Frank Turner has discussed the future of his Lost Evenings festival ahead of its US debut later this year.
The four-day event was first held at London's Roundhouse in May 2017, when it featured the likes of Frank Turner And The Sleeping Souls, Skinny Lister, Will Varley, Ben Marwood, Ducking Punches and Non Canon.
The festival returned to Camden in 2018 but is switching to Boston from May 16-19 this year. Turner will headline each day – a solo acoustic performance on the first night, a 10th anniversary performance of his Poetry Of The Deed album on the second, a world tour set on the third and a greatest hits set on the final date, which is an Xtra Mile Recordings label night. Special guests will include Loudon Wainwright III, The Hold Steady, John K Samson and Against Me!
"It was a bit of a Hail Mary pass in the first year and it went surprisingly well despite the fact that none of us had ever put on a festival before," Turner told Music Week. "We took over the north end of Camden for a weekend. Bands played and people showed up and had a good time so we did it again and now we're taking it to Boston. Next year, it will be somewhere else."
Turner is a mainstay of Xtra Mile, which celebrates its 16th anniversary this year and also manages the star.
"We always have an Xtra Mile night at the festival," said Turner. “There are a lot of people out there who think Xtra Mile is my label and it’s not, it’s Charlie's [Caplowe, founder] label. “I send stuff in his direction from time to time as suggestions and, indeed, he will sound me out on bands that he’s interested in as well. If I come across someone who I think is really good, the first thing I do is send a link to Charlie. It’ll be like, ‘This shit’s amazing’, and sometimes he agrees and sometimes he doesn’t!
“We’ve licensed records to Polydor, Epitaph, Interscope... And there are moments in time when I wonder whether I’m doing things in the right way. Having Xtra Mile as my actual label that I’m signed to – and my first line of defence, if you like – is the thing that keeps me stable."
Click here to read the recent Music Week anniversary feature on Xtra Mile Recordings.
