Billie Marten

Last night, British folk-songstress Billie Marten took to the stage at the Newcastle University Students’ Union on her “Dog Eared” 2025 UK tour. For lovers of quiet intensity and finely wrought lyricism, it was a show that did exactly what her records promise: create space for introspection, connection and subtle emotional surge.

From the moment she walked on, guitar in hand, there was a still-ness in the room. The crowd seemed to sense that this wasn’t a big bombastic rock show, but something gentler, softer lights, an acoustic-rooted sound, the kind of performance that invites rather than demands. The first songs unfolded in near whisper, Marten’s voice supple and luminous, the guitar picking delicate and precise. At this early point you could hear a pin drop: utter focus and minimal distractions.
The set drew heavily from her newest material, the album Dog Eared (which has been notable for its lyrical maturity and textured folk-pop sensibility) but also dipped into older favourites, giving longtime fans the nod while still keeping the momentum in the present. The newer songs felt particularly strong live: the lyrics cut clean lines, the minimal band provided wash-like accompaniment rather than pounding rhythm, and Marten’s vocal delivery carried emotional weight without sacrificing nuance.

Her voice floated in the room; you could feel the shift from performance to shared moment. She often paused, addressed the audience with a wry comment and it brought the room into a warmer intimacy. That sense of humour and groundedness is one of her live strengths.

The atmosphere in the venue was warm and respectful. The Students’ Union space is low ceilinged, modest in size, which played in the show’s favour: you weren’t dealing with gig-hall cavernous emptiness, but something more immediate. That intimacy means that the small moments matter: a glance exchanged between bandmates, Marten adjusting a chord, a gentle laughter when she introduced a song. The crowd responded in kind: a sustained applause after each song, with more audible cheers towards the end.

We were treated to a couple of songs with the excellent opening act, Le Ren, joining Billie on stage. Towards the end of her set, the pace picked up slightly, not drastically, but just enough to shift the energy without losing the contemplative tone. A fan favourite from her catalogue, “ I can’t get my head around you” triggered more movement among the audience: people dancing and singing along. Her encore was a very harmonious full on crowd interaction, leaving us with a final image of Marten bowing and smiling, the band alongside her, the crowd clapping and cheering.

In sum: Billie Marten delivered a performance that felt honest, quietly powerful and deeply inviting. If you came wanting to truly hear an artist in full flow, to feel that delicate interplay of voice, lyrics and space, you left satisfied. For Newcastle, it was a special night of song and stillness.