Newton Faulkner – Birmingham – O2 Academy – 20 Feb 2014

The day started with an 8am wakeup call and it was off on the road again for Newton Faulkner show 2 of 5. I got to Birmingham, went past the venue, there was no one there so went to the hotel to chill out for a bit. And then it pissed it down with rain. YESSSSS. I can chill out for a while longer whilst it stops.

I headed to the venue about 3pm. A group of teens was queuing at the front and then me. Winning. I had a waterproof coat, gilet and two blankets and I was still cold. The wind is horrible when it whips under that venue’s roof.  Then you know, you’re a shivering cold mess and Newton Faulkner himself walks past and says hi to the queue. DIES. THANK GOD he didn’t stop.

Big love to sweet guy in front of me in the queue.  He had a foil survival blanket that was blowing in the wind and hitting my legs, I wasn’t bothered. I’m cool with people if they are cool with me. I’m good natured unless you’re nasty. He went & got his friends a hot chocolate & brought me one back too without me asking because he felt like he was annoying me. Then even took it to the bin when I was finished. So kind. He wasn’t even bothering me.

About 4pm I was joined by Kathryn. I’ve met her at a load of other shows in Birmingham (seems we have incredibly similar taste) but got her number to keep in touch now :). Then I met another woman that was queuing, Olivia. Great times were ahead.

As my cotton poster wasn’t signed, I was gonna nip back to the hotel after the show and get it and ask Newton to sign it. Then it dawned on me that it wouldn’t really work as if he was at the merch desk after the show like in York yesterday, the stewards wouldn’t let me back in. so I went back to the hotel and smuggled the poster tube inside my coat. DON’T ASK. Thank you Kathryn for looking after it for me during the show.

Sam Brookes

Show time, Spot light comes on, I’M BLIND. Damn. Picked the wrong place to stand.

Sam set was great. I’ve definitely fallen in love with James and breaking blue. Need to get that album in Nottingham tomorrow.

Then it was Mr Faulkner o’clock.

1. Where to start

I love this song. It’s the perfect ‘Fuck you’ to that wanker I spent too long loving.

“Tired of love don’t need nobody
Enough is enough don’t need nobody
Keep your love don’t need nobody
Tired of love”

2. Won’t let go

This song is really growing on me again. I didn’t realise until tonight he was playing the string part on a vinyl record player, I couldn’t see that far across the stage last night in York

3. Long shot

Never one of my faves but again it’s growing on me. A crowd pleaser is sometimes infectious.

“With our shoes off,
Balancing on rooftops,
You put your faith in preachers,
I put my faith in me.
Given time we could've seen,
All the things he could've been,
If he'd tried”.

 

 

4. I need something

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song. Always have, always will.

“I need something to believe in, because I don’t believe in myself”.

A gorgeous sing-a-long song.

5. I took it out on you

I’m in love with this song all over again. Songs off the second record remind me of great times with Newton on that tour.

6. Indecisive

I love this song. One of the stand out tracks on studio Zoo. A real crowd pleaser. Everyone clapping along. Great Harmonies.

7. Treading water

Sorry but it’s not a fave of mine. Never will be. Super talented guitar playing, but not my thing.

8. Clouds

One of my favourite Newton songs EVER. It makes me so damn happy. Reminds me of the write it on your skin tour, I LOVE IT so much.

9. Teardrop

This is so old and still a crowd pleaser, but I never really liked it that much and it’s kinda boring me a bit now.

10. Like I love you (Justin Timberlake cover)

We got Rusty Roots – Send me on my way (Matilda, Ice Age), as a hilarious titbit of a cover.

And there is always someone who shouts for sponge bob *rolls eyes*.

“It does give me the chance to go ‘I just wanna love you baby’, which to be honest in my daily life I don’t get to do very often. Because I’m an English man, I just want to love you darling’ HAHAHA.

11. At the seams

Dirty mic time :D

"This is dirty mike, who has different ideas on life".  LOL.

I love this song. The track that stood out most to me on studio zoo.

‘As if your life wasn’t hard enough, you chose me’.

 I will always adore that line.

12. Don’t make me go there

This one is definitely growing on me.

13. Plastic hearts

Great fun with Sam and Toby doing harmonies and hand claps.

14. Waiting on you

Awww I love this one. Every single time it reminds me of his little boy.

 

15. Losing ground

Great to see Newton’s brother Toby shine on this one.

16. Soon

Newton poured himself a cup of tea and someone shouted ‘give me tea’.

Newton asked:

Are you guys good?

Still friends?

Best friends? No? just friends?

The same person shouted give me tea and I will be best friends.

Newton’s GENIUS reply:

‘have you got a cup?’ HAHA. (apparently she did indeed have a plastic beaker).

One of my favourite ever songs. I just love it. Relate to it. It makes me so happy.

17. Pulling teeth

Never really a fave of mine.

18. Write it on your skin

Another absolute FAVE of mine. Such a tune and so much fun.

I see no good reason why there cannot be jumping

*hails goes mental*

*hails can’t breathe*

LOL

Encore

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19. Dream catch me

THIS SONG. Where it all began for me. I still remember those days in 2007 when I first heard it and fell in love with it. It’s still so beautiful to me and I ADORED hearing 3000 people singing along to it tonight.

20. If this is it

I absolutely love this song. Always was a fave of mine. Again reminds me of the rebuilt by humans tour. It sounds SOOOO good.

 

21. Orange skies

Awwwwww. ‘home’. I love it. It was great to see 3000 people split into harmony groups and sing it SO BEAUTIFULLY. That crowd just ‘got it’. I walked away from the show tonight with it stuck in my head.

 

Meeting Newton

Afterwards Lottie (Newton’s sister) came along the front row and told us he would be at the merch stand after the show but not to say anything. So we went to the merch and hung around in the crowd for a bit. Sure enough, Newton came to the desk with his brother and sister. What happened next was chaos. Nowhere near as organised as York. Security didn’t seem to have any control of people queue jumping and pushing.

Newton was absolutely adorable to people. His sister Lottie even got Newton to do the guy with the 1% battery next. Sadly it died but I think someone else took a pic for him. Newton was a gem to Kathryn and I. Lottie was funny, filling up Kathryn’s camera with shots of the side of his face and his bum LOL. She even got her iPhone out and showed me a pic she’d instagrammed of Newton and toby in just their shirts and boxers LOL. Love her. She took my pic with Newton and I said ‘thanks Lottie’ and she said ‘you know my name?’.  She seemed touched. She’s so lovely, bless her. So pleased I got my cotton poster signed. Need to get it framed.

I dragged my weary self back to the ibis hotel across the road. My FEET hurt. I know I must have been tired because I slept like a baby in the ‘lovely’ budget hotel. Note the sarcasm.

Another 8am wakeup call and back on the road again, show 3 of 5. Next stop:  a home town show in Nottingham.