Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Scotland’s Franz Ferdinand visit the Orpheum for a timeless show

By: Matt Bacon and Chris Musk

The Orpheum Theatre hosted the popular and talented post-punk band Franz Ferdinand this past Sunday. The band sold out the venue and fed off of the very positive and energetic crowd.  “Franz,” as they are affectionately called for short by their fans, consists of front man Alex Kapranos, guitarist and keyboardist Nick McCarthy, bassist Bob Hardy, and drummer Paul Thompson. The bars were pumping out “high quality” but overpriced Bud Light, and other vendors were selling stylish Franz Ferdinand merchandise.

This was the first time either of us attended an event at the Orpheum, and we were blown away by the beauty of the building. We waited in our seats for about an hour before the show started and we did not get bored once as we took in the ambience.  The Orpheum is one of the oldest theatres in the United States, and all around us was the beautiful 19th century art painted on the walls and ceiling. Gilded cherubs dominated the domed ceiling and a soft, faded painting of wealthy 18 or 19 century men and women enjoying music and a picnic was splayed over the stage.

As the show began it was difficult to not pay attention to all the extravagant lights going on around us.  Vivid beams of light shot all over the theatre and audience like a tornado, making the band almost seem translucent. Franz Ferdinand has some of the best stage technicians out there today. Each song had a different light scheme, unique from the ones before it.

Photo courtesy of Domino Recording Company

Franz also put together a great set list for the show. They achieved perfect balance between their new songs and the old fan favorites. They played hits like “Take Me Out,” “Walk Away,” and “No You Girls.” At the same time, they gave fans a fresh look at their new album, playing their new singles “Love Illumination,” “Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions,” and “Evil Eye.”  Personally, we can say that we were not fans of the new album until we heard it played live. The new songs sounded fuller and more energetic live, and the band’s ability to improvise was what really sold us on the new album.

Franz’s performance was not what we were expecting because the band improvised a lot. For lack of a better phrase, the performance was very “jammy.” Not a single song was presented in the same form it was on the albums, and some songs had parts that were completely different. This kept the concert-goers on their toes and gave new dimensions to songs fans have been listening to for almost 10 years.

The crowd was loving it.  As we looked around us every single person was screaming, dancing and moving. The balcony beneath us shook through the whole show, and during “Take Me Out” one could actually feel the balcony shake to the song’s famous and well-defined beat.  This was a little scary but at the same time contributed to the intensity of the show.  The excitement and energy of the crowd did not let up all night and when the show did end it seemed way too early.

The band also had tremendous stage presence. As Franz Ferdinand approached the stage they were eager to greet their audience and feed off their excitement and energy.  As always Boston passed the test of having a good music scene. It was very gratifying that the band showed the crowd just as much excitement and energy right back. Frontman Alex Kapranos climbed stage amps and chided concert-goers for using their phones, even incorporating it into his lyrics during “Evil Eye.” The band’s great stage presence made it clear that they continue to make music because they love it and they love their fans.

Although this was a “bucket-list” concert for the both of us so we may be biased, Franz Ferdinand brought the Orpheum down this past Sunday. Their ability to improvise without straying from their style, put on a great light show, and maintain great stage presence throughout their performance all came together to make Franz Ferdinand one of the most pleasurable concert experiences we have had. It was really amazing to see so many young and middle-aged adults letting loose and having a great time to great music.

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Scotland’s Franz Ferdinand visit the Orpheum for a timeless show