After months of waiting, this was to be my first Faustus gig ever. I have seen all the musicians perform in various groups, solo, sessions etc, and have the CD, but nothing can prepare for how great these guys are together.

I missed the first few minutes due to Morris commitments, but managed to squeeze in the busy concert stage marquee to see most of the set. The group performed most of the material from their CD, which usually can be a bit boring, but this was not the case with Faustus. There is a hidden depth to their live sound that just makes the music come alive. This showed particularly in their encore performance of Brisk Lad, in my opinion the highlight of the performance.

Faustus are a group that are certainly greater than the sum of their parts, an achievement considering how experienced and talented the guys already are. Part of this is the great banter that goes on between songs, which at Towersey was mostly hobbit related, and aimed surprisingly at Benji. The guys really seemed to be enjoying themselves, and this kind of banter isn’t possible in larger groups such as Bellowhead or during solo gigs. This is all in stark contrast to the seriousness of the music.

If like me you have heard but never seen this band, then find out when they are playing near you!