Newton Faulkner makes the Devil’s Arse sing in spectacular Castleton show
If the walls of the Devil’s Arse could talk, they’d have quite a story to tell. On Friday night, they were singing.
A capacity crowd packed into Castleton’s famous cavern as Newton Faulkner brought his solo show to one of the Peak District’s most extraordinary venues - and the natural acoustics proved every bit as impressive as the surroundings.
With no support act and no band, Faulkner stood alone on stage with a selection of guitars and a voice capable of extraordinary range. Yet there was never any sense that anything was missing.
Opening with Feels Like Home, he quickly demonstrated why he remains one of the UK’s most compelling live performers, moving effortlessly through Waiting on You - a touching song about his eldest son - I Need Something, Longshot and a striking version of Massive Attack’s Teardrop.
But while the music was undoubtedly the star, it was Faulkner’s connection with the crowd that made the evening particularly memorable.
Witty, warm and wonderfully self-deprecating, he chatted freely between songs, joked with members of the audience and took requests from the floor. There was an easy spontaneity to the performance that made it feel less like a gig and more like an intimate conversation between an artist and a room full of friends.
That intimacy was amplified by the cavern itself. Every strum and vocal note seemed to hang in the air before echoing back from the rock walls, creating an atmospheric backdrop that no concert hall could replicate.
The first half continued with Dear Life, Spirit Meets the Bone, Against the Grain and Uncomfortably Slow, before a 30-minute interval.
Faulkner returned with Four Leaf Clover and Don’t Make Me Beg, followed by People Should Smile More, Fingertips and the inevitable crowd favourite, Dream Catch Me.
Brick by Brick, Clouds and Snakes and Ladders completed the second half, bringing a remarkable evening to a close.
What makes Faulkner such an accomplished live performer is his ability to make a large audience feel surprisingly small. Despite performing alone, he filled the cavern with sound - his intricate guitar playing complemented by a remarkably versatile voice that can shift from delicate and intimate to soaring and powerful within a single song.
And somehow, despite the capacity crowd surrounding him, he makes every listener feel as though he is singing directly to them.
An incredibly memorable night from one of the best live artists to take to the stage.