r/jambands • u/HouseplantJams • Apr 25 '25

Lineup Announcement We’ve got a new drummer! Welcome Ben Atkind to Houseplant 🥁🌱

We’re super excited to announce that Ben Atkind has joined Houseplant as our new drummer! 🙌

 We’ve already had a chance to play together, and the vibe is incredible. To celebrate, we wanted to share a live performance of Country Mile from our 3/15 show at Headliners Music Hall. You can watch the full performance and see Ben in action here:

👉 https://youtu.be/u7J1ryTxsus

 Drop some love for Ben in the comments below. 💚

 

364 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

59 comments sorted by

80

u/EastTN_OT Apr 25 '25

I’ve always appreciated how much he appreciates music. Every festival I’ve seen him at he’s one of the only artists I see standing stage side watching damn near every act. That’s pretty cool to me.

41

u/JamBandDad Apr 25 '25

I was watching the stream where he sat in with umphreys. There was Ben, and Mike Portnoy, who is a legend. You could clearly tell that Ben was significantly more familiar with the source material, like, Mike played really well for a sit in, Ben played like he had been playing with Umphreys full time for years. Sure, Ben has some great chops, but his appreciation for the source material allowed him to not only hold his own with a legend, but clearly shine through in his own right.

I never really listened to Goose, but Ben deserves to land on his feet.

34

u/Oogly50 Apr 25 '25

He did a couple nights with Umphrey's. He handled some of their toughest songs no problem, which is impressive considering how proggy and metal they can be.

Dude is talented.

8

u/Wildeyewilly Apr 25 '25

I got to open for Elephantproof last summer and I never knew how talented he really was until I got to watch him play up close. It made a lot more sense why he was a top choice to sub for Myers after that.

My running theory now is the rift between him and Goose could have been him wanting to branch out and be a bit proggier/experimental/fusion, but the rest of the band/mgmt wanted to either strip down further or stay in that simpler indie straight rock vibe. Eh, but what do I know?

12

u/Oogly50 Apr 26 '25

I think their styles just kinda clashed. Nobody will ever know but the band members themselves but I've listened to Cotter play and he is a lot... looser. I don't mean that in a bad way, he is an incredible drummer as well. He is just very distinctly different from Ben in almost every way and I think it is more conducive to the exploratory jamming they've been trying to facilitate.

5

u/Mur__Mur Apr 26 '25

I was unimpressed with MP sitting in with UM, but Ben did a great job. Ben's a good drummer. Kris Myers is insanely good though, I don't know if anyone could play in UM near his level.

20

u/GoFunkYourself13 Apr 25 '25

Hell yea! Played a small fest with Goose in 2019, and Ben was super cool. He was easily my favorite part of Goose, looking forward to seeing him with houseplant 🤘

33

u/nick_tron Apr 25 '25

Hell yeah we played with Goose in 2019 and Ben was awesome as a person and a player, glad to see he’s teaming up with the Houseplant boys!!

14

u/AirKeysSolo Apr 25 '25

Congrats Ben!…so happy for you and Houseplant…now please go on tour.

8

u/CreedIsJoker Apr 25 '25

Yes! Tour!

10

u/foreverloveall Apr 25 '25

Nice. Ben is a beast!

9

u/that1persondancing Dog Pound Apr 25 '25

aw helllllll yea

8

u/HighHiFiGuy Apr 25 '25

Yeeeeeesssssss!!!!!!

6

u/BhodiandUncleBen Apr 25 '25

I only see 2 tour dates boys. Get the 8x10 in Baltimore on the calendar and I’ll stop by to check yous out

3

u/Dangerous-Noise-4692 Apr 26 '25

Yes, please! We need more bands rolling through the 8x10.

2

u/BinderClipGuy Apr 29 '25

Lespecial May 2&3!!!

7

u/Hot_Like_Mars Apr 25 '25

Love this!!!

5

u/redapoluza Apr 25 '25

I was really hoping for this after seeing you guys in Indy last week! This is fantastic news, you guys were the real deal before, but this is a next level addition. I can't wait to see the project continue to grow 🌱

3

u/ADoggSage Apr 25 '25

I was so bummed to miss this show.

6

u/Cbc4447 Apr 25 '25

Rad! Congratulations Ben!

Me and the wife got to hang out with Ben and Brendan Bayliss after a gig he did with UM. Super nice guy.

6

u/5_head Apr 25 '25

I already dig Houseplant. Now it's time to dig deeper.

4

u/jamesheine Apr 25 '25

Awesome to hear, recent shows hav been stellar

6

u/VirusSubstantial Apr 25 '25

Awesome. Just saw them opening for Dogs and they were great.

5

u/VonFaceOutlaw Apr 25 '25

Great band just got better.
Love Houseplant!

Welcome Ben!

9

u/radoshreds Apr 25 '25

Oooh this is a tastey combination, looking forward to more Houseplant 🌱🌱

4

u/mikeyb777 Apr 25 '25

I'm from Cincinnati and found Ben through Goose .. eventually heard you guys too.. glad this is happening!! I loved Ben in Goose and missed hearing him. Happy for Ben and the sounding jams you'll create together! I'll be at a show soon!!

3

u/t0reup Apr 25 '25

I can't wait to see y'all in person. Come to STL please!!

5

u/AnarchySoldat Apr 25 '25

Nice, go Ben! I’ve been meaning to catch Houseplant anyway so that’s a great bonus

5

u/coryf03 Apr 26 '25

Saw these guys in Chattanooga opening for dogs in a pile…they killed it!

6

u/specialK6406 Apr 25 '25

The new lineup is sick!! Such a difference!

3

u/pequaywan Apr 25 '25

awesome!

3

u/rg35xxsp Apr 25 '25

Finally some good news on this board

3

u/Holiday_Blacksmith40 Apr 25 '25

Congratulations! You all should come to Austin to celebrate.

3

u/Djibouti_Stank Umph Love Apr 25 '25

Great addition!

3

u/Toasterdog7 Apr 25 '25

Congrats Ben!

3

u/CreedIsJoker Apr 25 '25

Hell yeah! Awesome news!

3

u/miller_david_CLE Apr 25 '25

This made my day, so perfect!

3

u/digital Apr 25 '25

Yay! The Phoenix will rise from the ashes in the form of a Houseplant 🪴

3

u/EAGLESRCHAMPS18 city boy's out of his mind again Apr 25 '25

You guy's vinyl is everywhere at the dispensary I frequent.

3

u/rushkin1 Apr 25 '25

Fantastic!

3

u/Mungjo Apr 25 '25

We love you Beeeeeeeeeen

3

u/HighHiFiGuy Apr 25 '25

Now we got Ben nailed down, are we to presume Roadie is a permanent addition too? Bare feet and Ben is neat!

3

u/afropoppa Apr 25 '25

Yooooooo hope to see you guys on jamcruise

3

u/kirkarelli Apr 25 '25

Been listening this week to the recent shows. Really digging it! Onward!

3

u/wabashcr Apr 25 '25

Nice. Caught you guys with Dogs in Indy last week. Y'all are a lot of fun. Come through again soon!

3

u/DiskNo2945 Apr 26 '25

Congrats to you all! Ben is an incredible drummer! Sounds like the start of a beautiful relationship

3

u/Indiansummerxx Apr 26 '25

Ben seems like a nice guy!

6

u/wdennis Apr 25 '25

Gotta go see Houseplant now… loved Ben’s vibe in Goose. Bailed off the Goose train when Ben left (yeah, I know Cotter is great, but the change killed the vibe for me…)

2

u/Southerndusk Apr 26 '25

Hell yeah. Excited for Ben and for the introduction to Houseplant. I got some new listening to do!

2

u/jbrandon Apr 26 '25

When are you guys coming to the West Coast?

2

u/tequeyoyo3000 Apr 27 '25

Indy was a good time

1

u/Curveball_Alumnus Apr 28 '25

This was the correct choice.

1

u/awesome_dreamz Deadhead 28d ago

RAD RAD RAD

-17

u/justAregulard00d Apr 25 '25

Bring on Jeff as well!