Franz Ferdinand Play Nothing But the Hits in Los Angeles

Pop Break Live: Franz Ferdinand ‘Hits to the Head Tour 2022’ with Matthew Dear at The Novo in Los Angeles — September 1, 2022

It was exactly 20 years ago this year that four lads from Scotland called Franz Ferdinand hit the then-nascent indie rock scene with a fun dance track called “Darts of Pleasure.” Less than two years later, they’d release their now iconic smash hit “Take Me Out” and neither the band nor rock music was ever the same. Lucky for us, the band decided to celebrate this 20th anniversary with a greatest hits album Hits to the Head as well as an accompanying world tour. And both gifts are far better than the layman might expect.

In the two decades since the birth of Franz Ferdinand, a lot of things have changed in music and the band themselves. For one, the band is no longer four men, but four men and a woman; founding members Nick McCarthy, guitar, and Paul Thomson, drums, moved on in 2017 and 2021 respectively, while Julian Corrie, keyboards, Dinot Bardot, guitar, and Audrey Tait on drums joined the group. Lead singer Alex Kapranos and bassist Bob Hardy are now veterans in the indie rock world, and their live shows do nothing but prove that.

Matthew Dear

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On the final show of their U.S. leg of the tour, Franz Ferdinand stopped by The Novo in Downtown Los Angeles to celebrate the Hits to the Head. Their opener Matthew Dear, an electronic DJ and producer who sounded like a mix of Brian Eno and LA’s own She Wants Revenge, set the tone for what was to be a dancey night. The moment Franz took the stage, the entire energy in the room shifted and didn’t die down for the next 90 minutes; everyone in the room knew they were in for a real treat.

Opening with one of the band’s danciest numbers, “No You Girls,” Alex Kapranos quickly washed away anyone’s worries that this tour might be something he’d phone. With a series of scissor kicks and high jumps timed with the music, Kapranos was both as spry and lively as he was over a decade earlier. The band tore through literal hit after hit – “Do You Want To,” “The Dark of the Matinee,” “Lucid Dreams” – and showed no sign of stopping. Much like the experience of listening to Hits to the Head, you don’t realize just how many great songs Franz has until you hear them one right after the other and so on. (Note: I’d highly recommend the vinyl release of Hits to the Head, as it includes a 16-page booklet of never-before-seen photos and linear notes recounting the band’s rise in the early years.)

It wasn’t until nearly 25 minutes into the set did the band think to slow down with the mid-tempo breather “Stand on the Horizon,” which felt like a poignant look back on the band’s own career: “But when the sun is this low / everything’s gold / on the line of the horizon.” 

When the audience wasn’t handing Alex and the band gifts from the crowd including a personalized and embroidered Franz Ferdinand hat, and hand-drawn fan art, they were a part of the show themselves. The wooden floor of the Novo shook beneath our feet with every jump and stomp, and most notably, the crowd sang along with virtually every single word. More than once Kapranos commented on the warm welcome and endless cheers. After the wonderfully grueling four-song pocket of practically perfect songs (“Michael,” “Jacqueline,” “Take Me Out,” and “Ulysses”), the band dove into an extended version of the fan favorite “Outsiders.” By the encore of the set, audience members were debating amongst themselves, “What else could be left? They’ve played so many great ones already!”

The exchange truly was a testament to Franz Ferdinand’s strong discography and continued legacy; not only does the band appear to have innumerable hits, but the songs aren’t from one particular album or era. Franz Ferdinand has memorable hits across every album they’ve released, including the most recent: “Billy Goodbye” and “Curious.” (Both songs were included in the set list and received just as many cheers as the classics.) As they closed the night with “This Fire,” there was little, if any, doubt as to how Franz Ferdinand has managed to sustain such high-energy live shows and consistent musical output over the years. Franz shows up for their fans as much as their fans show up for them, and it’s the one thing over the last 20 years that I hope never changes going forward.

Setlist (via Setlist.fm)

No You Girls
Curious
Walk Away
Evil Eye
Do You Want To
Stand on the Horizon
The Dark of the Matinée
Lucid Dreams
Love Illumination
Darts of Pleasure
Michael
Jacqueline
Take Me Out
Ulysses
Outsiders

Encore:
Billy Goodbye
Always Ascending
This Fire

Franz Ferdinand

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