From the Kazoo Club to the Castle - Franz Ferdinand take over!
If Franz Ferdinand did not exist, a marketing department would have to invent them. From their 1920's avant-garde images and fonts, the 'Teddy Boy' fashion, the 1980's bass lines and the ambiguous lyrics, it’s a money spinning combination that could easily turn quite messy. Make no mistake though, Franz Ferdinand appear to be in better form than ever.
Performing on the outskirts of Edinburgh Castle, and filming the show for part of a forthcoming DVD, the boys showed that their new material is set to carry them even further into the hearts, minds and well-tailored pockets of fans the world over. With the bands every move captured and shown on a large black and white screen behind them, it was hard not to draw comparisons with early Beatles TV performances, with the fashion, vigour and excitement all reminiscent of the mop-tops rise to stardom. Although the current critical tide may be turning against The Beatles again, its obvious there is worse bands that Franz could find themselves compared to.
After an impressive opening slot from Ladytron, who battled daylight and an indifferent audience to play their cool, melodic electro sounds, FF appeared onstage to the Dr Who theme tune, which was sharply followed by 'Michael.'
Of the initial new songs, 'I'm Your Villain' was very impressive. Starting off like The Rolling Stones 'Miss You', the track accelerated into a variety of tempo and changes, all more danceable than the last. New single 'Do You Want To?' didn’t quite spark the crowd's interest as much as the previous singles but the main guitar riff still snapped along and had the younger fans bouncing with glee. FF always wanted to be a band that girls could dance to; they are also a band that the kids want to pogo to.
The new songs showcased a widening of the bands palette, with musical nods to The Beatles and Nirvana, joining the influences of their first record. Much in the way their artwork has broadened its colour scheme and added a glamorous Indie girl, the new tracks build on the musical template from the first wave of Franz Ferdinand.
However, it was the first album songs that people came to hear and no one was disappointed. If anything, the tightness of songs such as 'Take Me Out' and 'This Fire' has strengthened while slower tracks such as 'Come On Home' have grown and offer more contrast to the bands more upfront efforts. At the encores end, the band undertook their normal bow and fled, knowing that the evening's work will live on with those who witnessed it, and those who buy the recorded version.
As you will hear a lot this autumn, you could have it so much better with Franz Ferdinand, so you may as well get on board sooner, rather than later.