Newton Faulkner & Emily and The Woods – The Lemon Tree – 22/05/12
The enigmatic ginger dreadlocked Newton Faulkner played to a capacity all aged crowd on Tuesday night at the Lemon Tree. First up however, was Emily and The Woods.
Support was from the lovely but seemingly hauntingly fragile Emma Roberts, who played a 25min acoustic set. Emma was fairly well received but the crowd were there for “The Man”!
From the first chord, Newton Faulkner held the crowd, starting with two new songs,after which he asked the crowd if he was still in their good books after playing the new material! Newton alternated new and old songs, in between times bantering with the audience whilst sipping his tea which he keeps in a globe on stage!
Watching Faulkner is like watching a friend play you songs in his own home, everything is so laid back, relaxed and intimate. The songs , chat and antidotes flowed, with him recounting how the song “people should smile more” came about ….hilarious! Newton’s impression of Caleb Followhill (Kings of Leon) singing “Dream Catch Me” (seemingly he actually showed Caleb it..brave man!)
The songs kept coming, “Uncomfortably Slow” to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, the amazing cover of Massive Attacks “Teardrop” . Faulkner played the whole of the new album (out 9th July) “Write It On Your Skin” in its entirety. Next up was the old crowd participation! No you don ‘t get to go to one of his gigs without giving something back! Newton split the crowd into three and had us all singing different parts of harmonies to two of his new songs ” Clouds” and “Write It On Your Skin”, we all did real well!
The two hour set shot past in record time while he held us enthralled by his virtuoso guitar playing. Faulkner doesn’t “just” play the guitar, he plays percussion with the body of the guitar, plays it, plays bass pedals and drum with his feet…..did I mention he also sings at the same time!!
It was eleven o’clock before we all drew breath and he was gone! As I said before the new album out on the 9th of July is going to be like the man…Awesome!
Haste ye Back!! (tickets on sale now for the Ironworks in Inverness 4th Oct!)
Words by Crone Gull, pics by Still Burning.
Newton Faulkner Website
Emily and The Woods Website
Flares n Seagulls 