![]() ![]() The core elements of the Franz Ferdinand sound - those deliciously snaky basslines, courtesy of Bob Hardy's gorgeous vintage Rickenbacker, and a thudding, muted drumbeat - are still intact. late '70s/early '80s) on which the band's core aesthetic was founded. It's more in keeping with cocky garage rawk from the '60s and '70s than the wiry post-punk (c. The bulk of Franz Ferdinand's new material adheres to the snarl and swagger you can hear in that ballsy Lucid Dreams track they released way back in August, as well as recent single Ulysses. And all four band members eagerly tore through their set with an oversized, exuberant energy that's clearly been honed on playing the sort of mammoth venues where you have to try and captivate the folks sitting way up in the rafters, practically a kilometre away from the stage. The sound at Lee's Palace - which has a tendency to be spotty, with vocals dropping out of the mix whenever bass-heavy bands perform - was better than I've ever heard it. ![]() Though the Scottish quartet were clearly using last night's gig as a dry run to test how their newer material would fare with hardcore fans, the lads were wise enough to construct a thoughtful, perfectly-paced set, with unreleased songs seamlessly woven in amongst the spiky dance-rock favourites ( Take Me Out, Matinee) that helped catapult Franz Ferdinand to indie rock fame. The show was a warm-up of sorts for Franz Ferdinand's imminent North American tour in support of the band's forthcoming third album. At least, that was my feeling while watching Franz Ferdinand - who, if I'm not mistaken, played the cavernous Ricoh Coliseum the last time they visited Toronto - play the 1, 000ish-capacity Lee's Palace last night. But even better than that is the prospect of witnessing how excited A-list musicians get when they have the opportunity to return to their small-venue roots. First off, you're getting to see a massive group up close and personal, in an intimate setting that (for the most part) boasts better sound and sightlines than any oversized stadium. Watching arena-level bands perform in cozy rock clubs is generally a pretty awesome experience. ![]()
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