Franz Ferdinand - Astoria, London, 5/5/2004
by Anthony Strutt
published: 17 / 5 / 2004
intro
With interest in them having reached fever pitch, Franz Ferdinand's first tour since they met with chart success sold out within horus of release. One of those lucky enough to have a ticket, Anthony Strutt watches the Glasgow group play a forceful set
Outside the Astoria I ask a tout how much he is prepared to pay for my Franz Ferdinand ticket. He offers me £10 and then asks me how much I want for it. I say £40. He tells me to fuck off, but I'm sure this is how much they are selling tickets for as this whole tour, Franz Ferdinand's first since they met with chart success, has sold out in mega quick time. Tickets on ebay have been selling for around £25 each. Inside it's still quite empty. After being thoroughly body searched by the heavy handed bouncers that the Astoria now employs, I check out the merchandise stall to see 18 different items of Franz Ferdinand stuff on sale. They range in price from £2 to £18 and include T-shirts, pin and metal badges, shirts, cloth bags, wristbands, lighters, shorts and underpants, all in a rich variety of colours. First on are Franz Ferdinand's mates from Glasgow, Sons and Daughters, who have songs with titles like 'Blood', 'Johnny Cash and 'Rock 'n' Roll'. The band swap instruments at almost every song, and singer Adele Bethel sounds like a cross between the Throwing Muses' Kristen Hersh and the Walkabouts' Carla Torgerson. The music combines together a 4AD and a country rock sound. Next up are Rough Trade's the Fiery Furnaces who for their live shows have expanded from a three piece into a four piece. The Patti Smith style frontwoman Eleanor Friedberger both vocally and in terms of looks grates on me and I find their whole set boring. The keyboards are quite psychedelic in a Fuzztones/Seeds way, but the music is too loud and noisy. The rest of the audience, however, eat it all up as if their life depended on it. Kids, eh? By the time the Franzs hit the stage, I want to wake up and join the frontmosh pit. From the hour they are on stage from 9.50 p.m. to 10.50 p.m., we dance, groove and have a wonderful time. Both hit singles, 'Take Me Out' and 'Matinee' are performed early. They also do a few numbers that do not appear on their self-titled debut album and which I'm not familiar with. Many of the crowd are too young to know that their riffs echo an early 80's vibe. but Franz Ferdinand make it sound fresh and very now, which is very cool. At an early stage a girl throws a bra on stage which the band all throw around and are quite amused by. After around 50 minutes they leave us and then return for a 10 minute encore. After a final few minutes of moshing we all go home tired, but happy. A great band and definetely worth the hype.
Band Links:-
http://franzferdinand.com/https://en-gb.facebook.com/officialfranzferdinand/
https://twitter.com/Franz_Ferdinand
Picture Gallery:-
live reviews |
(With Albert Hammond Jr), Albert Hall, Manchester, 13/2/2018 |
Harry Sherriff watches Glasgow indie stalwarts Franz Ferdinand play the Albert Hall in Manchester at their first UK gig in support of fifth album ‘Always Ascending’. |
Hammersmith Apollo, London, 9/3/2009 |
photography |
Photoscapes (2018) |
Marie Hazelwood photographs Glasgow indie/dance rock group Franz Ferdinand at a gig at the Albert Hall in Manchester, the first in a series of UK dates to promote their new album, 'Always Ascending'. |
reviews |
Blood (2009) |
Turbulent dub reworking of Franz Ferdinand's recent 'Tonight : Franz Ferdinand' album, which finds the Glaswegians stretching imaginatively in a new direction |
No You Girls (2009) |
Tonight : Franz Ferdinand (2009) |
Ulysses (2009) |
You Could Have It So Much Better (2005) |
Franz Ferdinand (2004) |
Take Me Out (2003) |
most viewed articles
current edition
The Church - Interview with Steve KilbeySimon Heavisides - Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.
Secret Shine - Interview
Vetchinsky Settings - Interview
Repomen - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Jack Roscoe - Interview
Near Jazz Experience - Interview
Sami Sumner - Interview
Flaming Stars - Interview
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPPrisoners - Interview
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Allan Clarke - Interview
Michael Lindsay Hogg - Interview
Jimmy Nail - Interview
Jonny Fluffypunk - Interview
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Bluebells - Interview with Ken McCluskey
most viewed reviews
current edition
Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for BreadIan Hunter - Defiance Part 2: Fiction
Inutili - A Love Supreme
Kula Shaker - Natural Magick
Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You
Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time
My Life Story - Loving You is Killing Me
David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
Ty Segall - Three Bells
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart