FRANZ FUCKING FERDINAND!!!
This summer I have had the privileged of seeing 3 concerts in as many months: Coldplay, The Killers, and Franz Ferdinand. Coldplay, which took place in August, was an awesome show. Chris Martin's energy, for venue as large as the Tweeter Center in Camden, was huge. The band sounded better than the recording and delivered all the hits and a few surprises. However, the show lacked any personalization. There was no warmth. The band seemed as if we were being served the privilege of their presences and their really was no heart and soul in that old time rock and roll. The Killers, whom I got to see in the ballroom of the Borgata, were equally as impressive in sound and delivery. Brendan really got into each and every song and you felt as if what you were watching wasn't a concert, but a musical. However, again, as impressive as the virtuosity of the band was, their demeanor was less than personable. Tonight, or last night as the hour shows, I got the chance to see Franz Ferdinand at the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby. Now, first off let me begin by saying fuck mapquest. We got to the theatre just as the first opening act, whose name I never caught because of their accents, finished their first song. We were lost for literally an hour and half - so fuck mapquest.
The show though, was worth every minute of lost in Philly panic. Franz opened with Jacqueline and closed with This Fire. Their live show was nothing like the albums and so much better. There was improvisation, enthusiasm and delight from the part of the band. They were also personable. They made you feel as if it was a special thing for them to be performing live. And I don't mean this in the "you must love performing for Laura" sentiment. I mean this was a band that was in love with rock and roll. This was a band that fucking loved playing to a live audience. From the banter, to the smiles on their faces, they were in love with being musicians. And this is what every other show had been missing. They captured you in it until you were head banging and moshing and you didn't care who saw you because tonight was gonna rock. When Evil and A Heathen came on as part of the encore, I nearly lost my brains I was rocking out so hard. Their energy, the music, the performance, was fantastic. People rushed the stage, screamed until they were blue in the face, and would have stayed there all night if the band had played on.
This said, Franz Ferdinand is now my new favorite band. I've loved their music before hand, but they proved to me through their performance tonight that there is more to this industry than marrying actresses and driving fancy cars and buying great big houses. There are still acts out there who are in it for the music and who love to perform for the sake of performing. Therefore if anyone ever wants to go see them, let me know cuz I'll go just about anywhere to see them play. Except the south, cuz fuck the south.
Also, there was an amazingly hot and sweaty (hot being the good kind, sweaty also being the good kind on a HOT man) Scottish guy who talked to Erica and I afterwards. The conversation was short, but let's just say I'll remember him as well.
So despite ass backwards directions and hours of being lost, Franz was worth it all. I love Franz Ferdinand because Franz Ferdinand loves music. And they beam brighter than any of the lights on that stage.
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Quickly, here's a rate the opening acts:
Black Mountain - Canada: AWFUL. It was acid rock without anything that resembled something good. One song sounded like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next . . . ABSOLUTELY NO PERSONALITY!
British Sea Power - England: Pretty good. The music definately sounds better live. And their act was so interesting because the stage was dressed like an AC Moore forest and at the end they served the audience apples, oranges, and mixed greens. I'm still picking lettuce out of my hair. However, very little personality because they were all going for the moody artist/I'll die a nerd thing at once.
Cut Copy (Name provided by Max.) - Australia: They sounded like a techno version of Interpol. I was into that. They had some personality, but not enough to be up on stage with music that was basically glorified DJing. They looked kinda lost.
Sons and Daughters - Scottland - S&M R&R. They were pretty good. And their half chick. However, you have to like creepy lyrics and a lead singer whose willing to strangle herself and the lead guitar with her microphone cord. If this is appealing to you, the music was fresh and pretty decent. I don't see them blowing up in a big way, but they were pretty rocking. Think Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs without Maps. Good personality though.
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Erica has informed me that I forgot a few things. First off, we went to Gennaio's (sp?) for cheese steaks after the show (this entailed some directions that told us to drive down a HORSE ALLY!! so of course we were lost) and they were amazing. Of course we had to run when we got them because I was parked illegally in the only spot close enough so that we wouldn't be raped and large enough for my station wagon. Also there was this guy in a minivan that was smiling at us when we were on South Street and we couldn't get away from him because South Street is like a light every five inches. So he'd just keep pulling up next to us and we'd keep trying speed away. It was a little crazy. All and all though, awesome night.
The show though, was worth every minute of lost in Philly panic. Franz opened with Jacqueline and closed with This Fire. Their live show was nothing like the albums and so much better. There was improvisation, enthusiasm and delight from the part of the band. They were also personable. They made you feel as if it was a special thing for them to be performing live. And I don't mean this in the "you must love performing for Laura" sentiment. I mean this was a band that was in love with rock and roll. This was a band that fucking loved playing to a live audience. From the banter, to the smiles on their faces, they were in love with being musicians. And this is what every other show had been missing. They captured you in it until you were head banging and moshing and you didn't care who saw you because tonight was gonna rock. When Evil and A Heathen came on as part of the encore, I nearly lost my brains I was rocking out so hard. Their energy, the music, the performance, was fantastic. People rushed the stage, screamed until they were blue in the face, and would have stayed there all night if the band had played on.
This said, Franz Ferdinand is now my new favorite band. I've loved their music before hand, but they proved to me through their performance tonight that there is more to this industry than marrying actresses and driving fancy cars and buying great big houses. There are still acts out there who are in it for the music and who love to perform for the sake of performing. Therefore if anyone ever wants to go see them, let me know cuz I'll go just about anywhere to see them play. Except the south, cuz fuck the south.
Also, there was an amazingly hot and sweaty (hot being the good kind, sweaty also being the good kind on a HOT man) Scottish guy who talked to Erica and I afterwards. The conversation was short, but let's just say I'll remember him as well.
So despite ass backwards directions and hours of being lost, Franz was worth it all. I love Franz Ferdinand because Franz Ferdinand loves music. And they beam brighter than any of the lights on that stage.
____________________________________________________________
Quickly, here's a rate the opening acts:
Black Mountain - Canada: AWFUL. It was acid rock without anything that resembled something good. One song sounded like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next, like the next . . . ABSOLUTELY NO PERSONALITY!
British Sea Power - England: Pretty good. The music definately sounds better live. And their act was so interesting because the stage was dressed like an AC Moore forest and at the end they served the audience apples, oranges, and mixed greens. I'm still picking lettuce out of my hair. However, very little personality because they were all going for the moody artist/I'll die a nerd thing at once.
Cut Copy (Name provided by Max.) - Australia: They sounded like a techno version of Interpol. I was into that. They had some personality, but not enough to be up on stage with music that was basically glorified DJing. They looked kinda lost.
Sons and Daughters - Scottland - S&M R&R. They were pretty good. And their half chick. However, you have to like creepy lyrics and a lead singer whose willing to strangle herself and the lead guitar with her microphone cord. If this is appealing to you, the music was fresh and pretty decent. I don't see them blowing up in a big way, but they were pretty rocking. Think Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs without Maps. Good personality though.
____________________________________________________________
Erica has informed me that I forgot a few things. First off, we went to Gennaio's (sp?) for cheese steaks after the show (this entailed some directions that told us to drive down a HORSE ALLY!! so of course we were lost) and they were amazing. Of course we had to run when we got them because I was parked illegally in the only spot close enough so that we wouldn't be raped and large enough for my station wagon. Also there was this guy in a minivan that was smiling at us when we were on South Street and we couldn't get away from him because South Street is like a light every five inches. So he'd just keep pulling up next to us and we'd keep trying speed away. It was a little crazy. All and all though, awesome night.