rivers2cross

Last night I went to see Frank Turner at Reading Hexagon, almost 6 years since I first saw him play live at the same venue. It was a terrific show and the first gig of his first full UK tour since lockdown. He and the band were bursting with energy and played a barnstorming set with a punky edge to it throughout and inspired an enthusiastic audience to get involved right from the start. Frank, for me, is the perfect artist to see live, because as a live performer he takes his songs to a different level. It was a perfect setlist, career spanning, including tracks from his recent number 1 album FTHC. You will not be disappointed if you are going to see him on this tour…

In 2016 my mum died of bowel cancer and I began writing my fundraising book, The Record, to raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK. In the book I met and photographed cancer patients and also celebrities, and I asked them what the first record they bought was. Some of my friends who like The Alarm suggested I contact Frank Turner, and said he was pretty good at responding. How right they were. Frank couldn’t have been more helpful and we met backstage before his gig at The Hexagon on November 30th, 2016. He was brilliant and gave me a few minutes in his very hectic pre-gig schedule. At the end he asked me if I was going to the gig. Unfortunately it was sold out, and I explained that the tour was announced around the time Mum had died and I had totally missed out. He then put me on the guest list which enabled me to see the show, and I’ve followed him ever since. In 2018 I went to his gig at Southampton Guildhall and was given a photo pit pass to get some close-up photos of Frank on stage to compete the chapter on him for the book. I will always be grateful for Frank’s help and support.