Check out photos from the Palais here

The Palais Theatre is antique with a smell of old but the talent is new, fresh and satisfies in many ways. It’s also a grand beauty and the atmosphere is fit for opera.

Georgia Fair strolled casually onstage, promptly commencing their first song with a magic acoustic lull like a country breeze that filters through the Palais with a humble presence. Something Easy follows, and this kicks off their set that is easy to enjoy with electric and acoustic guitar resounding and mellowing an already pacified crowd. They’re a mildly responsive bunch, yet Georgia Fair can look forward to a promising future. They are a humble presence onstage, quietly spoken, perhaps taken aback by the grandeur of the venue and the fact almost each seat is filled.

“I feel real small up here” says alternating frontman*Jordan Wilson*. Next up is Simple Man, the duo getting louder and interestingly, swapping guitars for the song. The brilliant follow up to that is Little While, which receives a warm reception, and Ben Riley utilizes a quick break between songs to anecdotally comment “our EP is available online ‘cos Jordan forgot to bring them”. Further on, As The Sun Fades brings light to an already fulfilling set.

Georgia Fair show us their Baby Blues in the form of a wonderful acoustic track, coincidentally requested by a young fan three rows in from the front. Picture Frames sets the scene up and we can all picture ‘that milk ad’, this song is by far their most recognizable and it evokes a fond nostalgic mood.

At this late stage, the place is packed when Newton Faulkner graces the platform, picks up his guitar and announces quite matter of factly “I am Newton Faulkner and this is a song” to a reaction of mild laughter.

Faulkner reveals himself as quite a talented guitarist with a witty persona. The song Badman introduces his set, with Faulkner getting everyone involved in a chant-a-long, he works the crowd with ease and some very casual chat as he offers the lyrics “oh please, run away with me”. I Took It Out On You sees his deceptively hippy appearance shine and his voice is amazing. As green lights up the stage he pauses for some pleasantries. “So how you guys doing?” he charms before saying “this is another song”. He launches into each song with impressive guitar work and vocals being an understatement.

To The Light is featured in addition to a song that he claims took him six years to write, called I Need Something. Here’s a guy who’s tuned in and magnetic and who sings with conviction. Just in case he hasn’t made us all feel comfortable enough, Newton provides another anecdote about record executives before playfully singing the ice-breaker You Spin Me Right Round Baby which was more than fun to hear.

He references “the ultimate sleepy film,” Ice Age, prior to playing a talented rendition of Massive Attack’s Teardrop. His use of his feet for sound FX for a one man band is inventive and more amazing is his wonderful voice on If This Is It. This latest song soars and soothes all at once, and is difficult to praise enough. A ‘guitarlady’, which is a mini guitar, is used for the next song She’s Got The Time as he again works his charismatic magic. Faulkner is talkative, happy and hilarious with his powerpoint lyrics and pie chart, especially as he sings a song akin to Bob Dylan’s style.

His stomp box and FX also feature in a comical song receiving a massive applause, where after he sips on water and tea. Next up he plays Lipstick Jungle, adding an amusing extra element to his show with a clip of himself on screen playing melodica and mouthing words. “The mighty power of casette” he proclaims before playing Won’t Let Go

Feels Like Home and Ageing Super Hero are revealed to be wondrous songs that are more like a journey to the enthralled Palais. And this is exemplified in the highly recognizable Dream Catch Me, whose quality needs little elaboration.

Faulkner closes his set with a song he has only played three times time previously in Let’s Get Together, and the catchy, involving UFO, which gets the crowd going briefly. His prop for this song is a pair of futuristic looking glasses with two light beams shining from them that he picked up for four pounds. The commotion dies down and gives way to Gone In The Morning and perhaps without so much surprise, a one man rendition of Bohemian Rhapsosy.