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BEN CAPLAN RETURNING TO RIDGEWAY FOR SOLO SHOW

RECOLLECTION TOUR STOP AT SANCTUARY CENTRE FOR THE ARTS MAY 27 NEED TO KNOW

RICHARD HUTTON rhutton@niagarathisweek.com

Ben Caplan is returning to Ridgeway and this time he's travelling a little lighter.

Caplan, who last performed at the Sanctuary Centre for the Arts back in 2019, will be back without a backing band for a solo show at the Sanctuary on May 27.

"The nice thing about it is it has forced me to return to the kind of performances I was doing 10 years ago," Caplan said. "While it may seem like it's taking a step backwards, in this context it's taking a step forward in a new world."

By new world, Caplan means one where COVID-19 is still a concern. On reality, it's part of the reason why he is doing his current tour on his own.

"I'm now touring solo because there's just a lot of liability," he said.

If a member of the band were to get sick, it would mean cancellations and logistical headaches. Going out on his own limits that possibility.

It also dovetails nicely with his fourth and most recent album, "Recollection," on which Caplan revisits some of his earlier work in a solo format. As with the tour, the album was born out of necessity as he didn't have to other musicians he'd normally work with. The album came out last October.

The downtime during the pandemic wasn't all bad for the Hamilton native who now calls Halifax home.

"It was a really great opportunity to spend time with my instrument, spend time working on my music," Caplan said.

His tour for "Recollection" has taken him across Canada and to Europe for more than 60 shows. In Europe, Caplan counted himself fortunate that he managed to stay one step ahead of restrictions being put in place across the continent to deal with the fast-spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19.

It's been beautiful," Caplan said of the tour. "I was really lucky for the European dates. I was there in October, November and December, right when Omicron was knocking everything out."

He returned home for a break in January and February before starting the North American leg which is bringing him to Ridgeway.

"I just feel really lucky my longdistance planning worked out."

Tickets are $25 plus fees and can be purchased at ticketscene.ca. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Pelham native Sleep Jean (Katy Gatta) is opening.

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2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

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