Round Two with Ben Folds, Boston Pops Set for Friday

Lockhart said that Folds' penchant for stretching the boundaries of conventional performance nicely complements the Pops approach to pleasing a crowd. One of Folds' biggest creative assets, Lockhart said, is that he is always testing his own abilities and skills.

"He is a very thoughtful musician," Lockhart said. "So many people come up with a form that works, so they stick with it." Folds, on the other hand, is right out there trying something new to see how that works.

Unlike the 2007 Opening Night - aka the Brawl in the Hall - mini-set collaboration, Friday's performance is a full-fledged concert chock full of Folds material featuring the Pops. Prior to Folds taking the stage, Americana indie outfit Family of the Year will treat the audience to an opening set. Lockhart and Folds selected the band from 650 artists that submitted applications for the opening slot; the maestro said that both he and Folds agreed immediately on the distinctive sound.

"It was the first submission I looked at in the whole bunch of online submissions I looked at. I'd never heard anything like them before," Lockhart said. "They were so eclectic in the music choices, something like a combination of folk indie rock and the Beach Boys. I was fascinated. I thought I don't know what Ben thought, but they were his favorite, too."

Will the Pops crowd see any shenanigans over the course of the night? Lockhart didn't say. But we did have to ask: given that Bostonist has seen Folds dance on top of a piano in the past, could KLo pick up a few pointers? Would he, perhaps, adopt some of Folds' kung fu moves while conducting the Pops?

Lockhart laughed. "There are people who would accuse me of already using kung fu moves every time I conduct the Pops," he responded. "Maybe that's why we get along so well."