Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire, October 10 2011

There are no shortage of singer-songwriters of either sex in 2011 (actually, that could probably have been said in 1971 as well). Yet with his debut album Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm having gone top 40, the 22-year old Yorkshireman is going places and managing to shine brightly in a field that’s often bursting at the seams.

It’s no mean feat to hold an audience’s attention, armed just with an acoustic guitar; effectively not much more than your average street busker. And yet, there is something bewitching about BFL. The Cab is full to busting, but people listen rapt and respectfully for the most part. ‘I’ve never been to Edinburgh before, ‘ he tells us just before ‘Pictures. ‘It’s a very beautiful city.’ Well, a bit of flattery always goes a long way, and we’d have him back like a shot, and mainly because of his charm. Slightly self-effacing without being full-on self-deprecating, he tells us that he considered taking a full band on this tour, and that nights like tonight show it is viable to do. He seems genuinely grateful for the response he gets.

The set is largely drawn from his debut album, and songs like ‘Butterfly Culture’ ‘Snowship’ and particularly ‘Maps’ get a large cheer. He also straps on his electric guitar for a fantastic cover of his favourite song, Springsteen’s ‘Atlantic City’ (from Nebraska), which is simply brilliant. And we get a rather lovely new song called ‘Break the Day Open.’

I don’t know how he does it – but there’s magic at work here. There’s a million singer-songwriters out there, but Benjamin Francis Leftwich is right out in front.

Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Pictures by Mud Hut Digital

Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Shine by Dirty Hit

Whilst on this subject, I bought a friend who was in a wheelchair to this gig. Both staff and fellow punters were really helpful and patient about making sure she got to the front to see him. Thank you.

Many thanks to Muriel Masson for the photo