The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones at US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis – 10-24-21

A band that needs no introductions but here it goes anyway, after 50 years these aged rockers are still filling stadiums. However, on this tour they are without one of the pivotal members, drummer, Charlie Watt who passed away just a few months prior to it kicking off. Up until the age of 80 Charlie still helped to shape the sound of rock music and The Rolling Stones and will be sadly missed by many. The band decided to carry on the rescheduled tour with blessings from Charlie before passing, echoing ‘the show must go on’.

The show certainly did go on tour after being delayed almost 18 months it was kicked into gear by the support act, Black Pumas. Enigmatic and powerful they powered through a set of ambient blues/rock style of music. The sound did not exactly connect with me, but you could feel the passion and energy from the band as they effortlessly played with instruments.

As for many tonight it was a show all about the headliners, who all aged in their 70’s played a two-hour blistering set of songs on this ‘No Filter’ tour, they hit as many hits as they could. The lighting effects with videos and screens was key to energizing all the stadium members. They played on stop and certainly make some younger bands look weak in comparison to the set length. At one point they had a random music generator to pick an older song for them to remember. Tonight’s song was ‘Money Man’ on the selection and after a minute or two they hashed out their old song without playing it for years. Many highlights from the show can be found online but for me, my favorite still has to be ‘Paint It Black’. From first track to last The Rolling Stones were a tight unit, putting all their energy and years of practice into every ounce of the show. They were more than happy to still be doing what they do on stage tonight like any other. It was an exciting and remarkable show that will be forever looked back on. 

Frank Turner Hard Core Forever

 

Frank Turner at Majestic Theatre, Madison – 10-20-21

“From the east, from the east”, Frank Turner is back again for another round of shows in the USA. Frank is no stranger to playing Madison and for good reason, his punk rock ethics matches well with the free minded views of locals. The love of Frank showed in Madison as not only did it sell out in advance, but every song was a wall to wall singing along.

However, the show had a very different vibe to a normal Frank Turner (Hard Core)/punk rock show. Both the Frank and the opener, Nathan Gray played entirely acoustic shows due to maybe a shortage of drummers and travel restrictions. This made for an interesting and refreshing view on songs new and old, as it made you focus more on the lyrical content behind the songs. Nathan won the crowd over from the first note, his raw and poetic songs were written and performed with a deep passion for what he does. To paraphrase him, music is not a product for sale but a way of connection to other human beings. This is what they did for so many at the show tonight as he gains a broader fan base.

Acoustic shows also have a different advantage, shorter set changes between acts. This meant that it was not long before the crowd was in hysterics for the English punk star to hit the stage. Frank rolled through many of hits from his nine-album catalog, ‘Rivers’ and ‘Recovery’ were sensational along with new songs like ‘Having Been doing So Well’. His new album maybe a few months away but he flexed a lot of the content tonight from highs to lows.  Practically everyone was “stroking his ego”, as he liked to call it tonight by making sure to sing every chorus and lyrical back to him. The emotion and connection with the audience was strong tonight, not just because of the return of live music but for the personal appreciation Frank takes to everyone in life.

Be you an old fan, a newbie or a hater, Frank Turner pulls no punches at speaking from his heart about most matters, with the emphasis on being more kind. Most people left the show tonight feeling not only pleased for the experience but rejuvenated to see the world in a different light. This was my third time seeing Frank tonight and hopefully will not be the last.