Newton Faulkner, 02 Institute, Birmingham - review

I could never claim to know the superb singer-songwriter and top multi-instrumentalist, but he just gives out this aura of loving the support he gets from his passionate fans and he seems to get a real buzz from performing live.

He says that’s what keeps him coming back for more and we were treated to another of his wonderful live performances last night at the 02 Institute in Birmingham.

Firstly, a word for the support act, Charlotte. Engaging the audience in between songs and perhaps seeming a little nervous to be performing in front of such a large crowd, once she sat down to play the piano and sing – brilliantly backed up by her guitar player, whom she told us she had grown up with as neighbours – he voice did all the talking, or singing I suppose.

It was so powerful and had much of the audience spellbound. And her cover of Childish Gambino’s Redbone was just wonderful.

She paved the well brilliantly for the main act, who began by giving the crowd a lesson in how to play the kazoo. I’m guessing he’d done that before because several in the audience, it turned out, had brought their own for the occasion.

His tour comes of the back of his latest album, The Very Best of Newton Faulkner . . . So Far, which is littered with his greatest hits on one side, while disc two includes his best covers.

A good version of someone else’s song is always something to behold . . . even it if is the title track to Spongebob Squarepants.

After his brief lesson, he kicked off his performance with If This Is It. The simple clickity-clack on the drum makes way for his piercing voice and then his sublime acoustic guitar playing.

It really was simplicity itself, or at least it might have been had he not been playing all the instruments and singing all the lyrics on his own, sat on a stool, whilst the crowd watched on in awe.

It’s not too much to say he really does silence the crowd, which was one of the friendliest I’ve ever come across – I suppose an acoustic playing ginger-haired fellow with dreadlocks is likely to attract some pretty nice fans.

Indecisive followed, which again started in such a slow, mellow way, before making way for the chorus, which showed his stunning vocal range, ‘Is there nothing that I can say to change your mind’.

Brick by Brick is one of Faulkner’s more upbeat, easy going tunes, which is just nice to clap your hands to. And the chorus is very catchy too.

His ‘best laid plans are washed away’ but ‘look how far we’ve come’ he sings. He certainly has come a long way since bursting on to the scene a decade ago.

The best musicians always make playing any instrument look simple, which is exactly what Faulkner does. You forget he’s doing it all on his own, making such a variety of noise, all whilst staying pitch perfect and also keeping the beat going either by smacking his guitar or thumping a bass pedal with his foot. Now that’s real talent.

A lot of his songs have a real meaning too, which is perhaps why his fans can relate to his lyrics so well. I Took it Out On You is pretty self-explanatory – and who hasn’t taken out their pain, frustration and anger out on those closet to us? It makes you think and what to apologise to your nearest and dearest.

Teardrop, again, really shows how good his voice. It’s great to just stand and listen to him sing sometimes. It is a Massive Attack cover too and just goes to show his depth of musical knowledge to be able to pluck that one out of the air and pay such a great tribute to one of Britain’s best-ever bands. Check out the original too, if you haven’t already.

I Need Something brings all his finger-plucking genius to the fore and allows him to let loose on the guitar, while Don’t Leave Me Waiting is just a good, solid track, with another great chorus.

Never Alone makes you smile and had the crowd jumping, singing and waving along, especially when the beat kicked in. ‘You don’t have to say, I already know’. It was like he was telling us he knew we appreciated him, and he appreciated us in return.

In truth, I had been waiting for most of the gig for what, for me, is his standout track. When I first heard Against The Grain it literally stopped me in my tracks, and I immediately had to press rewind (or the modern equivalent).

It’s one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. There’s just something haunting about it that gives me goosebumps. I don’t mean to be go over the top with that, but it just does. The guitar playing is brilliant, his voice is brilliant and the lyrics are . . .brilliant.

Passing Planes is another of his more upbeat and happy-go-lucky efforts, which breaks up some of his more serious and mellow songs, and another of his greatest qualities is his ability to cover and song and turn it into his own while paying tribute to the original artists.

No Diggity is one of the best and well-loved r’n’b tracks to come out of the 1990s. ‘Like the way you work it, no diggity, I got to bag it up (bag it up)’. I don’t think there’s anyone in their 20s, 30s or 40s who doesn’t know the chorus to that classic Blackstreet track.

Faulkner also does a great version of Jess Glynne’s Millions Reasons too . . . as well as Spongebob.

There was still time for Fingertips, which is arguably the song that shows his vocal and singing capabilities the best, as well as Write It On Your Skin and Up, Up and Away, another catchy high-tempo track that gets the crowd swaying and singing, trying in vain to reached the high notes (or maybe that was just me).

Another of his most memorable performances on the night was his slowed-down acoustic version of his best-known songs, Dream Catch Me, which really launched his career. It really was a great, alternative way of performing a classic.

Throughout the gig he interacted with the audience and had us all clapping, singing – at different speeds and in different pitches – which was a sight to behold. None of us knew we could sing so well.

There was plenty more too but in all in all it was great live set and here’s hoping to at least another 10 years of Newton Faulkner.