It’s a sign of a good concert when you find yourself still on a high nearly a week after the event, and that was the case with my trip to see Frank Turner at Wolverhampton Civic Hall. Backed by the excellent Sleeping Souls, Frank treated his Midland audience to a wide range numbers spanning an incredible four studio albums (plus two rarity compilations) in six years, with a fifth due next year. And when he is not laying tracks, Frank takes to The Road, as the title of the 2009 song suggests.

Frank Turner - The Road

Wessex Boy, Reasons Not to Be an Idiot and If Ever I Stray, I just find them so uplifting. Even the ones about death, as in the case of Long Live the Queen, you just want to sing along. The only downside you will experience at a Frank Turner concert is that there are so many excellent songs in his repertoire, you can’t expect to hear all of them in a ninety minute set. Three times now, Frank, and I’ve not heard my personal favourite – Father’s Day. Guess I’ll just have to hope I strike lucky next time you’re in town.

The local crowd played their part too in adding to the atmosphere and I believe at the time, Wolverhampton were heading the table in Frank’s impromptu dance contest for venues while playing Four Simple Words. Audience participation also means you got backing vocals from a few thousand fans at the gig thus anybody sitting in the vicinity of seat C73 – I apologise.

Having said that, I couldn’t help it. I wanted to dance. How could I not? Brilliant poetic lyrics and great tunes. Six days later and I’m still buzzing. Far the best concert I’ve seen this year and I don’t care if my thirteen-year-old sitting in the next seat kept giving me funny looks as I lost the plot.

Apologies for the quality of the photo, but has anybody ever taken a good one from the back of an auditorium?

“I won’t sit down, and I won’t shut up. And most of all, I will not grow up.”

Photosynthesis – Frank Turner.

Cheers

Nick