Arctic Monkey Frontman has a New Haircut! Oh! and a new Album too

By Laina Petrinec

Arctic Monkeys’ frontman Alex Turner ditched his rockstar hairdo and delivered SF with a heavy dose of their newest albums’ mid-tempo tunes.

The Arctic Monkeys’ newer fans would have been happy at their set at the Bill Graham theater this October which was majorly focused (60% of songs) on their latest album, “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino” and 2015’s “AM”. Their latest and 6th full length album delivers dreamlike tunes with mysterious lyrics, which is a departure from the hard-hitting upbeat witty lyricism of earlier albums. Even the lead singer, Alex Turner, whose stage presence is typically sensual boldness, seemed to be a bit more matured and refined along with a shocking haircut.  Gone is the old perfectly gelled dark waves, and here is a shaved headed Alex, unable to run his fingers through this hair anymore. Maybe this was all part of the master plan to step out of their younger angst years and show us he really has something to say? Regardless, even taking some of the hair appeal away, he was still a fantastic performer.

Former Turner locks

Maybe I was more in tuned to his on-stage hair tactics than most, because as is typical in SF, there was a large majority of men in the audience. I was surprised however to see quite the age range of men in the pit with a large handful of grey hair. My props to them for keeping the mosh pit dance party alive. The remaining 40% of the set came mostly from albums “Humbug” and “Favourite Worst Nightmare” with only one song from the Arctic Monkeys hit debut album. To many locals’ demise, this one song was somehow NOT “Fake Tales of San Francisco” but “I Bet you Look Good on the Dance Floor”. And despite Alex Turners new do, he still did look good on the Bill Graham dance floor.

arcticmonkeys.com