Fifty states in 50 days. That goal may sound lofty, but that’s the route that Frank Turner opted to take during his latest tour, aptly titled The Never Ending Tour of Everywhere.
Brooklyn Bowl Nashville was the home to show number 26 in 23 days during that tour run for Turner and his backing band, The Sleeping Souls. “It should be called the ill-advised tour,” said Turner with a smirk. While maybe tired, the English punk-rock singer and his support acts put on a fun show that had the Music City crowd dancing and sharing laughs throughout the entire night.
Opening the evening was young rockers Pet Needs. The group has made a splash across the pond in the United Kingdom and was making its United States debut during the tour run with Turner. The band members were clearly enjoying themselves, occasionally poking fun at themselves.
While Pet Needs is still in its infancy, they performed like veterans on stage and grabbed the audience’s attention throughout their 30-minute performance. According to lead singer Johnny Marriott, he and the group decided two months ago that they were going to pursue music full time. While that statement garnered applause from the Nashville crowd, Marriott jokingly stated, “You took that news better than my parents did.” Mom and dad may have been worried, but if the July 5 performance was any indication, then Marriott and company made the right decision when it came to betting on themselves.
That energy carried right through when it was time for veteran punk rockers The Bronx. Lead singer Matt Caughtran told the Music City crowd, “Uncle Frank wouldn’t steer you wrong with The Bronx.” It’s hard to disagree as the group’s 45-minute set seemed to pass by quickly. Every member of The Bronx showcased their musical talent during the evening. The highlight for some early 30s crowd members was the opportunity to see drummer Atom Willard (formerly of Against Me!, Angels and Airwaves and more) perform after he joined the band for this tour run.
During the middle of The Bronx’s set, Caughthran made his way into the crowd, leading a mosh pit for one song. It wasn’t just the young members of the audience that joined in the pit, but several older members got a chance to relive their youth, moshing around and clearly having a good time as an ample amount of smiles were showcased.
The good times came in bulk to round out the evening when it was time for Turner and The Sleeping Souls. To start the set, Turner walked on stage with his acoustic guitar and went straight into fan-favorite “Four Simple Words.” Though the track has a bit of a slower start, it wasn’t long before the energy picked up, and Turner was gallivanting and leaping on stage, something he would do for the entire two-hour performance.
After being unable to tour for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Turner decided to embark on his ambitious tour run. While he jokingly stated that he was tired, it was evident through his actions, coy smiles and jokes that he missed being up on stage. “I will say, can we all take a look around and enjoy the fact that you are at a real, live rock-and-roll show with some good friends and some strangers? Did you miss this? I fucking missed this, and I fucking missed you. It’s true! I’m never going to take you for granted again,” Turner told the Nashville crowd.
Earlier this year, Turner released his latest album, “FTHC.” As expected, the singer included some newer tracks from the latest record during the set. There was even a live debut of a tune, as Turner and The Sleeping Souls performed “Little Life,” a song the English songwriter wrote during the midst of the pandemic. While the set featured plenty of newer tunes, the fans reacted positively, singing along to most of the tracks. The crowd was rewarded as Turner included some of his more popular songs, which led to a good-spirited environment as the audience members shouted back the words.
Fittingly, Turner concluded his night with “I Still Believe,” a tune that talks about the spirit of rock-and-roll and how important it has been to popular culture. It was the perfect ending to the evening, as the crowd danced and continued to shout to celebrate the conclusion of a spirited performance.
Words & Photos: Zach Birdsong