Frank Turner

7th September 2020

Virgin Money Unity Arena, Newcastle

 
Frank Turner was the latest act to play the Virgin Money Unity Arena.  I had hoped this may have been a full-band gig but, regretfully, the only Sleeping Soul we got was Matt Nasir.

Frank's (relatively) new bride Jess Guise, was the support act.  For, as she admitted herself: “What is the point of marrying the headliner, if you don't get good gigs like this?”

Jess has a fine, fine voice, but I found her songs a touch lightweight and short of memorable hooks or lyrics.  And she did, at times, appear a rather plaintive soul all alone on the huge socially-distanced stage.  I rather feel the lady would shine in a small intimate venue, though, for her closing song Brother in Arms sounded rather special.


Frank opened with the title track from the Be More Kind album, and I have to say his voice really wobbled here. The lengthy lay-off clearly not having done the old vocal cords many favours.  But, it soon became apparent he plainly just needed that one to help clear the cobwebs as, for the rest of the show the chap was in fine voice.

There were few surprises in the set.  Indeed, I was a touch disappointed Frank's two most recent albums were represented by just three songs this evening, as he played safe trotting out all his big hitters.  An impassioned Long Live The Queen represented the highlight of the evening.

We were presented with one new composition: “a lock-down song” as the singer introduced it, entitled The Gathering.  With raucous verses and a sumptuous chorus, it showed Frank has spend at least a portion of his enforced internment fruitfully.  We were also given an ambitious acoustic guitar and mandolin arrangement of Paul McCartney's Live and Let Die.  Whilst it didn't quite work, it was pleasingly diverting.


Set List

Be More Kind
The Ballad of Me and My Friends
I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous
If Ever I Stray
The Road
1933
Jinny Bingham's Ghost
The Gathering
The Way I Tend To Be
Long Live The Queen
The Next Storm
Polaroid Picture
Photosynthesis
Recovery
Four Simple Words
Get Better
Live and Let Die
I Still Believe

Jess Guise.

Matt Nasir & Frank Turner.

Virgin Money Unity Arena, Newcastle