The Gaslight Anthem / Frank Turner / Polar Bear Club

Sadly I miss Polar Bear Club as Sat Nav again loses my way. There's nothing like a good old fashioned paper map. This is the first time I have caught a full set of Frank Turner's too, the highly loved troubadour of the younger generation. His forceful delivery over the single guitar that he strums so hard captivates the crowd, who appear to have swelled by a huge amount for his set.

They are all singing along to his stories of life on the road and enjoying every moment. 'Substitute' and the folky 'Worse Things Happen At Sea' really draw you in, as does the way everyone acts during the set, like singing along to a real hero. I really enjoy the cover of The Lemonhead's 'Outdoor Type'; it is not changed in any way, just a fitting tribute to another rocker turned solo musician.



It's about time Turner stopped supporting everyone else and did more of his own headlining shows, he can sure pull them off judging by tonight. I wonder how many here have just come for the main band, and not Turner as well...

The only time I have heard of The Gaslight Anthem is in my sister's car, and it was so catchy I had to check these guys out. The older stuff from 'Sink Or Swim' is really good; fast, melodic punk with a growl Chuck Ragan would be proud of. The newer album 'The '59 Sound' is a little less on the ball, but still has the New Jersey sound of neighbour Bruce Springsteen about it. In fact my friend says they sound like Bouncing Souls playing The Boss' tracks; a common opinion I reckon.



The stir around these guys is immense though; the venue is still packed and with only two albums under their belt Gaslight Anthem are looking set to be huge. 'Drive', 'Great Expectations' and an encore featuring a bit of 'Stand by Me' leading into the song for Strummer "I'da Called You Woody, Joe" is excellent. Surely it can only get better for these guys, though I'm not quite sure why a load of lads in white pants jumped on the stage at the end.

FUTURE GIGS