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.