Live Review: Franz Ferdinand

Slightly caught out by the school night-friendly starting time of 9.15pm – which we investigated, doubted and decided not to believe – Franz Ferdinand are in full swing when we enter these lush surrounds. The vibe is high and loose and there's love in the air for tonight's debonair Scottish headliners. They're snappy dressers – sporting well-tailored skinny strides, crisp, collared shirts, leather jackets and polished shoes – and you can tell they don't take their responsibility to entertain lightly. It might be immature to point out but, depending on your vantage point, the backdrop artwork resembles a close-up of a hand job.

Never mind Bob Hardy's ever-present Donna Summer bass lines, there's definitely evidence of Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Price's Jesus Christ Superstar as an influence during one of the band's extended live versions. As Franz Ferdinand fire out Darts Of Pleasure, there are more punters incorrectly screaming out, “Hey guys it's super fantastic!” rather than the correct German lyric, “Ich heiße Superphantastisch!” Guaranteed. It's pretty satisfying recognising Take Me Out before the, “So if you're lonely” opening lyrics kick in and looking around at the unsuspecting crowd with a smug grin on your face, anticipating mayhem. And that pre-chorus riff has got to be one of this scribe's top five riffs of all time. We temporarily lose control of our skeletons and screech in unison: “TAKE ME OUT!” Alex Kapranos and co. stretch out the love thanks to an arrangement that keeps on giving, but had the setlist comprised this song only we'd still demand multiple encores. Ulysses – who calls a song that? Franz Ferdinand own every “la-la-la”.

The venue erupts into a heaving, pogoing mass for This Fire and the musicianship on display onstage is right up there. Every player gets his moment/solo in which to shine, however, there's a bad new song towards the end of their set that results in an instant toilet break – there's even a queue for the ladies' room. During said song, Kapranos tries to sound like Chris Isaak or something. Jacqueline (aka the “It's always better on holiday” song) totally redeems them though and when we eventually file out of the venue it's with a desire to address our work-life balance. Forum Theatre becomes a club when four sets of sticks attack Paul Thomson's kit. If you can imagine a funky octopus getting busy with percussion, these are the sounds that hypnotise our hips and close out the evening. 

The way Franz Ferdinand adapt to a live setting, with extra wig-outs and unexpected musical inclusions, makes them a band you'll enjoy live even if their recorded output doesn't do it for ya. There are very few bands this reviewer would never miss every time they hit town these days. Franz Ferdinand is one of them. Super fantastique in any language.