Brian Fallon & The Howling Weather @ Beckett University (Leeds, UK) on March 9, 2018 [Photos & Show Review]

When Brian Fallon walks out to take a seat at his keyboard the smile on his face shows that this is a man who is absolutely loving life. Touring in support of his recently released solo album Sleepwalkers, Fallon is an unassuming, instantly likeable character which goes a lot of the way to explain why tickets for this run of UK dates have been rarer than rocking horse shit.

With two solo albums worth of material, Fallon mixed up this lengthy set to include songs from said solo recordings along with a smattering of covers and run through of the “‘59 Sound” from his Gaslight Anthem days. There really was something for everyone tonight whether it’s Fallon’s own solo material like “A Wonderful Life” and “Painkillers” to his cover songs which in Leeds include tracks by U2 and Dire Straits. Turning away from the music though, there are musicians who just have that connection with their fanbase and Fallon is one of them with his humour and between-song banter having the audience in stitches.

Brian rounds off the night in style with his cover of “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”. It’s a glorious end to a riotous Friday night in Leeds and we leave already counting the days to the return of Fallon’s previous band The Gaslight Anthem.