Ben Harper: Shepherd's Bush Empire, London

THERE'S SOMETHING going on here. Before he's even played a note, Ben Harper is treated by a jam-packed house to a standing ovation of Messianic proportions just for walking on-stage. With no hype, well away from the rule glare of publicity, and consequently ignored by a docile music press, Ben Harper is quietly becoming a major artist – and a major artist of international stature, judging by the polyglot acclaim.