Frank Turner travelled to Southampton to play a two-hour show at The Joiner’s Arms, recently voted Britian’s Best Small Venue by NME in association with Jack Daniel’s JD Roots.
The sold out 200-capacity crowd was comprised of competition winners who were treated to Turner’s debut album ‘Sleep Is For The Week’ in full. “Words can’t even describe how happy I am,” said Narida Bell, from Brighton, after the show. “That first album was the reason I fell in love with Frank and I didn’t think he’d ever play ‘The Ballad Of Me And My Friends’ Again.”
Turner warming up backstage.
The Hampshire-born musician has a long history with the venue. “I saw my first gig here as a spotty fifteen-year-old teenager”, he said while on stage.
As well as ‘Sleep is for the Weak’, Turner also played a variety of material from his five studio albums.
Fan Jack Grace, from Southampton explained why he thought the venue a worthy winner: “There’s a great atmosphere here. The staff are brilliant too. It’s great to see Frank supporting smaller venues and helping music on a grass roots level. This place has some amazing shows on every week. It’s definitely a worthy winner.”
Turner’s previous band Million Dead played their final show at The Joiner’s Arms in 2005. He played two shows on his birthday in the venue last December to help it overcome financial difficulty.
The Jack Daniel’s JD Roots Homecoming shows have also included gigs by Miles Kane, The Family Rain and others. For photos and more, head to nme.com/smallvenues.
