There have been a number of occasions (particularly as I get older, jeez) where I’ve had to curb my enthusiasm – especially when it comes to gigs – lest I build up whatever it is too much in my head and it ends up in disappointment. Prepare for mediocrity and anything else is a bonus, right? Following three sold out dates in London and Nottingham last week, the anticipation to see Turnstile live had been bubbling up, making it hard to stick to this credo. Then again, anything but fever pitch would seem inappropriate, considering I’ve listened to their latest album ‘GLOW ON‘ on and off every week since its release last August.
The outfit from Baltimore, Maryland hadn’t just got us worked up of course, their third studio album lighting up EOY lists a mere two months ago. With this being their only Northern date, it seemed everyone on the train into Leeds was off to the show. I don’t like to judge a book by its cover, but it wasn’t a shock to see the lad with tunnels who got on at Huddersfield drinking a PBR tallboy re-appear later on at the Refectory…
As Whitney Houston blared out of the speakers at the venue, the room joined her in belting out ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody‘ in Saturday night right-on-it fashion. Before long, the lights went down and a big cheer went up as a pink ‘GLOW ON‘ style haze appeared on stage. The bass thud signalled the arrival of “Freaky” Franz Lyons, the bassist boo’d on arrival as he was inexplicably wearing a Man United shirt (if it was intentional trolling, fair play to him!)
Opener ‘Mystery‘ put to bed any sense of disappointment, the kick-off for the evening being a joyous burst of euphoria that would carry on throughout the night, everything from the new record sounding just as engaging from the stage. The crowd did their best to be just as loud as vocalist Brendan Yates, letting it all come out having patiently waited to hear the new album in a live capacity.
The sold out room came alive for just about everything dished out from on stage, often singing back riffs in between shouting back every lyric. “Shake it up!” Yelled out Yates not long after they’d raced through ‘Real Thing‘ from 2018s ‘Time & Space‘, one of the many instructions, encouragements and yelps given throughout the night as he vibed off the energy of the punters. Bodies shot up above the heads of others constantly, rolling about in the surf whilst a topless Yates threw his body about, prone to bust a move.
A change of vantage point from behind a pillar by the stage to nearer the bar provided a different atmosphere entirely and looking at the crowd as one from the back captured the room like an artist’s impression. The colours from on stage – pink, purple and a mist of blue for the rush of ‘FLY AGAIN‘ – lit up the crowd beautifully as the band did their thing from up above.
Yates told the people before him that if they had someone in the crowd they love, they should lift that person up and invite them to climb onto their shoulders. Having tweaked my back sweeping the living room earlier that day, I had to politely decline, but I was in the minority, and the outpouring of love was clear via the many jumping up onto their loved ones shoulders.
‘T.L.C. (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION)‘ (one of our top 50 tracks of 2021) came in hot as the closer, the last chance to rip it up amongst the congregation. Multiple bodies flung themselves into the pit from the balcony above and my companion hit the deck himself whilst trying to two-step. The audio bled out long after the band had departed, the purple and pink lights shining on the crowd as they shot off into the night, coming down off a Turnstile high.
‘GLOW ON’ – Reviewed here!
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