Empire Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 16 June 2009

Newton Faulkner

NEWTON Faulkner’s performance at Eden Court had been long-awaited since its delay in January due to the unfortunate incident of a broken arm. Expectation was high and the air in the auditorium slightly alive with excitement and apprehension, but when the 22-year-old entered the stage he didn’t disappoint.

Ginger dreadlocks and with the name Sam Newton Battenberg Faulkner, he is perhaps not your usual mainstream musician, but with hits like ‘Dream Catch Me’ and veteran-like guitar playing, who couldn’t fail to be captured by Faulkner’s ever growing talents.

As a solo performer he really does own the stage, and even the older couple beside me spent the whole time staring goggle eyed as Faulkner opened with a two minute instrumental before going effortlessly into the opening song ‘To The Light’.

His first album was fairly long, consisting of nineteen tracks, but even so you’d think he’d have found it difficult to fill the 90-minute show. However, with a few new tunes added into the mix and also with Faulkner’s gift of storytelling newly revealed, the whole show flowed almost without fault – until he forgot to plug his guitar into the amp at the all too crucial moment as the cassette player (remember those tape things?) whirled into life, two beats before him.

Along with experimental tracks such as the cassette-backed fiasco there were old favourites such as ‘Feels Like Home’ and some new work like ‘Goodbye Old Friend’ (the title is a work-in-progress so don’t quote me if it changes on the new album), which were as catchy as ever.

Unlike rumours from previous concerts, there were no gimmicks in this performance, and Faulkner’s wish to go get a cuppa instead of doing an encore showed (at least to me) that he has his priorities right. As he left the stage with a standing ovation, I have no doubt that his new album soon to be released will be just as successful as the last.

© Jo Gratton, 2009

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