By Hannah Ross
Frank Turner’s 3015th show (how does he keep count??) – let’s fucking go!
It’s been a long time since I attended a gig with a line up that is dominated by acoustic guitars, but honestly it’s a very welcome change.
First up tonight is Steve Jackson, frontman of Atlas Rivers. He was selected as the local solo artist for the Manchester date through an application process, giving him a 20-minute set to showcase his music in his hometown. It’s just his vocals and acoustic guitar, with his music being incredibly heartfelt and soft. It’s a slow but welcome start to the night, with his songs feeling quite nostalgic and fleeting.
The crowd wasn’t prepared in any way for Amigo The Devil.
I’ve never listened to Amigo The Devil before tonight, but I can safely tell you that Danny Kiranos, the brain behind ATD, is fucking hilarious. What immediately sets him apart from other folk singers is his ability to juxtapose grim subject matter with a captivatingly charismatic delivery. He doesn’t just sing songs; he tells stories, often with a dark comedic edge. At first it doesn’t quite seem like the crowd understand what Amigo The Devil is really about, but before long anecdotes and witty banter are flowing freely.
Midway through the set the rest of the band leave the stage for the pseudo love song, ‘I Hope Your Husband Dies’. It isn’t long until Amigo has us singing to the chorus with him before revealing his twisted inspiration for the song. It’s brilliant and dark, and from this moment I can tell that Kiranos has completely won over the crowd.
Frank Turner has just celebrated his 3000th show this February, an immense achievement that a lot of artists won’t ever reach. It isn’t surprising then that this is his 38th show in Manchester, or that he chucks a whopping 25-song setlist at us – treating us to one hour and 45 minutes of pure punk/folk goodness.
From the moment the Sleeping Souls launched into the anthemic opener, ‘No Thank You For The Music’, the crowd was in the palm of Frank’s hand; with every word being sung back with fervent passion. This is a testament to the deep connection he has forged with his fans over his years of relentless touring. The sound tonight was very balanced, allowing for the nuances of his folk-punk blend to shine through as he guided us through ‘Recovery’ and ‘Photosynthesis’.
The dueling guitars on ‘Haven’t Been Doing So Well’ add an extra layer of excitement to the night of acoustic folk, and people are shouting the words back to Frank as if their lives depend on it. There are crowd surfers abound tonight, with so many of these folks keen on surfing to the edge of the crowd for a glimpse of Frank.
The middle of the set saw Frank take to the stage solo for a few numbers, including a beautiful rendition of ‘Jinny Bingham’s Ghost’ and his singalong classic, ‘The Ballad Of Me And My Friends’. While these stripped-down moments offered a change of pace, the palpable energy returned in full force when the band rejoined him.
His closing songs, ‘Try This At Home’, ‘I Still Believe’ and the encore ‘Four Simple Words’ was honestly a masterclass in building energy and leaving the crowd on a euphoric high. The sheer joy and catharsis experienced during ‘Four Simple Words’ is a hallmark of a Frank Turner gig, and pretty unmatched in anything I’ve seen so far this year.
In a quickly growing world of industry planted bands and auto-tuned vocalists, Frank keeps us grounded with his genuineness and pure charm.
- All photos © Hannah Ross/Über Rock.
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