In the area for his sold out show at Newcastle Students Union on his latest tour for his sixth album ‘Positive Songs For Negative People’, Frank Turner played a short set to celebrate the rebirth of Pop Recs Ltd in Sunderland last Saturday afternoon.
Tickets were due to be released between 4-6 on the Friday afternoon, though with only 70 available and in such an intimate venue, people began queueing as early as 11am and they were released and sold out much earlier! Tickets were limited to two per person with fans told to pay what they believed the ticket was worth – the suggested donation was ÂŁ5 per ticket, with all donations supporting Pop Recs Ltd, which has reopened as a result of a kick-starter crowdfunding campaign.
Frank Turner played a total of six tracks for the lucky 70 fans in the crowd, with the idea being that he’d play one track from each of his albums, opening with “a song about tennis”; ‘Love Forty Down’ from his latest record. Other tracks included ‘Cowboy Chords’, ‘Romantic Fatigue’, ‘Dan’s Song’ and ‘Long Live The Queen’. Frank emotively dedicated âLong Live The Queenâ to the victims of the horrifying Paris attacks the night before; âI think the thing we should do is to keep playing shows and keep looking after each other”. Frank told the crowd how some of his friend has been hurt in Paris, with the news sadly emerging later on that his friend Nick Alexander lost his life selling merchandise at the Eagles of Death Metal gig.
On what Frank rightly described to be a âweird day to be playing musicâ, Frank put on a fantastic acoustic gig that highlighted his passion for what he does â with the strength of his voice almost deeming his microphone unnecessary during âDanâs Songâ in particular. As always, Frank was brilliant with the crowd, at one point explaining the need for a harmonica during âDanâs Songâ, asking them to create air harmonicas during the required parts of the song, resulting in a smiling Frank and a laughing crowd â a live music fans ideal afternoon! Frank finished his set with âI Still Believeâ; the perfect closing track as it always ends in a mass crowd sing a long. âWhoâd have thought that after all, something as simple as rock and roll would save us all?â
Ran by Frankie & The Heartstrings, Pop Recs Ltd isnât just a wonderful independent Record Store, live music venue and coffee shop – downstairs youâll find an artist space, rehearsal rooms and a space for community groups. Drummer Dave Harper has recently expressed his excitement for reintroducing community groups that were up and running in the last store, as well as new groups. Classes, mental health drop-ins, poetry and young writersâ groups are all on the cards. Without support, Pop Recs Ltd wonât be able to carry on with their superb and heartening work, so get down to Pop Recs Ltd today and support the cultural hub of Sunderland!
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