talented Ben Barritt play.

We've been filming together a couple of times (results can be seen here and here) so I knew photographing him on stage would be a lot of fun.

Ben Barritt is a musician based in Berlin, Germany.

As a guitarist the variety of genres he plays is incredibly wide - from touring with Americana singer/songwriter Erik Penny to touring and recording with indie folk-rock artist Jim Kroft - Ben does it all.

His own sound blends an impressive amount of genres; from soft and calm acoustic tunes, to folky rhythms to souly jazz songs with sprinkles of rock and r'n'b.

Originally being from London, England, a lot of his songs tell stories about the little things at home: walking through the dark streets on the way back from the pub or using the London underground to see the person you love.

A few of those stories can be found on Ben's EP "Sundial", but he's about to share even more of his music on his upcoming debut album "What Would You Like To Leave Behind".

Below are some impressions of Ben playing at Stoffel in Frankfurt am Main.

Since I've been filming with Ben a couple of times, means I've also heard him play before, yet this gig was the first time I actually got to watch him perform on stage.

It was so nice to see the way Ben interacts with the crowd and manages to entertain his listeners in such charming and light manner. With his incredible German he sure impressed everyone.

The setlist was a clever mix of slow ballads and up tempo tracks; whilst the calmer songs invited you to simply listen and think about their meanings, the faster songs asked you to dance and clap along.

Ben's vocals are warm and expressive and very well used to transport the stories he tells. 

Most of the time the acoustic guitar accompanies the vocals, but at times the two instruments seem to duet with eachother.
The way Ben Barritt composes his songs makes them work so well.









The atmosphere at the festival was so lovely.
 Everything took place in a gorgeous park called Güntersburgpark. Little food and drink stands, blankets on the floor, benches in front of the stage - it couldn't have been cuter.

Big up's to the team who organised it with such incredible concept - the entry is free and the prices for food and drinks were absolutely okay.
It's amazing how this event is happening by people donating and sponsoring it.

I guess it's just another proof how much people enjoy get togethers with live music.















It was a pleasure to photograph this gig because, like so many times before, I had every creative freedom I wanted and was able to capture so many lovely moments. 

I really hope you enjoy the impressions!

Many thanks to Ben for the nice evening including surprisingly German catch ups, lots of laughter and tomatoes! It was fantastic!


Now go and have a listen to Ben's music! 






Ben Barritt online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud





Thank you for reading!

More of Ben Barritt on house in the sand: video interview | exclusive performance | ep review

Credits // Text & Photography: Vanessa Jertschewske

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