Monday 06/06/11 Frank Turner @ Barfly, Camden, London

Frank Turner is used to big venues nowadays – so tonight's show was always going to be a bit special. The release party for Frank's new album 'England Keep My Bones' sees 200 competition winners crammed into the Barfly's upstairs room to share singalongs and cake...

Ben Marwood does a good job getting the crowd warm – he treads a similar path to Frank, and a lot of those present will have seen him in a support slot in the past. His rallying cries against growing up and getting a mortgage may not hit the mark with the younger faces down at the front, but 'Singalong' lives right up to its name, and it's pretty hard not to join in for the final chorus.

However, tonight is all about Frank, and as he takes the stage it's clear that we're watching a pro. He's slick, he's comfortable, and he makes this look easy – smiling and spitting out the words like a man who wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

This is an album launch show, so we get most of the new LP in order, peppered with some older tunes. It's a testament to the new material that it stands comfortably beside the old. “I Still Believe” is already a crowd favourite, the a capella “English Curse” shows off Frank's vocals, and the atheist hymn “Glory Hallelujah” can't help but raise a few smiles.

In amongst the tunes, Frank tells stories from the road (including how he kidnapped one of the King Blues), and admits to being a thrash addict (he throws in the riff from Slayer's Raining Blood for good measure). And in true punk rock fashion, a cake decorated with the new album artwork arrives half way through the set: “The cake will be at the front, I'll be at the front, you can come over and we'll all eat cake together. It'll be like ****ing CBGBs all over again!”.

As well as the new songs, plenty of the past hits get an airing - and the crowd sing along in full voice. When played with a full band, some of these songs come off the wrong side of cheesy. However, when Frank plays on his own, they come alive.

Finally, there just isn't a better set-closing song than “The Ballad Of Me And My Friends”. It makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and rips your throat to shreds. After a finish this strong, you just can't help but leave with a smile on your face.