Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals ‘Call It What It Is’ at The Fillmore

Ben Harper | Photo by Breanna Keohane for WXPN

Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals are back, and they showed Philly just what they are bringing to the table last Sunday when they played at The Fillmore as a stop along their Call It What Is tour.

Kicking off the set with some cowbell and heavy rock and roll guitar in “When Sex Was Dirty,” Harper and the band introduced their newly released album Call It What It Is. The album was released on April 8th, and was the band’s first album back together in eight years. XPN welcomed Harper and the band back on April 1st when they played a Free at Noon show for World Cafe Live at The Queen, but this was Harper’s first time back in Philadelphia proper since his acoustic set at the Merriam Theater in October 2012.

Harper and the band played a set that combined tunes new and old together, while also incorporating a handful of his solo songs. Some fan-favorites were those such as the oldie but goodie “Steal My Kisses” from the 1999 album Burn to Shine,  “Another Lonely Day” which was dedicated to Merle Haggard, and the melodic tune “Burn One Down.”

The night was introduced by solo-artist Christopher Paul Stelling. The passionate finger-picking guitarist is currently on tour to debut his new album Labor Against Waste, featuring songs like “Brick X Brick” that showcase his raspy voice combined with heavy strings.

Missed the show? Check out the photo gallery below.