Noah Guthrie

Some will know Noah Guthrie as the guy whose YouTube cover of "Sexy and I Know it" went viral, quickly earning him a reputation as a fantastic cover artist with a soulful, raw talent. Or, you might know him from the sixth and final season of Glee, where he played (as he put it) a "shy, chubby kid who likes to sing." Either way, going to see Noah in concert is well worth the price of admission, just to hear that astounding voice in person, and to see and hear a whole other side to his musical capabilities.

On Saturday, Noah, along with his brother Ian, took to the stage at the Ruby Lounge in Manchester, the last date in a short U.K. tour which is now moving on to Germany. To open the evening, Megan Davies came and performed a few of her own original songs. Also known from YouTube, she has a sweet voice that is easy to listen to, though unfortunately for her she was suffering with a sore throat which meant she had to cut her set short. Still, she is well worth checking out on YouTube if you get the chance.

Onto the main event then, and let me be honest; I've been following Noah Guthrie's career since Glee, having fallen in love with his voice which prompted me to Google him…and promptly lose myself listening to his multitude of covers. Yes, covers are what he is most known for, but Noah is fast establishing himself as a songwriter, too. His original music alternates between sad songs or love songs, since he claims that’s all he knows how to write. The adorable "'Til it Thunders", and the (for me) poignant and heart aching "Pardon Me" are particular favourites and really mark Guthrie as a talent that's exceptional rather than just good. He can easily hold his own on stage and only needs the backing of his brother, along with his own acoustic guitar to deliver a stellar set. He played for about an hour, but it felt as though the whole audience could easily have listened for at least double that.

It's rare for me to find an artist whose voice I can listen to over and over again, but Guthrie is just that. He has easily become the artist I listen to the most and it's a truly great thing that he's even better live. This is a man who is wholly dedicated to music; it's his passion, it's in his blood, and it shows. If you get the chance to attend one of his gigs, be it here in the U.K., in Europe, or in his native U.S. You won't be disappointed; I can assure you.

Becky Fuller