Frank Turner - Glasgow - December 2015
“I definitely think Positive Songs for Negative People is defiant. It’s probably the most defiant album I’ve ever written.”
It’s a Friday night in Glasgow, and Frank Turner is just hours away from playing a sold out show at the Barrowland Ballroom.
“I also like to write about people,” he continues, “everyday situations are probably the most worthwhile thing for me to write about because they resonate with your audience,
“If you can’t hold their attention, I think you’ve lost, really!”
In a live setting, Turner truly does captivate. A champion of folk punk, his sound, and indeed his own persona is refreshingly real among a sea of cookie cutter, manufactured noise. This becomes all too clear as he opens the show with “Get Better.” A statement of intent, Turner is adamant that the tribulations that spawned his 2013 release ‘Tape Deck Heart” haven’t killed him. In his words, “we’re not dead yet”.
Tonight’s crowd draws from every walk of life; young, old, girls in their gladrags, to teenagers just looking for a place they can fit in. There’s something about Frank’s message that has appeal to everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from. Perhaps it’s because, between songs, Turner’s go-to interactions are more anecdotal than they are about paying lip service to the Glaswegian crowd. He quips about drunken nights with his friends before firing on all cylinders with songs such as “Sweet Albion Blues” and “Reasons Not To Be An Idiot;” cuts delving deep into his extensive back catalogue.
For a musician whose background lies with punk, it’s no surprise that Turner’s approach to live performances is simply unrelenting, and while his albums of late haven taken on a much mellower perspective, both Turner and the crowd seem to have a grand time, during the likes of “Josephine” and “Out of Breath.” Both sprawling yet explosive new numbers.
But it’s those folk steeped acoustic numbers that Turner really finds his sweet spot. “The Way I Tend To Be” sparks the biggest singalong of the night, while “Long Live The Queen” in all of its harrowing splendour evokes an impassioned response from the audience. But the highlight of tonight’s proceedings is his delivery of “Song For Josh.” Turner maintains that he writes about everyday situations, and it doesn’t get more real than openly singing about a friend’s attempt on their own life. The crowd, respectfully still. A Friday night miracle, it seems.
It’s worth noting that in comparison to a lot of artists today, Turner also gives value for money at his shows, and tonight is no different. A 30 song setlist is a marathon by today’s standards. But Turner executes it beautifully.
