Franz Ferdinand live at O2 Brixton Academy

Franz Ferdinand @ London O2 Brixton Academy

23rd October 2009

Is this the closest thing Brixton Academy will ever see to The Beatles? Probably. As four dapper gents hot foot it on to the stage and launch straight into a blistering ‘Do You Want To’, it takes only seconds to realise that Franz Ferdinand’s catchy choruses feel fresher than ever.

“Hey, Brixton nice to see you again” shouts lead singer Alex Kapranos. He camps it up like Queen’s Freddie Mercury, occasionally interspersing his moves with scissor kicks. The whole band is at it. His alter ego, guitarist Nick McCarthy, moves frantically around the stage playing his guitar staccato like a wind-up toy. Drummer Paul Thomson of the extremely bright trousers (pillar box red tonight) is a veritable powerhouse of energy and bassist Bob Hardy ambles along in a calming parallel universe to the energies of the rest of the band.

It’s five years and three albums since their single ‘Take Me Out’ exposed the boys from the Glasgow Art School scene to an appreciative public. This 2009 version of Franz Ferdinand is a more confident and more experimental band. Their new album Tonight showcases a very different sound to their debut, more electro in flavour. Time spent hidden away in a derelict town hall on Glasgow’s south side gave them much needed recording space after years of touring.

Some of their art school nerdiness is still apparent in (the occasionally bizarre) visuals across the back of the stage. At one point, large photographs of Michelangelo’s Statue of David are flashed up on screen to the giggles of the crowd.

With its dirty synths ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’ gets everyone dancing. Released in July this year it was, amazingly, the first Franz Ferdinand single not to chart in the UK. Possibly because it was only played live three days before it was released.

Franz Ferdinand – ‘Outsiders’ (live at O2 Brixton Academy)

The set is a cherry pick from all their three albums: the disco guitar classics of ‘Michael’ and ‘Take Me Out’ are the crowd pleasers. But the crowd seems pretty pleased with everything now. Franz Ferdinand’s signature up-beat music is infectious.

The finale of the more electro ‘Outsider’ sees the band dumping their accustomed instruments to play primal drum beats on a kit placed stage front. It is an amazing performance piece most bands wouldn’t even attempt.

A lengthy encore follows the hugely energetic set. The highlights include classic first album track ‘Jacqueline’ inverted and sweet LCD Soundsystem cover ‘All My Friends’. Part rock n’ roll band, part performance piece, Franz Ferdinand put on a fearsome show.

Tonight by Franz Ferdinand is out now via Domino Records

By Rebecca Douglas-Home

Set List:

1. Do You Want To
2. Tell Her Tonight
3. No You Girls
4. This Fire
5. The Dark Of The Matinee
6. Live Alone
7. Can’t Stop Feeling
8. Take Me Out
9. Michael
10. Walk Away
11. Outsiders

Encore:

1. Jacqueline
2. Turn It On
3. Van Tango
4. All My Friends (LCD Soundsystem cover)
5. Lucid Dreams