LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: FRANZ FERDINAND AT THE O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON, LONDON 11/03/26
‘‘Sometimes it’s just good to leave the phone in the pocket and just go fucking nuts“ Franz Ferdinand’s lead singer Alex Kapranos said before the band launched into their 2004 hit ‘Take Me Out‘. Franz Ferdinand are a staple of the indie music scene. The Scottish indie rock band formed in Glasgow in 2002, originally consisting of Alex Kapranos (vocals/guitar), Bob Hardy (bass), Nick McCarthy (guitar/keyboards) and Paul Thomson (drums). Kapranos and Hardy remain in the band today, joined by Julian Corrie (keyboards/guitar), Dino Bardot (guitar) and Audrey Tait (drums), who came on board in 2021. The band is currently touring Europe and America on their ‘‘Greater Glasgow North American Cultural Exchange“ tour.
At the O2 Academy Brixton on March 11th, Franz Ferdinand were supported by Bristol-based indie-pop band Home Counties, made up of Will Harrison (vocals/guitar), Lois Kelly (vocals/synths), Conor Kearney (guitar), Barn Peiser Pepin (synth/percussion), Bill Griffin (bass) and Dan Hearn (drums). The six-piece band delivered a fun support set, warming up the crowd with danceable beats and high energy.
When Franz Ferdinand took the stage shortly after, the venue erupted in cheers. Kapranos bounded across the stage with infectious energy, entertaining and involving the crowd, who were no less electric on their side of the barrier. ‘‘You sound fucking magic today“ he shouted early in the set. The venue was packed from the stalls to the balcony, the energy reaching all the way to the very back, where even the fans in the highest rows were up on their feet and dancing. Fans in the front held up posters, having travelled from all over the world to see the band. At one point, Kapranos pointed out a fan, saying ‘‘Someone came all the way from Italy. Show some appreciation“. The lead singer frequently involved the crowd in sing-alongs, proving once again what a charismatic frontman he has been for over 20 years now.
The set was filled with many extended instrumentals and guitar solos that showcased the band’s musical talent. Before launching into their 2003 track ‘Jaqueline‘ Kapranos asked ‘‘Is anyone from Glasgow? At some point you probably met the person this next song is about. Her name was, and is, Jaqueline…“. He then seamlessly led the band into the song, which starts off slow before shifting into something far more intense.
Ahead of ‘Build It Up‘ Kapranos teased the crowd with talk of a special appearance by Charlie Pryor, a musician and performer they’ve been collaborating with on live performances and social media videos over the past year. He then told the crowd that they’d invited Pryor to come out for the show but quickly dashed their hopes, explaining that he was busy recording something with Netflix and wasn’t able to make it. However, during ‘Hooked‘, the band surprised the audience by bringing out Master Peace, an alternative/indie artist from the UK. ‘‘That guy is a fucking star“ Kapranos shouted as Master Peace left the stage, before the band launched into an extended instrumental for ‘Outsiders‘. They closed the song with a huge drum finale, all the band members gathered around the drum kit to play together, before walking off the stage.
When the band returned for the encore, Kapranos, now wearing a different jacket, told the crowd ‘‘Occasions like tonight require a certain amount of formality and I have to indulge in this. So I have to say; would you like to hear another song, for the sake of formality?“. The crowd quickly answered with loud cheers. After introducing the band members, Kapranos declared, ‘‘The name of this band is Franz fucking Ferdinand and you are the fine, fine people of Brixton Academy, London“. They then launched into ‘Evil Eye‘, a disco-funk track with an almost sinister, ghostly edge before closing the night with ‘This Fire‘, stretching it out into a lengthy instrumental, even weaving in a snippet of ‘Can’t Get Enough Of You Baby‘ into the guitar solo. As the band played on, the crowd chanted ‘‘Burn this city“ at full volume, while Kapranos shouted back ‘‘Brixton, you’re out of control“.
Franz Ferdinand‘s performance was captivating, driven by Kapranos‘ commanding stage presence and a seamless blend of indie classics with newer material, including their 2025 release ‘The Human Fear‘. Throughout the night, Kapranos urged the crowd to live in the moment and that’s exactly what the show felt like. When the band finally left the stage, what remained was the clear reminder that they still know how to deliver an energetic live set. The night made clear why Franz Ferdinand remain one of the biggest bands in the indie scene 24 years after their formation, still drawing in such loyal and enthusiastic crowds.
Words and photos by Nadine Goetz
