Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls invite people to Be More Kind at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.
The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago marks show number 2199 for Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, and what a show! It is a high energy show from the first note to the very last. It is not surprising seeing a performance like this that the crowds are getting bigger with every show. Turner’s previous shows in Chicago have been in the likes of the Metro, Bottom Lounge, and the Cobra Lounge. With almost 3000 people packed into the Aragon Ballroom, this is his biggest Chicago crowd to date. The last time they were in town, they opened for Jason Isbell at the Chicago Theatre, clearly picking up a number of new fans who are in attendance tonight for their own headlining show.
The latest album, Be More Kind, was released on May 4th and was written in response to current polarizing events around the world. The majority of the night’s setlist is made up of songs from the new album, but most notable is poignant “Make America Great Again.”
If you’ve never seen Frank Turner perform live, do yourself a favor and buy your tickets now. This is one show that will definitely not disappoint. This is a true honest-to-goodness fun night out, whether it be for date night or with your friends. Turner is like the Energizer bunny from beginning to end, bouncing all around the stage while putting on a truly passionate performance, with a look of sheer joy on his face throughout. This guy doesn’t need a second to warm up, as he’s straight into the high-octane show. He has a childlike energy and enthusiasm which is contagious throughout the venue. Ben Lloyd and Tarrant Anderson provide strong guitar and bass while working their sides of the stage and thrusting their instruments in the air.
The Aragon Ballroom is filled with the Chicago audience’s voices as they are clearly enjoying every second of the fun performance every bit as much as the band are, as the sea of happy faces sing whole-heartedly to every word of every song while bouncing along in unison with Turner. The crowd are fully engaged for the entirety of the show which is no mean feat.
Today was one of the crew member’s birthdays, so to mark the occasion, Turner has bought him a birthday cake which he “accidentally” left at the soundboard. Cue a rather fun moment were the birthday boy has to crowd surf towards to back of the venue to meet the birthday cake which was making its way towards him.
If there’s one thing Turner knows how to do, it’s working a crowd up into a frenzy, encouraging everyone to sing along if they know the words and to make them up if they don’t. Putting down his guitar for “Blackout”, he heads out into the crowd, making them go even crazier. “Photosynthesis” is a clear highlight of the setlist, with the whole audience singing at the tops of their voices while waving their arms in the air. It feels like this show just turned into a party.
Now is the time to go and check out this band. This is a show that truly makes you forget about your stresses, about work, and just enjoy yourself for the best part of two hours. The North American/Canadian tour continues on until October, with some dates already sold out, so do not delay. Go buy your tickets today.
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