Artist: Franz Ferdinand 
Venue: Stirling Albert Halls
Date: 27 September 2024

I’d never imagined what the sound of a flying saucer landing in my back garden would sound like (has anyone?) but as Julian Corrie laid down some pulsing, sonic keyboard sounds, I half imagined a UFO would descend from the cavernous roof of The Albert Halls. It didn’t happen of course, but this was the moment everything clicked, Bob Hardy’s rhythmic bass coupled with Audrey Tait’s metronomic drums laid the foundation for Outsiders, a track that simply demands you to shake your hips and waggle your loins (difficult but not impossible for those sitting down).

It’s twenty years since Franz Ferdinand burst on to the scene with their indie art rock debut album and seventeen years to the month since they played Stirling’s Fubar, but their return to the city was well worth the wait. And where better to start with early single Dark Of The Matinee which immediately set the gold standard that the band maintained for the next seventy-five minutes or so. The set was peppered with tracks from their back catalogue as well new tracks scheduled for the 2025 album The Human Fear including current single Audacious which was aired early on, a beautifully bombastic three and a half minutes of pop greatness.

While Stirling isn’t always on the rock radar, some top bands have played The Albert Halls during its one hundred and forty year history including Bryan Ferry, The Proclaimers and James. Put simply, this is the best gig I’ve been to in Stirling in my forty odd years of gig going. From start to finish the crowd were up for it and looking down from my seated vantage point looking down, the band and audience left nothing at the door.

At the centre of it all was Alex Kapranos, suited and booted confident and cool as f#ck, the ideal front man and no mistake. 

The glam stomp of Love Illumination was a treat while Take Me Out (preceded by the crowd chanting hear we fucking go) was crazy, chaotic, loud and celebratory before the “la la la la” singalong of Ulysses. Quite frankly, the crowd would have been satisfied with that but were then treated to a stunning three song encore. Jacqueline with a false start due to bass issues, new track The Birds and the closing This Fire which burned bright and red hot. Stirling and Franz Ferdinand blazed with an inferno of vigour, energy, vitality and exuberance.

Go see Franz Ferdinand when you can – 2025 tour dates including Glasgow Barrowland are here.    

John Welsh @welshjb

Links:

@Franz_Ferdinand

@alkapranos

@B0bHardy

@StirAlbertHalls