RALEIGH – Ben Folds sat at his piano onstage at Meymandi Concert Hall Thursday night, gazed out at the crowd and got a glint in his eye. He was playing the first of a two-night run with the NC Symphony, and he’d just coached the crowd to sing along on the old Ben Folds Five standard “Not the Same.” Pretty much everyone in the room complied – including one guy who was a little too avid, singing out louder and sharper than everyone else.

So Folds had some fun with that, making up a song on the spot called “Lonely Douchebag.” Riffing away on piano, Folds improvised lyrics about a drunk with a desperate need for attention. Then he arranged the symphony’s different sections on the fly – “First violins, gimmie a G” – instructing the saxophonist to take a solo and counting it off the way Bruce Springsteen might have primed a Clarence Clemons blast. The crowning touch was the backup choir chiming in with a chorus of “Lonely douchebag,” in perfect harmony.

It was a wicked display of smart-aleck virtuosity, and there’s nobody better at that than Folds.

See photos from Thursday's performance here.

Arguably the most successful musical alumnus of Chapel Hill's 1990s-vintage alternative-rock wave, Folds is truly living the dream. Two decades into a career that seemed like a goofy piano-pop lark at first, he skips from one interestingly quirky project to the next. His regular collaborators include novelist Nick Hornby, professional hambone William Shatner, Elton John string arranger Paul Buckmaster, various collegiate a capella groups and the occasional orchestra.

The NC Symphony did the honors Thursday night in a 16-song program, ably conducted by Sarah Hicks – who strode onstage in spiked heels looking more like a rock star than the disheveled Folds. If Folds seemed a bit punchy, he had his reasons. He announced that he’s in the middle of recording a new Ben Folds Five album (which will be the trio’s first since 1999), to cheers from the crowd.

Funny backstories are a staple of Folds’ live shows, and he told some good anecdotes Thursday night. “Cologne” was a song Folds said he made up onstage in Germany while under the influence of prescription drugs. “One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces” was a song he woke up with in his head, leading to a rumination about Folds’ height and how he’s not as short as people think he is. There was also “Effington,” a remarkable piece of musical sophistication given its stated origins as the result of an off-color joke about the name of a town near Normal, Ill.

There were times when Folds’ piano didn’t seem loud enough to stand out from the orchestral backup. That aside, it still felt like a perfect match, pairing his songs with an orchestra. Folds’ theatrical style lends itself to this format, in part because of his flair for grand gestures. Tongue firmly in cheek, Folds spins tales of quiet desperation along the lines of John Updike, and he’s unafraid to make his first-person subjects look bad. Folds and Randy Newman are kindred spirits, and not just because they both play piano.

Thursday’s highlights included “Landed,” sporting a piano riff that is Folds at his most Elton John-influenced; the aforementioned “One Angry Dwarf,” with Folds at his snottiest; and a solo encore version of “Army” where Folds conducted the crowd to fill in for the horn section of the recorded original. To close out the evening, Folds did a “solo percussion piece” in which he wandered about the back of the stage banging away on various percussive devices.

It was hilarious and a little cheesy – and, despite the casual nature, perfectly in rhythm. The man’s a virtuoso, after all. And he’ll do it again Friday night. Just sayin’.

Onetime Chapel Hill regular Ben Folds is coming back to his old stomping grounds this spring, to play two shows with the NC Symphony. The pianist will be at Raleigh's Meymandi Concert Hall March 22-23, with associate conductor Sarah Hicks -- and word is that they'll do two different concert programs, not the same program repeated two nights. Ticket prices are still to come, but The public on-sale date is Feb. 6. This will be Folds' first show in the area since that fabulous Ben Folds Five reunion in Chapel Hill in the fall of 2008.

UPDATE: Ticket prices are $28, $37, $63 and $79.

WHOOPS: And it turns out that Folds played DPAC in 2009 and did an NC Symphony gig in 2010; so this will actually be his third show in the area since the 2008 Ben Folds Five reunion (thanks, Eric and Valerie).

Dancing with the Stars (8pm, ABC) - Season 13 opens with 12 new celebrities competing, including Chaz Bono, Ricki Lake, Ron Artest, Nancy Grace, David Arquette, and Hope Solo.

How I Met Your Mother (8pm, CBS) - The seventh season opens with two new back-to-back episodes. The mystery wedding prompts the friends to reminisce about things. Also, Marshall gets his dream job but is terrified videos from his past will crush his hopes.

The Sing-off (8pm, NBC) - In the Season 3 premiere, 8 a cappella groups perform. Sara Bareilles joins Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman on the judging panel.

Two and a Half Men (9pm, CBS) - In part one of Season 9's two-part opener, Ashton Kutcher joins the cast as brokenhearted billionaire Walden Schmidt. It is widely rumored that tonight's show will also kill off Charlie's Sheen's character.
 
2 Broke Girls (9:30pm, CBS) - A new series about two struggling waitresses at a Brooklyn diner who are trying to save enough money to open their own cupcake shop. Adrienne has more info.

Roast of Charlie Sheen (10pm, Comedy Central) - After you finish watching the sitcom Sheen was fired from, you can tune in for the star's scathing "salute." Roasters include Jeffrey Ross, Anthony Jeselnik, Steve-O, Harvey Levin, and Mike Tyson.

Castle (10pm, ABC) - Are we really worried that Beckett didn't survive last season's gunshot cliffhanger? No. What we really want to know is if she heard Castle tell her he loves her after she was shot. In addition to the personal drama, there's the hunt for the sniper who tried to kill her. Also, there's a new by-the-book captain in charge (Penny Johnson Jerald, "24"), and she's not too fond of Castle hanging with the cops.

The Playboy Club (10pm, NBC) - A new series set in the legendary Playboy Club in 1960s Chicago. Tonight, high-powered attorney and club key holder (Eddie Cibrian) comes to the aid of a new Bunny after she's assaulted by the leader of a the Bianchi crime family. Worth checking out?

Hawaii Five-O (10pm, CBS) - The second season begins with McGarrett in prison awaiting trial for the governor's murder. Meanwhile, Kono is suspended from the force, pending an internal investigation for allegedly stealing department money.

American Country Awards (8pm, Fox) - It honestly feels like country music has about a hundred awards shows every year. Here's another one. This one is hosted by Trace Adkins and the winners are voted on by fans. All your favorites are slated to perform and/or present.

The Sing-Off (8pm, NBC) - In the Season 2 premiere, 10 a cappella groups collaborate to sing "I've Got Music in Me" before performing songs of their choice. Ben Folds (left) returns as a judge.

How I Met Your Mother (8pm, CBS) - Ted befriends Zoey's husband "The Captain" (Kyle McLachlan), and invites him to hang out with him and Zoey, hoping they can all be friends.

The Closer (9pm, TNT) - One of Brenda's colleagues is ambushed on the street, so she and the gang hunt for the culprit, while also trying to clear the colleague of a false witness tampering accusation.

James Patterson's Sundays at Tiffany's (9pm, Lifetime) - A successful businesswoman (Alyssa Milano) engaged to a handsome actor is visited by her imaginary friend (Eric Winter) from childhood, whom she realizes is real and could be her true soul mate. It's based on a novel by James Patterson, so where's the part where someone gets murdered???

Men of a Certain Age (10pm, TNT) - Season 2 opens with Joe (Ray Romano) eager to sharpen his golf skills, but teed off about practicing at dawn and discovering that his new home is in his bookie's neighborhood. Meanwhile, Owen (Andre Braugher) ascends as manager of the family auto dealership, but regrets hiring Terry (Scott Bakula) as a salesman.

Castle (10pm, ABC) - An investigation into a dockworker-turned-bartender's death leads Beckett and Castle to the city's underground tunnels, where they discover a Prohibition-era secret. The probe's focus on New York's bar history inspires Castle to open one.

A little bird tells me that an announcement is coming Friday that Ben Folds will perform March 25 at Meymandi Hall in Raleigh -- with the NC Symphony. More details as soon as I have 'em, but it should be going on-sale soon with a pre-sale as early as this weekend.

UPDATE: The show has indeed been announced, with the "official" on-sale date of Tuesday at 10 a.m. Word from the Symphony is there will be "no public pre-sales," but I would advise checking with the fan club. 

Check out Ben Folds explaining the concept of NBC's new singing competition show, "Sing Off," which premiered last night and continues tonight and tomorrow night with a finale on December 21. Folds, who is from North Carolina, is a judge on the show, and Time Magazine's TV critic James Poniewozik calls him the "greatest reality judge." In the video below, Folds talks about what he's looking for from performers and says he's not there to "tear them down," though he recognizes artists "can't move along unless they know what their problems are."

"Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella!" (Epic Records) is a profoundly quirky record, with collegiate a cappella versions of songs from the Chapel Hill expatriate's canon. In fact, it might be the oddest record ever to crack the top half of the Billboard 200 album sales chart, debuting at No. 94 in the May 16 issue.

Not surprisingly, the album's stay on the charts was short. It lasted but a single week, dropping completely off the chart the following week -- an unusually steep plummet of at least 107 spots.

It's looking like a particularly awesome year for records by acts and alumni of the Triangle, and a bumper crop is coming out on April 7. Among that day's bounty:

Ben Folds -- The expatriate Chapel Hill pianist has a release titled "Ben Folds Presents: University A Capella!," consisting of college a capella vocal groups covering his songs. Folds plays Wednesday at the Durham Performing Arts Center. Fittingly, UNC-Chapel Hill's Loreleis are among the opening acts.

Superchunk -- Not too long ago, it looked like Superchunk might never be heard from again. But now the group is dropping a mini-album called "Leaves in the Gutter," and Mac MacCaughan is even talking about a Superchunk full-length album. Will wonders never cease?

James Taylor -- Following up last fall's successful "Covers" album, the Chapel Hill graduate will release a mini-album called "Other Covers" on April 7. The seven-track set includes Chuck Berry's "Memphis" and Tom Waits' "Shiver Me Timbers."

Roman Candle -- Skipping ahead five weeks, this Chapel Hill pop band will finally emerge from years of record-label purgatory to release its second full-length album, "Oh Tall Tree in the Ear," May 12 on Carnival Recording Company. Check the first track, "Eden Was a Garden," streaming at the group's MySpace.

Amanda Palmer plays piano and sings, but the Amanda Palmer Experience involves a lot more than just singing and playing. Either solo or with Dresden Dolls, she exudes a theatricality that takes every song way beyond wherever it begins as a piece of music.

"Everything starts out as just a song," she says. "I don't even like to say 'piano song,' because most of the time I'm not thinking about the piano -- I'm thinking about the chords, the lyrics. I don't have that deep spiritual connection to piano the way other composers do, like Tori Amos. A lot of the songs I write could sound great on guitar, but I just don't play guitar. I often feel guilty because I have just a functional relationship with the piano. I treat it more like a tool."

For more on Palmer and her terrific Ben Folds-produced new album, see the interview in Friday's paper. She performs Saturday at Raleigh's Lincoln Theatre.

ADDENDUM (1/10/09): Nice interview with Palmer on the influence of visual/performance art on her work.

When it comes to charts, 11 seems to be the target number for expatriate pop stars who once called the Triangle home. First up, Ben Folds' "Way to Normal" (Epic Records) debuted at No. 11 last month on the Billboard 200 album-sales chart. And this week, Ryan Adams' "Cardinology" (Lost Highway Records) also debuts at No. 11.

This is Folds' highest-ever chart placement. It's the second-highest peak for Adams, behind his No. 7 debut for last year's "Easy Tiger."