But let’s make one thing clear. Despite being able to sell out thousand-capacity venues, he still very much cares about the small venues, the independent venues, and the record stores. Music to that man is everything.

As part of that, he is bidding (in an audacious attempt) to set a new world record by playing as many different gigs in different cities in 24 hours. My body and my vocal chords are getting tired just thinking about it.

“It’s going to be tough, but hopefully fun too…” Next month Frank Turner is set to embark on the first-ever Music Venue Trust world record attempt to play 15 shows in multiple different cities within just 24 hours.

Brace yourself friends, this is ludicrous.

My tenth album, “Undefeated”, is out May 3rd. To celebrate this, I’ve decided to attempt a World Record – to play the most number of shows in different cities in a 24 hour period. https://t.co/RGoiLwGEX2 pic.twitter.com/4lt81uWqP8

— Frank Turner (@frankturner) April 16, 2024

In celebration of his tenth studio album ‘Undefeated’, Frank Turner has announced (in a bid to live up to that name) that he is going to attempt to play 15 shows in different cities across the UK in just 24 hours. The shows will take place across the 4th and 5th of May with the help of Music Venue Trust and the FREENOW taxi app, which will provide travel for the 500-mile trip.

“With nearly 3,000 shows under my belt, I’ve never been one to do things by halves or shirk a challenge – I once played all 50 American states in 50 days, for goodness sake,” Frank explains. “For the release of my 10th studio album, Undefeated, I will be making an attempt at a world record: the most number of shows in different cities in 24 hours.

“It’s not just self-promotion either,” he adds. “We’re working with 13 independent record shops and 15 independent grassroots music venues for the shows, highlighting two bits of the infrastructure of the underground that I care about most. It’s going to be tough, but hopefully fun too. Come down for a show!”

“We are delighted to support Frank Turner’s attempt to set the official Music Venue Trust world record for the most gigs played in 24 hours,” enthuses MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “With the help of FREENOW black cabs, Frank will be criss-crossing the nation hitting some of the country’s finest grassroots music venues for an action-packed day which promises to set the global standard for dedication to live music.”

The full schedule is as follows:

May 4

12:30pm Liverpool, Jacaranda – instore
2:30pm Huddersfield, Parish – outstore for Vinyl Tap
4pm Leeds, Boom – outstore for Crash
6pm Sheffield, The Foundry – outstore for Bear Tree
7:30pm Chesterfield, Gasoline – outstore for Tailbird
9pm Nottingham, Saltbox – outstore for Rough Trade
10:30pm Birmingham, RMBL – outstore for Eclipse Records

May 5

12am Leamington Spa, Temperance – outstore for Head
2am Leighton Buzzard, Crooked Crow Bar – outstore for Black Circle Records
4am London, Underworld – outstore for Rough Trade
6am Kingston, Banquet Records
7:30am Aldershot, West End Centre – outstore for 101 Collectors
9am Portsmouth, Staggeringly Good Brewery – outstore for Pie & Vinyl
10:30am Winchester – The Railway – outstore for Pie & Vinyl
12pm Southampton, The Brook – outstore for Vinilio

Tickets are available through each independent venues’ website.

Every customer will get the opportunity to receive one free vinyl record, however, it’s not quite as simple as that as it comes with an all-important twist. All the records will be covered up and customers will not know what they’re taking home, in a bid to encourage people to broaden their musical tastes.

Even though you will not know what you are receiving there is a chance of picking up a gem or perhaps you’ll discover a new favourite. Records from the likes of AJ Tracey to David Bowie are all up for grabs, alongside special editions and rare, collectible albums. This wide range is sure to appeal to both avid collectors and casual vinyl fans alike.

Customers will be able to make use of listening stations available in the store so they can listen to their newly-acquired vinyl. There will also be an in-store DJ to play some awesome tunes while you pick up your free record.

SMARTY Mobile’s collaborator’s Record Store Day recently held an event on June 12 last month. As people were finally getting out of their homes after lockdown fans from all over the UK flocked to record stores.

So just to reiterate the details fully for those hardcore vinyl fans SMARTY Disc-overy store will be open from 11 am – 7 pm BST for one day on 16 July at 19 Air Street, London, W1B 5AG.

Photo by: Luiza Dyjasek

On June 9, Alok Sharma announced that non-essential stores could now relaunch their businesses from June 15 under the condition to render their shops “COVID-secure”. The business secretary also promised that, with the lockdown being gradually lifted up, high streets across the country would come back to life.

Sharma said, “So I can confirm today that retail outlets which have been required to be closed will be able to open their doors from Monday, 15 June. This is the latest step in the careful restarting of our economy, and will allow high streets up and down the country to spring back to life.” Read the full story here.

By the virtue of this good news, numerous record stores around the UK have prepared for a great comeback. Among the leading names, all four branches of Rough Trade—Rough Trade East (London), Rough Trade West (London), Rough Trade Bristol and Rough Trade Nottingham—will be reopening from June 16, with the opening hours from 11 AM to 5.30 PM.

We are very pleased to announce that Rough Trade East, Rough Trade West, Rough Trade Bristol and Rough Trade Nottingham will be reopening on Tuesday 16th June, at 11am.

More info at the link https://t.co/Zl09ggEblU

— Rough Trade (@RoughTrade) June 9, 2020

Meanwhile, 90 shops of HMV also plan to relaunch this week. Leeds’ Crash Records will also be working daily from 10 AM until 5 PM exclusively for collecting pre-ordered items from the online site and over the phone, meaning customers are not allowed for browsing but can purchase in-stock records.

We are really looking forward to welcoming you back through our doors!
Social distancing measures will be in place
Visit https://t.co/6drVmWuXHv for the full list of stores reopening.

You can still shop online at https://t.co/3AizCzg74Q for click & collect or home delivery pic.twitter.com/ZehvxDJNae

— hmv (@hmvtweets) June 11, 2020

Thanks to NME, here is the list of stores that already announced their return:

101 Collectors Records
Farnham

81 Renshaw
Liverpool

Action Records
Preston

Adrians
Wickford

Astonishing Sounds
Burnley

Beatdown Records Ltd
Newcastle

Black Circle Records
Leighton Buzzard

Boiler Room Records
Poole

Crash Records
Leeds

Cruisin Records
Welling

Disc World
Deptford

Empire Records
St Albans

Fish Records
Stone

Five’s Records
Southend-On-Sea

Flashback Records Limited
Islington, London

Forest Vinyl
Cinderford

Gatefield Sounds
Whitstable

Global Groove
Stoke-On-Trent

Grind And Groove Records
Keighley

Heathen Chemistry Records
Fareham

Hey Joe
Brentwood

Intense Records
Chelmsford

Jam
Falmouth

Jumbo Records
Leeds

Just Dropped In
Coventry

Left For Dead
Shrewsbury

Lion Vibes
Brixton, London

Lost In Vinyl
Cambridge

Malcoms Musicland
Chorley

Martian Central
Exmouth

Museumvinyl
Saint Austell

Music Mania
Stoke-On-Trent

Raves From The Grave
Warminster

Record Revivals
Scarborough

Replay Records
Grimsby

Resident
Brighton

Revo Records
Halifax

Revolution Records
Stevenage

Rock Box Records Ltd
Camberley

Rough Trade East
Brick Lane, London

Rough Trade West
Notting Hill, London

Rough Trade Bristol
Bristol

Rough Trade Nottingham
Nottingham

RPM Music
Newcastle

S.T. Records
Hackney, London

Seismic Records
Leamington Spa

Sister Ray
Soho, London

Sound Knowledge
Marlborough

Spinning Discs
Sheffield

Square Records
Wimborne

Tasty Records
Altrincham

The Diskery
Birmingham

The Record Shop Ltd
Tottenham, London

The Vault
Bournemouth

The Vault
Christchurch

TNT Records
Barrow-In-Furness

Townsend Records
Blackburn

Truck
Oxford

Union Music Store
Lewes

Up North Records
Chester

Vinyl Attraction
Newark

Vinyl Revival MCR
Manchester

Vinylstore Jr
Canterbury

Wax At Moorgate
Moorgate, London

Winyl
Manningtree

Wrecking Ball Music and Books
Hull

The re-opening of non-essential stores is part of the government’s three-stage plan to gradually lift up lockdown measures. All businesses aimed to relaunch, however, need to stick to the social distancing and hygiene guidelines published last month.