Show Review : Ben Kweller’s Unforgettable Night at Lincoln Hall

By Colette Custin / Christopher Bevard

Indie rock/alt-country favorite Ben Kweller brought his promotional tour for new album Cover the Mirrors to Lincoln Hall this week for a set that served as a career retrospective as well as a chance to engage with his fan base—affectionately referred to as ‘Kwellerheads.’

“Chicago, it’s so good to be back in your arms!” He exclaimed two songs into the set with fan favorite “Falling” from 2002’s Sha Sha.  The night focused a lot on that era, with “In Other Words” being another gem dropped into the setlist to show off his band’s prowess, but Kweller also spent a good chunk of time digging into his new record.  

Introducing “Trapped” as one of the last songs he wrote with his late son, Dorian, who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2023, Kweller also played a new track, “Park Harvey Fire Drill,” which featured some gang vocals from the highly polished quartet, and the group enjoyed some additional moments of fun as Kweller introduced a short acoustic set that showcased a cover of The Lemonheads’ “My Drug Buddy,” talking about his early days of touring in a van with Evan Dando. 

How far he’s come – a discography that would be the envy of any singer-songwriter, and a fanbase as rabid as those gathered at the sold-out Lincoln Hall.