By Johana Diaz-Toscano, contributor

Ben Kenney, former bassist of Incubus and guitarist for The Roots, is no stranger to the music industry. Now the lead vocalist and guitarist of his touring trio, Kenney has taken his music from New York, New York, to Los Angeles, California. This eight-stop intimate tour featured music from his six solo albums along with songs from his upcoming, currently-untitled album. Blending soul, funk, indie and rock with influences from his punk past, Kenney creates a sound that feels both familiar and new.

Beyond his music, Kenney’s story is pretty inspiring. Throughout his life and career, he faced many challenges, from having a brain tumor removed and losing hearing in one ear to losing his father and going through multiple carpal tunnel surgeries. Yet, watching him perform, you wouldn’t know any of that. The second he gets onstage, he becomes completely immersed. He’s fully in the moment, focused on the music, his instrument, the performance and the people around him.

His resilience was especially noticeable throughout the night. Kenney performed a show that felt genuine and full of energy, despite the fact that he wasn’t feeling well (admitting that he felt as if he were “hallucinating”). He opened the night with a slower song, easing everyone into the show before building up the energy.

Some songs were more laid-back while others were heavier and more intense. A few songs gave me that feeling where you just want to turn the volume all the way up, roll the windows down and drive down the freeway like the main character in a coming-of-age movie. Those were some of my favorite moments because the music just completely took over. It wasn’t just something you were listening to. It was something you could actually feel. Each song felt different but still flowed naturally into the next. Some dated back to 2004 and 2005 and yet, still felt new and exciting.

Going into the show, I was not completely sure what to expect. But by the end of the night, I had discovered new songs to add to my playlist, gotten to know a bit about Kenney, shared a few laughs with him and the crowd and left inspired. Kenney’s performance reminded me how music can help people get through the challenging times in their lives.