Join Us For The Joiners (From Daily Echo)

Join Us For The Joiners

12:00pm Wednesday 14th November 2012 in Music News By Lorelei Reddin, Entertainments Editor

Frank Turner performing

OASIS, Coldplay, Green Day, Manic Street Preachers and Arctic Monkeys are among a host of era-defining bands to have graced the stage at Southampton’s legendary Joiners Arms since it opened in 1968.

But a show announced yesterday beat them all to become the fastest-selling in its history, with tickets snapped up in just 90 seconds.

Winchester’s Frank Turner, a celebrated folk-punk singer-songwriter, is to play a benefit gig there next month after bosses admitted they were facing an uphill battle to keep the venue open due to lack of revenue and rising costs.

Audiences can expect a few early samples from his fifth studio album, due for release in March 2013, as well as the odd festive treat. He wrote on his blog: “This is a venue that is really special to me. I saw my first ever show there. The venue is having a tough time of late financially – a common occurrence for small venues, as they operate on a thin margin.

“When I heard about it, I naturally wanted to help. Let’s all gang together and make sure The Joiners survives and continues to provide a platform for the music we all love.”

The night coincides with the launch of Green Circles, a new monthly club night set up by Joiners manager Pat Muldowney, Mod DJ Lee Elliott and Tommy Overington, the frontman of rock- ’n’rollers The Rising.

Russell Marsden, of festival favourites and alternative rockers Band of Skulls, who hail from Southampton, gave his support. He said: “The place holds lots of special memories for us.

“All music venues at the moment are facing this struggle.”