Artist: Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls

Venue: The Guildhall

Town: Southampton

Date: 18.4.25

A first experience of The Southampton Guildhall, a cavernous very lofty Hall that quite surprised me as in my mind I was expecting a similar interior to Portsmouth Guildhall. My first thoughts were Why so few seats perched in a strange design at the very back upstairs - maybe the original architect was ordered to fit some seating in and did so begrudgingly?

Frank Turner's gig compadres Amigo The Devil were up first, Turner later quoted these guys were his favourite band and people, that he has ever gone on a Tour with. Quite something to say for sure, they were certainly a lot of fun, in a similar way to Tenacious D though I am sure they would shout with a wry smile "enough with those comparisons". The song "I hope your husband dies" certainly tickled the crowd and they were all singing along with the chorus by the end. Singer Danny Kiranos, milked it for every last drop. He also had the ability to keep his band constatntly at the point of cracking up during songs, you can see why Turner would make them first on his list to call for a Tour.

Having seen Frank Turner live once before I do know his fans are a loyal bunch. Speaking to a few at the bar they compare the numbers of gigs attended and they were high numbers. A wide range of T-Shirts are proudly worn from many different Tours, Turner has earnt this respect through hard Touring over the years plus being what appears to be a humble, likeable person.

Turner starts with some house rules to keep an eye on your neighbour in the packed crowd and to be a stand up citizen basically. Though DO remember this is a PUNK gig....

The "New" album Undefeated is now almost a year old and the songs played from this release sit snuggly alongside the massive back catalogue. There really wasn't a dip in the music even with Turner going to solo and guitar for a few numbers there wasn't a "time for a drink" song as far as I could see. "1933" roars along like Billy Bragg on steroids and has Turner using the "glory boxes" as he called them (boxes to jump on and make some shapes) probably safer than traditionally balancing on wobbly fold back speakers I suppose.

The Next Storm stood out with it's refrain of "Rejoice" being shouted from every corner of this cavernous Place. More numbers from Undefeated come thick and fast, I am sure there is never a Frank Turner gig where you would feel short changed or that 100% effort had not been delivered.... hats off to Frank.

Setlist

Full Band

No Thank You for the Music

Girl From the Record Shop

1933

Recovery

Never Mind the Back Problems

Photosynthesis

Letters

Haven't Been Doing So Well

Plain Sailing Weather

If Ever I Stray

The Next Storm

Ceasefire

Wessex Boy

Frank Solo

This Town Ain't Big Enough for the One of Me

Be More Kind

The Ballad of Me and My Friends

Full Band

I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous

Mittens

Do One

Try This at Home

I Still Believe

Encore:

Somewhere Inbetween

Polaroid Picture

Get Better

Four Simple Words