LOS ANGELES, CA- Touring in support of their sixth studio album, The Human Fear, released this January, Glasgow’s Franz Ferdinand have proven once again that their staying power isn’t just nostalgia-driven — it’s earned. The new album has received a wave of positive critical attention, with many praising the band’s ability to remain inventive while staying true to the wiry, dance-punk sound that made them international stars. DIY Magazine called it “a welcome reminder of just what a vital force Franz Ferdinand can be,” noting that frontman Alex Kapranos “remains in typically droll, playful lyrical form” and that the album “offers a confident swagger that doesn’t feel like a nostalgia trip”
Uncut also praised The Human Fear for its energetic delivery and commitment to craft, writing that the record is “deeply fun, fizzing with ideas and radiating vivacity,” and adding that it “sounds like a band who still truly love what they do.” These kinds of reviews confirm that Franz Ferdinand hasn’t just endured—they’ve evolved, embracing new sonic territory while retaining the infectious spirit that made them festival favorites in the first place. As they take this new material on tour, it’s clear the band isn’t simply coasting on legacy; they’re still shaping it.
Franz Ferdinand were supported by New York City’s Telescreens, who increased the heart rates in the crowd with a sweaty DIY feel and unrestrained rock ‘n’ roll. Formed in late 2016 and led by frontman Jackson Hamm, the band has been carving out a name for themselves in NYC’s underground rock scene with a sound that draws inspiration from The Beatles, Nirvana, and Kanye West. There’s something delightfully chaotic about their live energy — rough around the edges in all the right ways, as if they’re trying to exorcise every note from their bodies.
Hamm sings with an unhinged ferocity — veins nearly popping out of his neck — while the rest of the band throws themselves into the set with the kind of abandon you don’t see every day. You get the sense that Telescreens are playing like they’ve got something to prove, and if this set was any indication, they’re bringing the same explosive energy to stages like Webster Hall and Governors Ball as they do to sweaty club gigs.
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Although the early 2000s may seem far in the distance to some, fans at the Wiltern on Saturday night felt right at home when the band finally took the stage. Sometimes it’s hard to consider that a legacy band is also considered an indie band, but Franz Ferdinand has pushed through some significant changes in lineup, and their legacy is still enduring.
They opened their set with “Bar Lonely” from the new record as singer Alex Kapranos sauntered and strutted the stage, locking eyes with fans and holding out his arm with a playful grandeur. The entire audience buzzed when they moved into 2002’s “The Dark of the Matinée,” and the song sounded as fresh as it did two decades ago. A seemingly ageless showman, Kapranos commanded the Wiltern with wide-legged jumps and high kicks. Hard to take your eyes off him, but when you did, you’d notice he was surrounded by such a complementary band — original bassist Bob Hardy, as well as new members Audrey Trait (drums), Dino Bardot (guitar), and Julien Corrie (keys/guitar). It seemed as if Franz Ferdinand could have played just about anything and their audience would have been thrilled as long as Kapranos sustained his Scottish swagger (is that a thing?) and signature croon.
Crowd favorites were “Do You Want To” from 2005’s *You Could Have It So Much Better* and “No You Girls” from 2009’s Tonight. The band extended the songs for chant-alongs and punctuated others with freezes. Looking around, you could see some people losing their minds, and others more collected but still singing every word. Franz Ferdinand wove new with old as Kapranos struck poses, switched guitars, and, for the first half of their set, he spoke only very briefly between songs. “Black Eyelashes” started with some bouzouki — played by Kapranos as a nod to his Greek roots. A couple of fans at the front were holding out papers to the band, and Kapranos grabbed them, asking, “Is this your script? Have you written a film script?” He opened them up, remarking, “Oh, it’s really beautiful drawings of our band! Thank you very much!” and they went on to dedicate “Michael” to those fans. One of the many things people love about Franz Ferdinand is not just the elegant bravado, but the way each song is a vignette — sometimes serious, sometimes cheeky, but always threaded together with catchy riffs.
“Love Illumination” from 2013’s Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action started with Kapranos up on the drum riser before Kapranos and Bardot ended up playing guitars back-to-back. The sexy build of “Ulysses” had everyone singing the “la la la la’s” just before they closed their set with “Take Me Out,” which actually seemed to come a little too early. Naturally, this one raised the temperature in the room, prompting the band to leave, wipe off their brows, and return for a surprising six-song encore. Kapranos came out saying, “You know I’m a very polite Scottish man, so I’m gonna go through the convention now of asking you if you would, uh, would you like to hear another song?”
The audience cheered, but not quite loud enough, so he took off his jacket and yelled out, “Let me ask you again. Would you like to hear another song? Los Angeles, let’s do it!” They started the encore with the synthy track “Hooked” from the new album as Kapranos showed off the relentlessly energetic powerhouse he is — even on his knees. “Jacqueline” was introduced as “a song about a girl from Glasgow,” and though it started as the most intimate song of the night, it turned into pure energy in red. Kapranos was tethered to the microphone for most of the song — which doesn’t always feel like his natural place — but he still managed to move around with his guitar, flirtatiously pointing. At the end of their final song, “Outsiders,” they all turned to silhouettes and closed the show with a floor tom drum circle in front of Trait and then a bow. Couldn’t have had it any better.
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