Following the success of last years new album Undefeated, Frank Turner is on tour with his band The Sleeping Souls. Tonight they take on Liverpool. With support from Amigo The Devil and local talent, Chloe Grace it’s sure to be an enjoyable night of folk punk with a dash of rock and roll.
One of the many things Frank Turner is known for is supporting smaller bands and artists. On this tour things are no different as Frank put a call out for local solo artists to get in touch to open the show in their city. Representing Liverpool is local university student, singer and songwriter Grace Chloe. Playing a mix of songs on the piano she powers through her set with the confidence of someone who’s been doing it for years.
The remarkable thing about Grace is that she lost her sight but she doesn’t let that stop her following her dream of being a performing artist. Tonight was also a major bucket list moment for her as she has been a Frank turner fan for years. Between songs she jokes with the crowd and tells her story whilst a captivated crowd listen, often laughing at what she has to say. Musically she has a fantastic voice with a wide vocal range backed by some impressive piano playing, but most importantly she’s smiling throughout. During her final song she says “I want to see you all clapping and dancing and moving. I can’t actually see you which means you’re really going to have to do it!” She leaves thanking the crowd and whilst expressing her excitement to a crowd who greet this with cheers and applause.
For the main support tonight we have American Country and folk artist Amigo The Devil. With musical influences ranging from American folk to heavy metal he’s become known for a genre he likes to call ‘Dark Folk’. Fronted by Danny Kiranos and backed by a full band they get straight to it with their truly unique style of folk music. He wasn’t lying when he said it was dark folk. There’s a distinctly dark edge to all the stories which the songs tell. Mid set what sounds like a soft love song features lyrics like “oh I hope your husband dies”. But that’s what draws the fans to him, there’s a comedic value to the songs and the crowd is here for it.Â
As the set goes on there’s much laughter to be had as Danny continues to tell stories and jokes through out the performance. Aside from the comedy Amigo the Devil is an extremely talented musician, playing an array of instruments from acoustic guitar to the banjo. All songs are played without absolute perfection and when the full band is also on stage it brings the performance together in a way that only folk artists know how. Before playing their final song Hungover in Jones Town he thanks the crowd and shares his love for Liverpool and the memories he has here from over the years. If you’re looking for something a little dark but something that also scratches that itch for dark humour Amigo the Devil is it.
It’s now finally time for the main attraction. Originally a member of Million Dead, Frank Turner started out as a part of the punk and hardcore scene before starting his solo project following the bands split in 2005. Whilst his beginnings may have been in something much heavier his love for song writing took him in a different direction, acoustic folk punk. Fast forward to now and Frank has worked incredibly hard to make his way up the ladder, starting out at Grassroots venues and now headlining academy venues and even music festivals. His act has become much more than just a solo act, now being backed by the mighty Sleeping Souls.
From the get go the energy is high, kicking things off with No Thank You for The Music, Frank and the band waste no time in getting things moving before heading into another foot stomper Girl From The Record Shop before heading back to a bouncy sing along with 1933. It may be early in the set but the atmosphere in the room is electric as the crowd jump, dance and even mosh their way through the first few songs. I think the common misconception with those who have never been to a Turner show before is that its going to be a night of acoustic folk music but that is definitely not the case. Whilst there are the slower moments during this set, including an acoustic section, for the majority its a fast paced, fun for all, rock and roll show.
As far as frontmen go Frank Turner stands out as one of the best within his genre. His onstage presence is almost larger than life but it never feels cocky or over confident, instead it feels similar to that of seeing an old friend again. Between songs he shares stories and jokes with the crowd, and whilst performing his encouragement to get involved and let loose has even the oldest members of the audience dancing and singing along. The Sleeping Souls are also a fantastic band, all individually talented but as a collective they make the shows feel so much bigger.
Tonights tour is promoting the new album, the new songs sound great live and its always fun to see the crowd engaging with new material but as with most bands the biggest responses always come from the older songs which the fans know and love so it was great to hear the crowd belting the words to the likes of If Ever I Stray and I Still Believe. Whilst this is a high energy show there are also some quiet emotional moments to be had, most noticeably during Redemption, giving the crowd a chance to take in the words and feel everything thats been put into the song. The crowd were also treated to a few songs which don’t get as much play these days including Thatcher and Mittens which definitely pleased a lot of people. Rounding the set off with Four Simple Words gives the crowd one last chance to dance and I think theres a single person in the room who isn’t moving in one way or another.
All in all its been another great show from Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls, with Frank and the band playing a huge 25 song setlist filled with new songs, deep cuts and crowd pleasers. The energy the band gave was more than reciprocated by the crowd through out the night. With Frank interacting in a way that makes all feel welcome at the show there isn’t a single person in the room leaving tonight without a smile on their faces. Shows like this are also a fun reminder that music is for everyone and can really bring everyone together, a sentiment that resonates through out Franks music.
Will Robinson
