Leo Kottke Captivates With Solo Acoustic Performance At Newtown Theatre: Review

On November 19, Leo Kottke performed a solo acoustic set at the Newtown Theatre in the Philadelphia area, representing the perfect match of artist and stage, what with all that they have in common.

For one, both have a long, storied history: Kottke has been an icon of acoustic fingerstyle guitar since the late 1960s, and the Newtown was built in 1831 and is the longest continuously operating movie theater in the United States, having shown its first film in 1906.

They’ve also both undergone significant renovations over the years: Kottke revamped his playing style in the 1980s in response to developing tendonitis, and the entire theater has been refreshed since the COVID-19 pandemic. And they’re both uniquely charming, partnering to present an unforgettably special night of music.

The room was pin-drop silent as Kottke picked up his Iris DF six-string dreadnought guitar to open the set. Unable to get the guitar signal amplified at first – “recalcitrance personified,” as he later described the instrument – he swapped the guitar out for his nearby parlor guitar and began his set based on how it was tuned.

“I’m a professional entertainer,” he quipped.

The 79-year-old Kottke opened with “Twice,” singing lyrics that appeared on 2005’s Sixty-Six Steps, his second collaborative LP with Phish bassist Mike Gordon. An instrumental version of the tune appears on Kottke’s 1987 album, Standing in My Shoes, where Chet Atkins performed the melody, so this performance represented an interesting blend of those versions.

Kottke let his guitar’s tuning continue to steer the beginning of the set, choosing a variety of songs both instrumental and with lyrics, sometimes donning a slide on his left pinky and never using a pick. Anyone who has seen Kottke perform knows that the music is only half the attraction, the balance of the set consisting of quirky, meandering stories that have endeared him to fans for almost 60 years.

“The essence of show business is risk,” Kottke joked. “I never know what I’m gonna do up here.”

He told the story of “Flat Top,” another original he recorded with Mike Gordon, this time for their 2020 album Noon, named after Flat Top, Jr., of Dick Tracy fame. (Not to be confused with his father, Flat Top, whom Kottke always found far less interesting.)

Kottke also shared that he ate potato chips before the performance, as Frank Sinatra often would do to prepare his throat for an evening of singing, and recommended checking out Kenneth Patchen, “a poet you don’t hear about anymore.” He also told stories of music critics Tony Glover and Whitney Balliett, both of whom he respects.

The set proceeded in kind, with a variety of instrumentals and songs with lyrics, both covers and originals, some old and some new, including one tune so new that it does not yet have a name. Despite its being an original, the song presented an interesting story told in a variety of musical “voices.”

Kottke elicited cheers when presenting longtime numbers “Pamela Brown” and “June Bug“ as Kottke vibed with the music, sometimes still as a statue, other times rocking back and forth, and yet other times dancing in his seat.

Kottke’s 90-minute performance was a gift to Newtown residents, who all seemed to recognize how lucky they were to see a one-of-a-kind show at a one-of-a-kind venue.