Frank Turner Before we get onto the subject of tonight’s Frank Turner gig. I’d just like to take this moment to mention the disabled facilities at the O2 Academy. For the past 6 weeks I’ve turned up for gigs on crutches with leg in cast and without too much trouble been offered and either taken to the seating area (Academy 1 and 2) or been provided with a tall seat (Academy 3). On occasions there’s even been a waiter service offered should I want or need anything. Whether you have a permanent disability or suffering from a temporary injury, don’t let it put you off from going to gigs. Gigs Rock! End of.


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Frank Turner A large crowd of sweaty, friendly, enthusiastic fans were there to greet him and his 2 supports of the night. The first, a comedy-musician going by the name of ‘Beans on Toast’ warmed the crowd up nicely with a fantastic blend of gritty, down to earth comedy and some truly melodic songs, a lot of which echoed the semi-anarchic folk-punk we were all waiting to hear from Frank.


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The Gaslight Anthem Polar Bear Club are on first, a fun hardcore-ish band in the 90's sense of the word whose songs largely run into one another. In defence, it's terribly early: 7pm starts are no one's friend. There is some weakness in the vocals but the guitars are strong and clever and there's a lot of energy thrown about on what is an otherwise spectacularly crappy day in the Midlands. They play a new track, Take Me To The Town, which intros like an eighties musical montage colliding with 90s rock. In the good way.


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Frank Turner So, after a short stand in the cold, the Barfly is refreshingly warm, although Emily Barker has already by the time I get in, despite being one of the earliest in. So, as the room slowely fills Emily plays her accoustic pleastentry. It's certainly nice on the ears, but it does little to stimulate the audience. Her lyrics are fairly bland while her attitude is inoffensive leading to a harmless set that would not raise eyebrows in an elevator. However her duet with Frank Turner (who causes a far bigger round of applause than anything Emily has done yet) shows her talent off nicely...


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