Brian Fallon has been cutting a new path since the hiatus of his beloved vehicle The Gaslight Anthem. If his former celebrated the ballsy blue-collar rock and roll Fallon grew up on in New Jersey, his recent delve into something more fragile and soulful has offered a more heartfelt insight behind the skin of a prolific songwriter. One with enough cool to be held up as âthe next Springsteenâ in almost every other breath in the mainstream.
âYouâre half mineâ he quips to a KOKO crowd bursting at capacity. âI met a lady and we just love to read and watch television and eat ice cream. Weâre not gonnaâ judge each other if we gain a few pounds.â Fallonâs effortless New Jersey cool seems to follow him wherever he goes, but tonights set is certainly a bold one. The twenty strong setlist offering just a single number from the Gaslight songbook, a beautifully intricate version of âThe 59 Soundâ played solo by Fallon on piano.
Of the other 19, thereâs one or two other covers that are sure to have pleasantly surprised a few. A breezy, rolling rendition of The Fine Young Cannibalsâ âShe Drives Me Crazyâ marks the midpoint of a set that combines the perfect balance of ferocious rock and roll and laid-back ease that Fallon seems to manage with every song he performs. The biggest surprise however comes in the form of a bouncing cover of U2âs âI Still Havenât Found What Iâm Looking Forâ with Dave House filling in as the perfect replacement for the Edge and offering some sublime guitar and backing vocals.
The rest of Fallonâs set is the perfect journey through the tracks that have shaped his career away from The Gaslight Anthem. Typically falling heavy on his newest record, this years âSleepwalkersâ, he cuts through each and every song that spans both solo records, and a few Horrible Croweâs numbers for good measure, with tender, biting precision. In the moments between songs Fallon has such a way with the crowd, telling stories of encounters with his hero Springsteen (or âthe bossâ), that it feels like a Friday night spent having a drink and a singalong with a remarkably talented old friend.
His âSleepwalkersâ material offers a perfect contrast to some of the more delicate songs from 2016âs âPainkillersâ. When the songs âAmong Other Foolish Thingsâ and âWatsonâ from each record respectively close the bands initial set, before Brian reappears behind the piano for an encore of âThe 59 Soundâ, itâs impossible not to get caught by what an incredibly consistent, stirring songwriter Fallon is. Â âSink Or Swimâ first appeared out of nowhere in 2007, and tonight goes to show that the tag of âthe next Springsteenâ might not have been be too far off.
SEAN LITTLEWOOD
