Franz Ferdinand @ Commodore -- 04/26/14

A year and a half ago, Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand teased new material at a show at the Commodore Ballroom. It had been some time since their '09 album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, and that tease soon payed off with the release of Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions last year. And now they were back in their full glory to show off the rest of the new album.

Starting off the night was Welsh singer Cate Le Bon. Her set started with some smoky folk songs, but as the set went on, the songs grew denser and more intense. "I Can't Help You" brought up the energy, and she showed off some of her guitar chops on "Falcon Eyed". The set climaxed with a huge rock-out song, which I didn't catch the name of, that was definitely the most impressive.
She put on a strong set, and had a great energy when playing, but a bit of a sleepy stage presence otherwise. She didn't say much besides thanking the crowd a couple times, and I don't think she even mentioned her name once on stage.

The lights dimmed and Caribou played over the loudspeakers as a test pattern was projected on the screen, and Franz Ferdinand took the stage. They spared no energy as they launched right in to their latest single "Bullet", and played an amazing set that spanned all four albums.
They included personal favourites like the cheeky "The Dark of the Matinée" of their self-titled debut, the chaotic "The Fallen", and my favourite from the new album, "Stand on the Horizon" with its swanky, hip-swaying ending.

With over a decade under their belts as a band, the four members are incredibly tight together and are all incredible performers. Especially Nick McCarthy went back and forth between guitar and keys, even lending vocals to "Tell Her Tonight", but especially Alex Kapranos, who strut around stage, dancing when not playing his guitar, jumpkicking, and generally had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. There are few frontmen who manage to simultaneously look effortlessly cool, while still showing that they care about what they are doing and are having fun.

Part way through the set, Kapranos spotted a request held up in the front row, asking the fan if that's what they wanted to hear. He then grabbed the sign, briefly showed it to the band, and without hesitation they launched into the requested "Darts of Pleasure". And naturally, there were massive singalongs as Kapranos offered the audience the mic to songs like "Walk Away", "Do You Want To" and, of course, "Take Me Out", the entire sold out crowd yelling the eponymous phrase as loud as they could.

They ended the main set with perhaps the best percussion breakdown in live music, all four members crowded around the drum kit for the explosive ending to "Outsiders". Obviously, though, they were back for more, and after "Right Actions" they burst into "This Fire", bathed in red lights, as Kapranos led the crowd in the biggest singalong of the night, like a minister leading his flock, even leaping into the crowd to surf while still playing guitar.
The wrapped up the night, an hour and a half after they started, with the most appropriate ending song, "Goodbye Lovers and Friends", leaving us with the parting lines, "Goodbye lovers and friends / you can laugh as if / we're still together / but this really is the end"

setlist
Bullet, Tell Her Tonight, No You Girls, Jacqueline, Walk Away, Stand on the Horizon, Can't Stop Feeling, Auf Achse, Fresh Strawberries, The Dark of the Matinée, Evil Eye, Darts of Pleasure, Do You Want To, Michael, Brief Encounters, Lucid Dreams, Take Me Out, Love Illumination, The Fallen, Ulysses, Outsiders.
(encore) Right Actions, This Fire, Goodbye Lovers & Friends.

Franz Ferdinand @ Commodore -- 08/08/12

It's been three long years since I last saw Glasgow's Franz Ferdinand live, so I was more than a little excited when they announced a show... but then heartbroken when it sold out before I could get tickets. However, at the last minute, thanks to the power of Twitter -- and Alex Kapranos being an swell guy -- I managed to secure a ticket all was right with the world. 

I got there just as the opener, Carnivores was wrapping up their last song and it was not long after that that the lights dimmed and some grandiose introduction music played for Franz Ferdinand to take the stage. They immediately launched into one of my favourite songs of theirs, "The Dark of the Matinée" from their self-titled debut album, and blew the roof off the Commodore for the next hour and a half.
Right off the bat, Kapranos had the crowd right in his palm, dancing & strutting around the stage, chatting & joking between songs, and getting everyone to clap & sing along with no more than a gesture. He had the sold out crowd singing along several times, most notably when he backed off the mic during "Walk Away", "This Fire" and, of course, everyone yelling "Take Me Out"
Along with the familiar, there were also a few new songs sprinkled throughout the set, including one possibly called "Right Thoughts! Right Words! Right Actions!" which was distinctly Franz with an incredibly danceable guitar lick, and a frantically energetic song named "Trees & Animals"
After they wrapped up the main set with "This Fire", they were back for the obvious encore with another new song, "Scarlet Blue", and wrapped up the night with "Outsiders", which built to the mother of all percussion breakdowns, as the four members crowded around the single drum kit to pound away.

The show reminded me why they’re among my favourite live bands, and while there has been no official announcement (yet), hopefully this string of shows -- and new songs -- indicated their fourth studio album is on the way.

setlist
The Dark of the Matinée, No You Girls, Tell Her Tonight, Walk Away, Right Thoughts! Right Words! Right Actions![?], Michael, Do You Want To, Brief Encounters, The Fallen, Can't Stop Feeling, Take Me Out, Ulysses, Trees & Animals[?], This Fire.
(encore) Scarlet Blue[?], Darts of Pleasure, Outsiders.

Favourite albums of 2009 (part the first)

It's only a little late, but I finally got caught up on my backlog of albums from 2009 I wanted to review; I think I did just about every new album I picked up during 09 -- which was over 50! -- so now I might as well post my favourite twenty albums. And yes, that is "favourite", not "best", so while something may be technically "better", these were the ones I liked the most. Also, they are in order of release date, as I am terrible at numbering/ordering things.
Were I a more organized person, I would have sat down this long weekend and listened to all 20 albums and come up with something new and exciting to say for each, but with my laziness school term coming to a close, I just didn't have the time, sadly. But I have given quick thoughts about each one, as well as included links to all the previous reviews I did on the albums, which are still as valid now as they were then.

Stay tuned tomorrow for part two!

Get Guilty by AC Newman (original review [warning, on the lamelivejournals])
catchiest songwriter around?

Tonight: Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand (original review [warning, on the lamelivejournals])
full of surprises

The Beat Stuff EP by Hannah Georgas (original review[ku])
can't wait for a full length

The Happiness Project by Charles Spearin (original review)
most interesting album of the year

Middle Cyclone by Neko Case (original review [warning, on the lamelivejournals])
unparallelled voice

Three by Joel Plaskett (original review [warning, on the lamelivejournals])
not many artists could pull off a triple disk

The Hazards of Love by The Decemberists (original review)
is there a more epic word than epic?

Calm Awaits by Black Diamond Bay (original review)
patrick krief is my new hero

Fantasies by Metric (original review)
a culmination of their strengths

Battles On by The Ghost Is Dancing (original review)
criminally under-looked.


So, what do you think so far? Agree? Disagree? Think I missed something major? Just like to complain? Let me know!

Franz Ferdinand @ Malkin Bowl -- 09/06/09

Well, it was bound to happen. Almost every time I've seen a show at Malkin Bowl it has threatened to rain, and every time I have used my vast powers to make sure it doesn't. Until last night. It had been raining on and off all day, and when we finally got to the park, it was still lightly drizzling and ended up raining to varying degrees the whole show. Though it was a warm rain, luckily, so it wasn't unpleasant or cold or uncomfortable, just a little wet. (It's still good, it's still good).

The opening back, Defektors (the 'k' makes them edgy), hit the stage around 7, and they were... well, let's just say their song was not horrible, but the decision to play it over and over for their whole set -- which, mercifully, only lasted about 25 minutes -- was questionable. They mumbled through the introductions, claiming each iteration of the song had a different name, and stood around kinda awkward while playing, with little to no stage presence. It's not like they were terrible by any means, but I have already forgotten their set and all their songs.

I am pretty sure that the show was accelerated a little, due to the rain (which was a light drizzle at that point), as it was 8 when Franz Ferdinand came out and launched right into No You Girls. They paused after the first song to say hellos and Alex Kapranos thanked us all for waiting in the rain, informing us how awesome we are. Of course, since he mentioned it, as soon as they started the next song, Dark Of The Matinée, it started absolutely pouring. This stopped no one, however, from enjoying the show as Franz's insane energy kept everyone moving. A few times, mostly during the instrumental bits and solos, Alex and/or Nick would even venture out into the front part of the stage, uncovered and soaking wet, to play a little in the rain. They played a pretty good mix of songs from all three albums, with an obvious focus on the newest. A lot of the older songs, though, had a few changes or updates thrown in, mostly just some extra flourishes, or a solo here or there. Nothing to make the songs unrecognizable, but just so they don't go "stale".
After a few more songs -- Bite Hard being notable, as it is incredible live -- Alex introduced everyone while leading into This Fire, an amusing song to hear in the pouring rain, especially with everyone shouting the chorus. What You Came For was followed by their first and probably still biggest hit, Take Me Out (a sly jab, perhaps?) which had everyone singing/yelling along to the chorus. The main set ended with the combination of the last songs from the first two albums. 40', which had an amazing instrumental interlude and Alex doing a call & answer with the crowd for the La La La-La's, and Outsiders, which is always incredible to see this song live, as it ends with all four members of the band going batshit insane on the drumkit.
As the rain finally eased up, they came back out for the encore, keeping up the insane energy with a few older songs. They capped off the whole night with Lucid Dreams, which was the song I had most hoped they would play. The song itself was more like the single version than the album version, which had me a little anxious, but those fears were quashed when they did indeed go into the second half of the song, from the album version. Stretched out to about 10 minutes, the synthy-dance-funk-o-tron ending, which sounds more like Death From Above 1979-lite or Holy Fuck than anything Franz has done before, was mind blowing and a near perfect way to end the show. As the sing came to a close, each member departed the stage one by one, starting with Alex, then Nick (leaving a synthy-loop going), then Bob, leaving drummer Paul all alone (with said loop) to go insane on the drums and bring the song to an epic finale. They came out one final time to the very front of the stage for a bow and that was that. At 9:30, no less!

Each time I have seen them live, they just keep getting more and more mindblowingly awesome. Maybe they venues have been getting progressively better (Colloseum to Commodore to Malkin Bowl) and maybe it's cos last time they played was before the new album, but even despite the weather, it was one amazing show. The only way it could have been better is if they had played Katherine Kiss Me, but since that is a very mellow and almost acoustic-y song, I can understand why they didn't... but it still would have made for a really cool closing song, like a kind of dénouement after the insanity of Lucid Dreams.



The setlist was as follows:
No You Girls, Dark of the Matinée, Walk Away, Bite Hard, Tell Her Tonight, Do You Wanna?, This Fire, What You Came For, Take Me Out, Ulysses, 40', Outsiders.
(encore) Michael, Turn It On, Darts of Pleasure, Lucid Dreams.