Many moons ago you it seemed you couldn’t go a day without seeing or hearing Newton Faulkner’s name or music it was so prolific and synonymous with the scene at the time indeed his 2007 debut album Handbuilt By Robots went double platinum, he really seemed to be the darling of the music industry at that time. 6 further albums later and he seems to have gained himself something of a cult following in possibly more ways than one.
Tonight at the magical Holmfirth Picturedrome is the lasI date of his 5 week intensive 32 date Feels Like Home tour 2 that covered both ends of the world with Australian and New Zealand dates in-between UK ones. His audience tonight is broad, from young children who weren’t born till after his debut release to old aged pensioners who were all queueing way before the doors opening time of 7.30 to grab a good spot or seat.
This crowd is also unlike any I’ve seen before, forget those crowds that are singing along from the off, this crowd is part of the band, doing the harmonies and loops once Newton realised he was playing the wrong guitar to start with, saying its an easy mistake as they look the same, the crowd tonight felt like they have had some rehearsals for the gig…
One thing of note is he’s quite the confident chatty guy too who clearly has good rep with his followers, at times it felt more like a family gathering than a gig. Being a solo performer can be quite lonely on stage as its just him, his guitars an electric bass drum to his left foot and an odd looking hi hat to his right but the warmth in the room fills the stage. While gone are the dreadlocks of old replaced with a cleaner man-bun the ginger beard remains and even with finding success at a very early age its hard to believe he’s only 39 as he seems to have been around forever.
With it just being him, there’s no support either – the gig is in 2 sets, the 1st a quite sedate one that includes his cover of Massive Attacks Teardrop alongside U.F.O with his other big hitters appearing in the livelier 2nd set with Dream Catch Me getting the bigges crowdt reaction of the night. There is absolutely no doubting the mans guitar skills none more so when he bravely performs Queens Bohemian Rhapsody single handedly which he calls his party trick, all of it, in it’s entirety – mega impressive stuff!
So an all in wonderful show then? Well not quite, far too many talkers in the crowd and one woman literally screaming at another near the end took the edge off slightly, not Newtons fault, more likely it being a lovely sunny Saturday so some folk were clearly well oiled by the time the gig started but it did spoil it somewhat for those towards the back of the venue.
Not quite sure why people come to a gig just to talk all the way through it, it seems to be getting worse, is it because nightclubs are far less than they were that people have chosen gigs to meet up with friends instead now?
The tour may be over but you can still catch him performing a few more dates this year including what should be a very special night at the Devils Arse Cavern in the Peak District next month, hopefully the folk will be there to listen and enjoy this time…
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The post NEWTON FAULKNER LIVE IN HOLMFIRTH – WHAT HAPPENED? first appeared on RGM : REYT GOOD MAGAZINE.