Ben and Niall have been entirely too busy for too long and can’t wait to bring their harmonious collusion back to the stage for the first time in over a year.

These intimate gigs at Smith’s have been the foundation of this collaboration, reserved for listening audience venues and festivals only, taking audiences on a contemporary folk journey through vulnerable, visceral ballads exploring the darkness and light of the human condition to upbeat folky foot stompers full of energy and hope.

Drysdale’s award-winning songs blend folk and blues with twists of soul and pop. Howe’s accompaniment fuses classical training on piano with journeys through folk, jazz, funk, ska and swing - building new dimensions into the songs and complementing Drysdale’s heartfelt vocals and rhythmic guitar perfectly.

This is not one to miss!

More on Niall Howe:

Niall has been obsessed with noise and has loved playing music for over 40 years. His style is the result of classical training on piano and pipe organ, combined with journeys through folk, jazz, rock, funk, ska and swing. He blends all of this is together, creating eclectic layers that build new dimensions into the songs he accompanies.

More on Ben Drysdale:

Drysdale has played shows in the US, Ireland and Canada and featured on bills with some of Australia’s greatest including Paul Kelly, The Waifs and Busby Marou as well as international stars such as Chris Isaak. After playing around Canberra and the East coast of Australia since 2004 both solo, and fronting a number of bands including Smitten, Beth n Ben, and 8-piece funk and soul outfit East Row Rabble, Drysdale is embarking on a new Indie folk project under his own name.

Following the international success of his debut solo single 'If I Don't Lie Down', Canberra-based Indie Folk Singer/Songwriter Ben Drysdale is captivating audiences once again with his award-winning sophomore single, 'Listen Now', a heartfelt tale about supporting a friend through alcoholism and dire mental health challenges. The new Indie Folk ballad debuted at #2 on the Australian Independent Record Label Association charts (one spot above Kylie Minogue) and has received rave reviews from around the world after landing 2nd place in the 2023 Hawaii Songwriting Festival competition. 50% of Bandcamp sales will be donated to Support Act who provide mental health services to the entertainment industry.

His unreleased track ‘I’m Flying Now’ is also a semi-finalist in The Songwriting Prize 2025 run by award winning mental health music charity Listen Up Music.

‘I’m Flyin’ Now’ also received an honourable mention in the ‘Folk/Singer songwriter’ category of the 2022 Unsigned Only Music Competition and was also a winner of the ‘Win Some Love’ promotion placing it in the top 3 of honourable mentions across all categories.

Ben’s 2021 release ‘Either Way’ (a duet with LA artist Justina Shandler) was featured on Season 3 of the US TV show ‘Good Trouble’ in March 2021 and MTVs ‘Ex On The Beach’ in 2022. His music has also featured on The Young and The Restless. Ben’s catalogue has 38 music licensing deals across 11 agencies around the world.

Drysdale has released five studio EPs and a full length live album including Smitten’s self-titled debut EP (2007), Beth n Ben’s releases Boarding Pass (EP 2010), Economy Class (EP 2011), Scenic Roots (EP 2013), and Baggage Claim (Live Album 2015), and East Row Rabble’s debut self-titled EP (2018). Drysdale has co-written on 6 tracks that other artists have released.