NEWTON FAULKNER may be Surrey-based but he's almost an adoptive south westerner, with a real affinity for this neck of the woods.

After all, it was here his career first took off when SW1 Promotions presented him as unknown support for Donovan Frankenreiter at Hall For Cornwall, around four years ago. Not long after that he headlined the Hub in his own right and he's been back for several local festivals – he'll be headlining Boardmasters this year – so it was great to see him for the first time at the Pavilions, again courtesy of SW1, and remind ourselves why he is such an exceptional artist.

Actually I was quite surprised to discover that he had no accompanying musicians – but his performance worked all the better for it.

After all, he is the ultimate one-man band who enticed whoops and hollers from the crowd during the opening bars of intro song Badman, with his trademark fine-tuned percussive guitar technique that never fails to impress.

Add to that his bass pedals, played with his feet and projected on a screen behind him for all to see, plus his sweetly melodic vocals – now honed to perfection – and the sound was as full and satisfying as any acoustic three-piece.

Not only is he a consummate muso, he's a masterful entertainer, a natural, who had us in stitches with tongue-in-cheek spoofs of You Spin Me Right Round and No Diggidy – but thankfully no Sponge Bob Square Pants – before bringing us down to earth with his exquisitely beautiful rendition of Massive Attack's Teardrop.

She's Got The Time, with Disney-style singalong lyrics, in powerpoint format rather than with bouncing ball, and UFO from his chart-topping debut Handbuilt by Robots, which featured space age eyewear and a dancing alien, added to the novelty factor and rang the changes helping to keep the crowd on side which, for a solo artist, is no mean feat.

Then he'd change the mood in an instant with one of his gorgeous ballads reminding us that Dream Catch Me, the break-through single, and If This Is It and set closer I'm Not Giving Up Yet, from Rebuilt by Humans, are just about as good as it gets.

Opening the show on guitar and piano we were introduced to singer/songwriter Charlie Winston, native of Cornwall, brother of Tom Baxter and major star in France, where he headlines and Newton supports. Offering an incredibly wide range of styles, incorporating everything from beatbox to classical, his compelling performance won him a whole load of new fans. Definitely one to watch.