4 MUSIC REVIEWS Franz Ferdinand enters rock stardom By AMANDA PENNINGTON Daily Titan Entertainment Editor
Scottish quartet Franz Ferdinand plays concerts with the energy of 1,000 men. Well, it would seem so anyway. On a warm and inviting Friday night, as the band showed their camaraderie and danced around in tight black pants, they absolutely drove the sold-out crowd at the Greek Theatre in Hollywood to the brink of insanity. The band, all dressed in suits, were a force to be reckoned with as vocalist and lead guitarist Alex Kapranos belted out songs in tune with guitarist Nick McCarthy, Bob Hardy on bass and drummer Paul Thomson. Fans danced around uncontrollably only to sometimes be calmed down by a buff security guard. Even the most mod and stonefaced fans were forced to crack a smile every now and then. The crowd went wild with Kapranos’ every gyration and leg kick, especially when the band played “Do You Want To” off its latest release, You Could Have It So Much Better. The set was crisp and amazing, allowing every note played to resonate to the farthest reaches of the venue. The absolute best performance of the evening – a performance that showed the band in true rock ‘n’ roll fashion – was during the encore when Kapranos cruised back onstage with a bottle of good old Johnny Walker Black Label in one hand and a Red Stripe beer in the other. He has all the makings of a true rock god. Fans also watched in amazement as two musicians joined Thomson at his drumset and played in unison while Thomson played with one drumstick and his tambourine. The band said its final goodbye as Kapranos heaved his Fender Telecaster into his amp and the band bowed in unison and swaggered off the stage.
Top left: Lead singer Alex Kapranos strums a few chords while bass player Bob Hardy plucks along. Top right: (from left) Guitarist Nick McCarthy, Kapranos and Hardy rock in unison. Bottom left: Kapranos sings with drummer Paul Thomson. Bottom right: Kapranos points toward the sold-out audience at the Greek Theater in Hollywood on Friday night. (Photos by Nicole M. Smith/ Daily Titan Executive Editor)
