Alternative indie’s own piano man embarks on a nationwide symphony takeover
Alt-rock piano virtuoso Ben Folds has announced an ambitious tour schedule for 2025, featuring a mix of solo performances, symphony orchestra collaborations, and his unique Paper Airplane Request Tour format.
The tour, which was officially announced last Friday, will see Folds crisscrossing the United States from March through December, performing in a variety of venues from intimate theaters to grand symphony halls.
Folds recently teased his upcoming performances on Instagram, posting: “Here’s a sneak peak of ‘My Name’s Ben Folds, I Play Piano’ featuring fan favorite ‘Zak and Sara!‘”
The tour kicks off tomorrow at Victory Theatre in Evansville, Indiana with a solo show, before Folds heads to Kansas City for two nights with the Kansas City Symphony on March 18-19.
April will see Folds bringing his Paper Airplane Request Tour format to Johnson City, Tennessee and Marietta, Ohio, where fans write song requests on paper airplanes and launch them onto the stage for Folds to perform spontaneously.
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Throughout the spring and summer, Folds will collaborate with multiple symphony orchestras, including the Cincinnati Pops, Pacific Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. A special performance with the Howard County Youth Orchestra is scheduled for May 18 in Columbia, Maryland.
The fall portion of the tour includes dates with the Colorado Symphony, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and Grand Rapids Symphony, with the tour concluding in Portland, Oregon on December 2.
Tickets for most shows are available now, with select dates going on sale in the coming months.
Fans can purchase tickets through Folds’ official website or authorized ticket vendors.
Full tour schedule:
MARCH 2025
Mar 16: Evansville, IN – Victory Theatre (Ben Folds Solo)
Mar 18-19: Kansas City, MO – Kauffman Center for The Performing Arts (Ben Folds and the Kansas City Symphony)
APRIL 2025
Apr 11: Johnson City, TN – ETSU Martin Center for the Arts (Paper Airplane Request Tour)
Apr 12: Marietta, OH – The Peoples Bank Theatre (Paper Airplane Request Tour)
Apr 13: Warren, OH – Robins Theatre (Ben Folds Solo)
Apr 15: Cincinnati, OH – Cincinnati Music Hall (Ben Folds with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Apr 25-26: Costa Mesa, CA – Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall (Ben Folds with The Pacific Symphony)
MAY 2025
May 3: Milwaukee, WI – Bradley Symphony Center (Ben Folds & the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)
May 4: Wausau, WI – Grand Theater (Ben Folds Solo)
May 7: Rochester, MN – CH Mayo Presentation Hall
May 9-10: Omaha, NE – Holland Performing Arts Center (Ben Folds & The Omaha Symphony)
May 18: Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion (Ben Folds & the Howard County Youth Orchestra)
May 23-24: Detroit, MI – Orchestra Hall (Ben Folds & The Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
JUNE-JULY 2025
Jun 13: South Bend, IN – Morris Performing Arts Center
Jun 14: Interlochen, MI – Interlochen Center for the Arts
Jun 16: Chicago, IL – Symphony Center (Ben Folds and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Jun 18: Rome, NY – Capital Theatre
Jun 20: Tarrytown, NY – Tarrytown Music Hall
Jun 21: Englewood, NJ – Bergen Performing Arts Center
Jun 22: Wilmington, DE – The Grand
Jul 22: Portland, ME – State Theatre
Jul 23: Rockport, MA – Shalin Liu Performing Arts Center
Jul 26: Groton, MA – Groton Hill Music Center
Jul 27: Cranston, RI – Park Theatre and Event Center
SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2025
Sep 5: Louisville, KY – The Kentucky Center (Ben Folds and the Louisville Orchestra)
Sep 12-13: Denver, CO – Boettcher Concert Hall (Ben Folds with the Colorado Symphony)
Sep 26-27: Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Symphony Hall (Ben Folds with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra)
Oct 4: Grand Rapids, MI – DeVos Performance Hall (Ben Folds and the Grand Rapids Symphony)
Dec 2: Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
