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Ben Simmons

@bensimmons.ink

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Bassist for @alexanderparleeandtheellipses Writing in @writing.ie, @irishtimesnews, @bottlecappress, @lapoetsocietypress @rejectedlitmag

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Tonight is the @cupofshow.la That’s All, Folks! show at @thehotelcafe —Feeling uber nostalgic today about the end of this era. Come hang and celebrate music & friendship w us one last time at the place I met my people.

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now the adrenaline's settled a little, and life's going a little easier on the nervous system, i really want to thank everyone in that room last night.

from the invited, poets; @ourweekathy who brought a taxi load of wholly marvellous emotions which replaced the rain upon us, sheer class cathy thank you. to @sean_not_my_dam_van_gibson who dazzled with just the marvel of talent he has those rhyme words from a massive memory, outstanding man.

@garydevenney taking us through a devastation beauty from older poems, through 'i talk to trees' and into the second book? spellbinding gary, thank you. and @bensimmons.ink , our late decision guest poet, made the long journey to be with us, read from his brilliant chapbook and delighted the senses with his new poems too, i'm sure every poet in the room recognised the lyric to him.

and what about @mdsidwell , a treat of a reading from a wide range of source ideas and, in what always surprises me about as gaelige work, the suspended identity and levelling up of our accents, too my humbled huge thanks for two dedicated.

and to the floor, what can i say but heuuuge praise for what you are doing, how you are doing it and thank you for bringing it along, particularly eimií and steph, two poets being baptised live, having read last night for the first time. an honour to witness. such talent this town over, and other towns over too.

i didn't get any snaps, so my sincere apostrophes there, but here's a picture which symbolises my levitating paper-cup existential dread this friday morning before work, after a happy show.

have a class weekend (and thanks for coming) x

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This song turns 1 year old this month🎂📻

Front Porch Revival has been through a lot of stages since then…

Different cities.
Different rooms.
Same song finding new life every night.

These are a few moments from the road watching it evolve one show at a time.

If you’ve heard it live this past year, tell me where 👇

#frontporchrevival #indiefolkmusic #americanamusic #indiefolk

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Been sitting on this song for the better part of a year but it’s finally releasing this Friday!

I was asked to write it for a short film called “One Last Drive” that has been making its rounds in film festivals in multiple countries.

My friend produced it and told me that at each showing, people from the audience would be talking about the music and in particular this song. About how much they loved it and that meant the world to hear. Emily, Maddie, Ben and I worked hard on it and I’m excited for you to finally hear it!

When I changed my life goal from art to music I always wanted my music to be used in films and shows. You could say I always write with a cinematic idea in mind. So for it to actually be happening feels pretty good.

To whoever is reading this, I wish that all your dreams come true. Let me know what they are! Let’s put them in motion!

#indiefolkmusic #onelastdrive #joyride #filmsoundtrack

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“Joyride” releases Friday Feb 27th.

Thank you to everyone involved with the film and song. Very excited for this one to hit the airwaves📻

#joyride #onelastdrive #moviescore #indiefolkmusic

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🎶✨Emily Laliotis and friends with her "Cowboy Song" last night at the Venice West. 2/10/26

Cory Tramontelli (bass)
Grant Jordan (drums)
Matt Kelly (guitar)
Madeleine Watson (fiddle)
Sierra Dummond (vocals)
Faydean (vocals)

(more to come...)

#LAmusic #losangelesmusic #lamusicscene #originalsong #livemusic

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BTS: Episode 1 - Joyride

New song “Joyride” releasing Friday 02/27📻

#moviesoundtrack #folksong #behindthesong

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This was one of the last songs we recorded as the original band, Emily, Maddie, Ben & I.

I wrote it as the opening credits for a short film called “One Last Drive”.

The film follows an old grump at that point in life where agency starts slipping… and the thing he loves most, driving, is being torn from him. Instead of folding, he meets it with humor, grit, and a little rebellion.

When I read the script, I wanted the song to feel like that moment. So “Joyride” was born.

Out Friday Feb 27

What’s the thing you love that would be hardest to lose at the end?

#joyride #onelastdrive #soundtracks

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🍁🍁🍁🍁 A light snow on the gingko trees today as I pack up my notebooks and come to the end of ten glorious weeks in New York. Tá am baile ann anois! 🍎 Truly, I never could have imagined how deeply I would be swept away by the whirlwinds of this city. I’m grateful for all the discoveries and for the conversations with poets, editors, and translators about Indigenous storytelling, traditions, and ways of being. Although I’ve visited Nua-Eabhrac many times before, this has been my first encounter with Lenapehoking. As one sister-poet gently reminds us, ‘Manhattan is a Lenape word.’ 🍂 Even amidst launching a new poetry book — a time when the creative well might seem dry — these months feel like an awakening, and a wildly abundant phase. A few nights ago Niamh asked what excites me most about 2026. My honest reply? Everything. Which is not to say that I expect the new year to bring only gifts, or to be without challenges, but just to say that the people I’ve met here have left me with a whole new replenished fuinneamh in my heart for the possibilities of poetry community & collaboration. #arscáthachéile

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2025 brought about the unexpected, forced change and personal growth like I haven’t experienced in years. Thank you to all my family and friends and compatriots. I am grateful for a year of challenge, love, deep feeling, creativity and collaboration. And I have the sense that this was just a taste of what’s to come next year.

-The fires and displacement
-The relief shows with so many friends and peers
-Funtime Jamborees at Cornell
-Santa Barbara, San Juan, San Diego getaways
-More tacos, enchiladas and salsa cups than I can count
-Walking holes into my boots
-the heat of the LA county fair
-three visits to Nashville.
-Played The Basement in Nashville for the first time
-West Coast tour with Parlor and Joel
-Dropping “west coast gold” on Bandcamp
-Love, rag doll cats and views of Echo Lake
-My writers cabin/little home in Sierra Madre
-Making the best record of my life with Andrew and Sean and Matt and Meara and the fellas
-Co-writing with Erik and Matt and Devon and Oli and Andrew…
-Cowboy Butter
-Ben Bentley hangs and photos
-Emily’s song soup!
-my band, my friends
-My sister visiting, my folks visiting
-Andrew and Taylor’s wedding
-Cornell, Hotel Cafe, Healing Force, D5
-Coffee and moleskin journals
-The Buccaneer, my dear local dive bar
-Whiskey Nights w the SM boys
-AMC A-list

So many graces and victories and feelings this year. Here’s to many more in 2026.

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Tomorrow from 3pm on your preferred podcast platform, join host and producer @damiboy as he welcomes @marcellenewbold @bensimmons.ink @jumpingjulespoetry and @breckenridgeandy to the #poetry #podcast, now on most podcast platforms 🎉🎉

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Bring me that what?!🙉🤷‍♂️🪕🎻

#frontporchrevival #indiefolkmusic #americanamusic

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