THERE is no doubt in my mind that Newton Faulkner is one of the most talented artists around at the moment. His singing voice is second to none, his mastery of any number of instruments is a joy to watch and listen to, and together with his relaxed rapport with the crowd, he can hardly put a foot wrong.

All of this came together to make last night's gig at the Boscombe O2 one of the most mellow, relaxing and joyous events of the year.

First up on to the stage was support act Charlotte who put on a lovely show and was pitched just right as an opener. Her vocals were spot on and received a warm welcome from the crowd.

This was the first night of the UK tour so it would have been understandable if there were a few teething problems but there was to be none of that tonight.

The songs flowed effortlessly from a set list that covered the whole of Newton’s career and kept the crowd entranced from start to finish.

Starting on a podium surrounded by the tools of his trade the gig started with If This Is It, Indecisive, Bricks and Clouds before moving to a second position on the stage to deliver standing, guitar based versions of I Took It Out On You, Teardrops, Fingertips and I Need Something.

It’s rare to go to a gig where the age range is so varied yet every person there seems to know every word to every song. Newton seems comfortable in his own skin and comes across as cool and relaxed as he interacts with the audience throughout the show. The audience seem likewise relaxed and respond with enthusiasm and enjoy every second of the night. It is sometimes easy to forget that there is only one person on the stage as many of the songs sound like a full band is up there with him.

Vocals, guitar, bass, piano and drums all delivered by a single person, often at the same time, blend together so that tunes like Dream Catch Me, Write It On Your Skin and a rousing version of Sponge Bob Square Pants fill the auditorium with music and the crowd respond the way that this talent deserves.

Newton Faulkner is a talent that has to be seen to be fully appreciated so I encourage you to check out on if his shows if you ever get the chance, you will not be disappointed.