Following the release of his latest album, and accompanying podcast, ‘No Man’s Land’, Frank Turner pulls together a stripped-back evening for us at the Dome with only a guitar, mic stand and a patterned ‘Stay Soft, Stay Brave’ backdrop in sight. His two support acts, Guise and Micah Schnabel precede him with the same minimalist style and we are treated to an evening of acoustic folk that ranges from pop to punk and touches the spaces in between.
Guise kicks things off – beautiful, warm and engaging, she reveals “she’s only gone and married the headliner”, Frank Turner. Her songs are as clever and witty as her in-between banter with the audience; it’s a strong start.
Micah Schnabel steps on to fill her shoes and he admits, even after 20 years, he still gets nervous. He doesn’t need to be, his songs are intelligent and funny and suit his unassuming nature. He addresses important issues such as racism, the American healthcare system and gender issues, all the while delivering them with fun and humility – we are left wanting more.
But not for long, as Frank Turner soon takes to the stage, sporting a Guise T-shirt in a heart-warming display of support that seems to be a theme running through the show tonight. Turner reveals this is show number 2463… now that is a lot of shows! He takes his adoring fans on a chronological journey of the past 13 years that sees the crowd bounce and jump, furiously punching the air at times and it is clear they came here to sing tonight, as much as he did.
We are treated to some new material and made to promise we won’t film or post any of it. There is a feeling of respect that runs both ways in the room tonight. The humour that was present in both the support acts runs through this set too and we are treated to two hilarious anecdotes about Turner’s grandmother who quite liked a drink and impressed this upon a 10-year-old Frank back in the day.
As the night draws to a close, Turner acknowledges the long-standing love for an encore but humorously explains that it would be quite a pointless rigmarole for a one-man show: he would only be standing in the wings tapping his foot until he could walk back on again. To appease everyone, he ramps up the energy of the crowd and stages a speedy but mock attempt at an encore. Turner closes with ‘Polaroid Picture’ from 2013’s ‘Tape Deck Heart’ and audience participation is mandatory. It is clear everyone is enjoying themselves tonight and we’re once again left wanting more.
Brighton Dome, Wednesday 4th March 2020
Words and photos by Sarah Brownlow
