Frank Turner: A Characterization in 2000 Characters

This was a very spontaneous idea tonight. If I had thought of it earlier, I might have gone for 2000 words, because I could have easily written such a long praise about him. Scratch that. I probably did write way more than that already, in the many many blog posts about the man.
 
Right this moment he is playing his 2000th show and having a great party with friends and fans at Rock City Nottingham and I’m only slightly jealous of all my FTA friends who are there celebrating with him right now…
 

So in honor of show #2000, here is my view of Frank Turner in 2000* characters

He is awesome.
 
He is a poet.
 
He is an entertainer. On stage he is a bundle of energy and pulls you right in.
 
Seeing him perform on a stage – on his own or with the amazing Sleeping Souls – always makes me feel better. More alive in a weird kind of way.
 
He is as “messed up” as most of us are. Maybe even more messed up, I don’t know…
 
Unlike most of us – or at least unlike me – he so often finds the perfect words to express what being messed up feels like. The most perfect words about doubting yourself and others. About all the other negative crap that is dragging us down too often. Perfect words about the manifold and various ways of self-destruction we messed up people turn to, when our thoughts and feelings are too much to handle.
 
But he also often finds the perfect words about hope and happiness and all the good stuff in life. Positive songs for negative people in the true sense of the word.
 
He cares. About people. About issues. And when he cares he is very vocal about it and I love him for that, even when I don’t always agree with him on some issues.
 
He keeps in touch or at least tries as best as he can, to interact and engage with the people who love his music and come to his shows. He is the most approachable artist I know, at least on his level of commercial success and popularity and such.
 
He is kind. And humble. 
 
His art makes me think. About myself and about the way I see myself and the world around me. And about politics and history. 
 
His lyrics also taught me quite a few new English words. 
 
I did say he is a poet, right at the start, but it bears repeating: To me he writes the most beautiful poetic lyrics and combined with his wonderful tunes, many of his songs still manage to blow me away even after having listened to them for over three years now.
 
He has the cutest dimples. (Yes, I’m shallow sometimes. Sue me!)
 
Being a member of the “Frank Turner Army” pulled me out of my comfort zone quite a few times and I’m very grateful for that.
 
He really, really gives the best hugs. 
 
*These were 2000 characters, when I penned it in Evernote. The blank lines I included here to make it easier to read, add some more characters and for some strange reason another editor comes up with a different count as well. I really don’t care ;-)
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