Live Review: Frankie Beetlestone / Minds Idle – Sidney & Matilda, Sheffield 6.11.2021

Words: Martin Clarke // Pictures: Jason Siddall

Last night was the debut headline gig for Sheffield’s emerging indie-pop prince Frankie Beetlestone – fresh from a triumphant run of support shows on Tom Grennan’s recent sold-out tour and successful appearances at festivals including Dot to Dot, Liverpool Sound City, Live At Leeds and Twisterella. A new, distinctive voice in British alternative indie-pop, Frankie is an emerging star who writes and self-produces his “genre-fluid” songs from his bedroom in Oughtibridge in Sheffield.

Every now and again, a new artist comes along and instantly grabs your attention with their natural stage presence and distinctive flair. Frankie Beetlestone is most certainly one such artist and tonight he and his fantastic band (Dan Siddall on drums and Caleb Wilcock on bass) treat us to a glorious and varied set, chock-full of irresistible catchy pop songs that could energise any crowd – and they certainly did last night!

Debut single and set closer ‘Sober Again’ (described by Frankie as just an anxious rant about being 19 and waking up the next day and saying “never again”) generates such joyful audience participation and reaction that the world with all its problems seemed a much better place as Frankie and his band left the stage.

Frankie played: ‘Lucky Day’, ‘Watching You’, Whore’, ‘Til 4’, ‘Milan’, ‘Serotonin’, ‘Hit Me Up Again’, ‘Getting Over you’, ‘Everything is Changing’, ‘Cannonball’, ‘Work On Me’ and ‘Sober Again’

Well and truly a headline debut to remember.

Frankie Beetlestone (click on picture for full view)

Support came from the fantastic Minds Idle – a Sheffield based psychedelic retro-pop band who have built up an increasingly passionate young following. Charismatic frontman Ted Mitchell, ably backed by Jack Cathan on guitar, Ben Lilley on drums, James Leaney on bass and Jasmin Snape on keys, wow tonight’s crowd with a well-chosen mix of old and new material, including a fine cover of Foxygen’s ‘Blue Mountain’. Forthcoming single ‘Spaceman’ (previously described by Ted as a “Bowie Homage”) particularly impresses and no Minds Idle show would be complete without the splendid set closer ‘Harry’ written about an old friend and loyal fan. Check out the aforementioned ‘Harry’ and their previous single ‘This Old House’ on Spotify and all platforms. Minds Idle played: ‘On Day One’, ‘Teenage Residue’, ‘Fast One’, ‘Flunk’, ‘Spaceman’, ‘Blue Mountain’ and ‘Harry’.

Minds Idle