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Frank Turner: Live @ Birmingham Barfly

16th November 2008 | by Ross Riley

It has been a busy year so far for Frank Turner and, as it draws to a close, so the shows are getting bigger.

After winning over new fans with a combination of stellar festival performances and with a helping push from some national radio airplay it's starting to feel as though the fans are now here for Frank rather than to see what the former Million Dead singer is doing.

It's not very often that the Barfly is filled to capacity, but it must have been fairly close tonight as an eclectic crowd, some well versed and others merely curious, but by the end of tonight's performance you get the feeling that nearly everyone left a diehard fan.

So what is it about Frank Turner's new material that imparts such a feelgood vibe across an audience? Well firstly Love Ire & Song, since it came out early in the year, has been one of those slow burning albums that ends up becoming a member of your family. Turner's lyrics are warm and personal but not saccharine and overly voyeuristic which makes everyone feel as though they're enjoying a beer while listening to his story.

Indeed, by then end of the night after a few beers had been consumed the mood goes up another notch and to finish Frank Turner is joined onstage by the entire entourage of support acts to singalong to Photosynthesise. That set closer sums up the appeal of watching Turner live, one step removed from a campfire singalong but with the added gravity of pondering life and your place in the universe.

We'll call it experiential existentialism and apply for our patent money now.