Frank Turner plays his second biggest headline gig ever at Nottingham’s Capital FM arena.
When Frank Turner announced he would embark on his first ever arena tour last summer, he was on the receiving end of some rather bizarre criticism. Moving up from academy sized venues to ‘corporate’ arenas led to many fans accusing him of selling out despite the fact that, as Frank kept pointing out, it would make tickets a hell of a lot easier to come by. To his credit, Frank kept ticket prices as low as he could (a paltry £22.50) and the uptake proved his critics were in the minority; the crowd inside a packed out Capital FM arena was enough to sell out Rock City five times over.
They were treated to a decent set of support acts in that price, too. Beans on Toast, a singer-songwriter more accustomed to playing in the corner of a dingy pub than up on a brightly-lit arena stage, delivered a hilarious social commentary set that was as if Russell Brand had picked up a guitar, only with more Robin Hood references and less fancy words or self-promotional bullshit. Flogging Molly, who gave Frank a support slot on their US tour in 2010, then brought their Pogues, Cash and Strummer inspired Celtic-punk to the stage, getting the crowd dancing before the main event.
Whilst it’s true that plenty of tonight’s crowd wont know of the Hampshire lad’s decade long journey from hardcore band Million Dead to tonight’s emphatic folk-punk show, the respect is clearly still there. As Mr Turner kicks off with ‘Photosynthesis’ the entire crowd bows for the now expected mass sit-down. “Welcome to show number 1,523” Frank shouts to an audience clearly appreciative of his hard work- this is a man who has found success the old-fashioned way.
What followed for the next 105 minutes was a musical love-in between Frank, his Sleeping Souls band and the adoring audience. A well-picked setlist was awash with a mixture of sing-alongs and more mellow numbers. Crowd favourites ‘Wessex Boy’, ‘Long Live The Queen’ and ‘Plain Sailing Weather’ were shouted back at the stage, whilst slightly rarer songs such as ‘To Take You Home’ and ‘Journey of The Magi’ gave veteran members of the Frank Turner fan club a chance to show off.
In fact, the connection between all three entities was rather striking. The wonderful Sleeping Souls are an integral part of Frank’s show- not only because they’re remarkably good, but also because they provide on-stage banter and are just so in touch with that the main man is doing. Then there was the crowd, who Frank had in the palm of his hand throughout the gig. From making them do jumping jacks during the chorus of ‘Recovery’ to guiding them through encore songs ‘The Ballad Of Me and My Friends’ and ‘I Still Believe’ Frank had the audience under his complete control, and he repaid them a rather spontaneous stage dive.
Closing song ‘Four Simple Words’ drew the crowd in to one final, friendly mosh pit. The mishmash of men and women, young and old, suits (yes, suits) and skinny jeans, all dancing and singing together epitomised the gig. Tonight was a celebration of Frank’s journey, something he’s shared with an audience who have embraced him with open arms.
Yes, a Frank Turner gig will always be better in the more intimate surroundings of a room above a pub with a tiny stage and pints that come in a glass rather than a crappy plastic cup, but that’s the same for almost every band going. What most of these bands fail to do is transfer their early, smaller shows on to the larger stage. Increasingly, we are seeing bands rush in to expensive arena tours with a lack of both experience and material. That’s why it’s refreshing to see a man who has worked so hard for so long to finally get the gig he deserves. Besides, when Frank does go back to playing tiny venues, it’ll be all the more special.
Nonchalant Youth 