What a pairing. I mean that says it all really, I cannot wait for tonight. The Bowl My Bones tour is in Australia and this is going to be fun as Frank Tuner and The Sleeping Souls team up with Bowling For Soup. Bring it on. Immediately.
Talk Heavy open the show tonight, and these legends from Brisbane are killing it. Catchy tunes, fun vibe, and the perfect choice to be on the bill. Plus they did a song about wrestling and mentioned the Heartbreak Kid so that wins everything. I’ll definitely be giving them a spin soon, great hearing this kind of music coming out of Australia so mad props to Talk Heavy!
The legendary Frank Turner is back in Sydney with The Sleeping Souls and I’ve seen Frank a number of times and he never disappoints so I’m looking forward to seeing what tonight’s set brings. Straight into it with ‘I Still Believe’ and his infectious energy is everything. “After all it was Rock and Roll…” is the perfect quote indeed. With a surprise Jaret pop up for some harmonica was a fun treat, but man watching this opener the crowd is set in. “Let’s get this party started” Frank says as they explode into ‘Try This at Home’ complete with mini wall of death, insane!! The intensity of his set stays up with ‘Never Mind the Back’ and these songs are just great! They’re short and sharp and just so damn good. ‘Photosynthesis’ keeps things rolling including an excellent electric mandolin solo!! Frank addresses the crowd and gets us going with a circle pit. We go punk rock with ‘Girl From the Record Shop’ again short and sharp and damn this band is tight and they keep it rolling with ‘1933’ and what a tune. I love Frank’s songwriting and he just knows how to do it. I love how these songs ring out and head directly into the next as there’s no time to waste so ‘No Thank You for the Music’ takes its place and this is one of my faves. So… we’ve had a circle pit and now it’s time for the wall of death but oh no it’s a wall of hugs. Amazing. That may have been the best thing I’ve ever seen at a live show. Outstanding.
The acoustic guitar comes out for some folk music and ‘The Ballad of Me and My Friends’ and he’s just owning it. The band returns with ‘If Ever I Stray’ and that was impressive. ‘Recovery’ is easily one of Frank’s catchiest songs and it’s just so good. It just keeps getting better with ‘Long Live the Queen’ and what a groove. The electric comes back out for ‘Haven’t been doing so well’ including excellent guitar solos from Frank. Time for a massive singalong in ‘Do One’ which is always fun and easy to sing along with, then ‘Polaroid Picture’ is an absolute ripper! Getting the entire floor to jump was brilliant. That song is a masterpiece. Easily my favourite of his set. ‘Get Better’ just keeps the intensity going and fuck me he’s impressive. Closing the set with some punk rock goodness in ‘Four Simple Words’ with some ballet mid song they close it out. That was easily the best performance of Frank’s I’ve seen in my years seeing him, that was fucking magnificent.
Now it’s time for everyone’s favourite band Bowling For Soup! With the best intro song ever they take the stage and immediately head into ‘Almost’ with a kickass string slide from Jaret. Always an awesome opener and it’s just the beginning of the fun and frivolity that is BFS. A fun little singalong before ‘High School Never Ends’ which is just quintessential Bowling For Soup, and they are on fire tonight. It’s just an amazing night overall thus far. Time for some hilarity after the amazing two songs in a row, which is no mean feat they rip into ‘The Bitch Song’ which was unexpected and awesome. Discussing Australian delicacies and introductions ‘Ohio (Come Back to Texas)’ is always a staple and they love that one in here tonight. What I love about this band and have for many years is just the amount of fun they have up there, they just radiate it. This is entertainment.
Discussions about Mexican food and normal penises before some random Disney they give us the ‘Phineas and Ferb’ theme ‘Today is Gonna Be a Great Day’ and that’s so good, the crowd lapped that up as they should and the after song comedy is what they are so good at and the crowd is chuckling away. ‘Punk Rock 101’ is next and definitely a favourite and it’s not one but two Bon Jovi references make it a winner, but the photo opportunity mid song is always the best, and even Frank Turner came out for the opportunity and phones were raised everywhere. They treat us to ‘Stacy’s Mom’ which is just perfect. It’s always a treat hearing a song everyone thinks is theirs but they nail it.
Discussing mental health which is important, Jaret is up there with an acoustic guitar and starts the brilliant ‘Turbulence’ as arms wave and the place lights up. Rob and Gary kick in for verse two and fill it out nicely, what I’ve always loved about this song is that between the fun of the band they give us songs like this and it shows that side of them that people may not be truly aware of. Rob gives us some impromptu Beastie Boys before ‘Trucker Hat’ and its one finger guitar solo before “the best song ever” and it is… it’s ‘Girl All the Bad Guys Want’ which was my introduction to the band and I never get tired of hearing this live. That was great!! You can tell that many here were excited to hear that too by the reaction it received. Big thanks again to everyone before the closer which could only be ‘1985’ and how can you not love this song? That’s an actual question… It’s nostalgia, it’s catchy, it’s fun, it’s everything you want to close out a brilliant night. The band get their deserved kudos and with that we are done.
Easily one of the funnest nights of 2026 and it will be hard to beat. For a Sunday night everyone came out and had a ball. Who knew that this pairing would work, but boy howdy it did and I hope this isn’t the last time we see this. Round of applause to all involved. Go see this show when it comes to your city, you’ll leave happy and isn’t that what it’s all about?
Remaining Tour Dates:
Tuesday 5 May – Bar On The Hill, Newcastle
Thursday 7 May – The Forum, Melbourne
Friday 8 May – Pier Bandroom, Frankston
Saturday 9 May – Hindley St Music Hall, Adelaide
Monday 11 May – Metropolis, Fremantle
Tickets from www.destroyalllines.com
Essential Information
Venue: The Roundhouse – Sydney
Date: May 3, 2026
Presented By: Destroy All Lines
Websites: https://www.frank-turner.com/ and http://www.bowlingforsoup.com
Set Lists:
Frank Turner
I Still Believe
Try This at Home
Never Mind the Back
Photosynthesis
Girl From the Record Shop
1933
No Thank You for the Music
The Ballad of Me and My Friends
If Ever I Stray
Recovery
Long Live the Queen
Haven’t been doing so well
Do One
Polaroid Picture
Get Better
Four Simple Words
Bowling For Soup
Almost
High School Never Ends
The Bitch song
Ohio (Come Back to Texas)
Today is Gonna Be a Great Day
Punk Rock 101
Stacy’s Mom
Turbulence
Trucker Hat
Girl All The Bad Guys Want
1985
