 Take Me Out!
What's not to like about moving the Franz show to a smaller venue? We were four rows deep in a rustic cool antique theater known as the Moore. As our check it out colleague Jason said “It's not that bad going to concerts in a recession, I mean when else is a band like that going to be in a venue that size?” The Franz show was supposed to be at the Paramount Theater but was moved and we don't know why but we had no problem with it!
The evening started with this amazing oyster sandwich at the Steelehead Diner in Pike Place. The oysters were extremely fresh and were washed down with a Kilt Lifter beer, it was the perfect Seattle meal before a show. If your looking for a place that’s a little swanky yet a diner the Steelehead is your place. Great food presentation, full bar, cool lighting, artwork, and great music like Modest Mouse – what else could you ask for? But enough about that... off to the Moore we went!
 Born Ruffians opened up the evening with four guys all lined up horizontally on the stage. I liked it a lot because the drummer wasn't hidden! Within thirty seconds of their first song I was taping my feet. A simple band with a drummer, bass guitar, singer/electric guitar, electric guitar/keyboard all creating this pop indie rock that reminds me of an edgier Canadian version of Vampire Weekend/ The Kooks. Their set was to the point and a lot of fun to see. It was also complete with a tambourine, harmonica, and some whistling looping. They have an amazing drummer who was moving so fast, his drum sticks were blurry the whole time. The boys will hook you in with their harmonies, clapping, oohs, awes and yeahs. It was their first night on tour with Franz and future audiences should be psyched and ready to dance when they see these Toronto kids play!
“I wonder if those white squares are lights for their set,” I asked Matty .... “I dunno they could be,” he said. As it turned out, the second the lights went dark in the Moore the white squares turned all sorts of colors and all there levels of the crowd went wild. Neither of us knew what we were in for. The show ended up being the best either of us have seen so far this year. It was so clear, crisp, fast, and fun I don't even know where to begin.
Front man Alex Kapranos had really cool stage presence complete with dancing, jumping and the coolest shiny red lace up shoes I have ever seen. Both he and the guitar player Nick McCarthy were leaning out into the crowd and making all the ladies melt. You could tell by the look in Nick's eyes, and the bands reactions, that they were happy to be in Seattle. Even the security guard was moving his head (which you never see) during the song “Take Me Out.” As Matty said “The crowd didn't clap as long as the crowd at Huey Lewis but when every song started every one clapped.” Including me!
 They played every song you wanted to hear and it was just bang, bang, bang one after another every hit song and it sounded perfect .During “Jacqueline” there was this awkward pause as a girl screams “I Love You,” and Alex says “Thank You” then after the next couple of words a guy screams it and after a few giggles Alex says something like well their needs to be boundaries and then says “I Love You All” The crowd was going nuts for this band as they should, they are the perfect live band; full of energy, perfectly tuned, sounded great, funny, and to the point.
Not only was their set just everything it needed to be, but they used really cool camera effects to put a bird's eye view of the stage on the backdrop, and they had music videos up on the backdrop as well – it went perfectly with all the lights. During the bands encore they truly went over the top, drinking Scotch out of a Starbucks cup, Alex managed to play the drums during a really cool electronic breakdown. They also all played the drum set together all four of them plus one crew member and it sounded awesome – not one fuck up.
I almost can't explain how cool this show was, it left me singing their songs on our walk back to the hotel. So if your lonely... their just a shot away from you.. Franz Ferdinand has hit the West Coast on tour... find a date and take them out for an unforgettable show.
Andrea@checkitoutmusic.com |
