FRANZ FERDINAND
w/ Master peace
0/4/25 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI
©Justin Nuoffer/NuofferMedia.com
The city of Madison, Wisconsin was alive and full of life. The beautiful weather helped fill the patios lining the streets around The Sylvee. Fans came early and lined up out front waiting for their chance to enter the venue. This was the first time Franz Ferdinand had come to town. Twenty-three years after their creation, they were finally here.
The sun’s rays reflected off the glass frontage. The marquee wrapping around the front corner of the venue read “Franz Ferdinand Tonight.” When the doors opened, the rush through security and ticket check was on. Fans headed into the venue and right down the stairs onto the main general admission floor.
To the right of the main door stood the tour merch booth, and off to the left along the back wall was a bar. Both had lines of people ready to enjoy their rare evening with Franz Ferdinand. Heading up the stairs to the second level, a massive bar serving fans lined the main hallway. It faced the large glass panels that gave a view of downtown and the state capitol rotunda. Moving into the room again, two rows of seating wrapped around the view of the open general admission floor. Behind those seats was more standing room encompassing the rest of the open space. Above the straight-on seating were private suites on the third level.
The venue filled up quickly as Master Peace took to the stage. The wordsmith from the UK had a very soft demeanor. His movements were fluid and smooth. To his right, a lone guitarist played song after song with prerecorded tracks. The simplicity of the performance was admired. Master Peace crossed genres with ease and brought a taste of the British hip-hop scene with him.
Check out the Master Peace concert photo gallery below:
The distinct sound was welcomed and embraced by the Madison crowd. With a growing collection of EPs and a full-length release, his future is right in front of him and shining bright.
Chants of “Franz” filled the air as the band hit the stage. They took their spots and held poses as the intro to “The Dark of The Matinee” kicked in. Frontman and guitarist Alex Kapranos walked from the back of the stage to the front edge and engaged with the fans. His fellow co-founder, bassist Bob Hardy, made his way from the drum kit standing in the back right corner of the stage to the front. They had a groove that fell in place instantly.
The feeling around the entire venue was one of fun. The entire crowd bounced around and danced their hearts out. Making their way through the first four songs, Franz Ferdinand took a few moments as Kapranos spoke about the importance of local radio stations and their impact on the band. He then turned, smiled, and launched into the smash hit “Do You Want To.” An eruption of joy shook The Sylvee’s foundations. The band’s upbeat and catchy lyrics had the venue singing along.
The band as a whole are showmen. Manning the left side of the stage, guitarist Dino Bardot danced around as he effortlessly picked his guitar strings. His movements were very nonchalant and casual. Behind him, Julian Corrie was a jack of all trades. As “40’” kicked in, he helped lead the crowd in handclapping, then ran to his guitar and synthesizer setup. The smile on his face as he danced was special. He knew this night was unmatched. Throughout the entire performance, the pair moved around the stage freely and played in unison at every opportunity to show off a bit.
Franz Ferdinand as a whole couldn’t have been more in control of the audience. Every single motion was mimicked, and the sing-alongs were numerous. That energy was something they obviously soaked in and pushed themselves with. With peak showmanship, the entire band moved around the stage, whether standing together on a platform and posing or standing at Audrey Tait’s drum kit. Tait was flashy. Her playing was smooth and loud, and she was the driving force behind the pace of the performance. Every kick and skin slap was effective and on time. She often shared looks with her fellow rhythm section member, bassist Bob Hardy. The two kept the venue shaking and bouncing.
Franz Ferdinand spoiled the Madison crowd by pumping out song after song and often sharing little tidbits in between. There was a connection there. Most fans had waited a very long time to see them perform. With several massively popular tracks throughout the middle of the set like “Build It Up,” “Jacqueline,” and the all-time classic “Take Me Out,” it wasn’t very hard to let loose. In fact, “Take Me Out” may have been the loudest that room has ever been. The four-times platinum single elevated the already fever-pitch excitement.
Franz Ferdinand also gave Madison fans some fun and unique things to enjoy with the other sensory overloads. Heading toward the encore break, they brought Master Peace back out to share the spotlight for a thrilling rendition of “Hooked.” The contrasting styles worked well, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed it. However, “Outsiders” may have taken the cake entirely. With the long-building intro, Kapranos shook, danced, and jived his way around the stage. Then he grabbed the microphone and continued with his grooving. The band as a whole was feeling the beat, figuratively and literally, as they ended the song surrounding Tait’s drum kit, and each hit the cymbals in unison as she played the outro. They arrived on stage as one, and they left it together.
Check out the Franz Ferdinand concert photo gallery below:
Coming out for the encore, the crowd erupted. With a four-song encore consisting of “Audacious,” “Bar Lonely,” “Ulysses,” and closing with the ever-popular “This Fire,” the packed Sylvee remained high energy and full of dance moves. Performing twenty songs in the evening, the fans wanted more, but it wasn’t in the cards. They played for ninety minutes. All good things must end.
As Franz Ferdinand gave their waves and thank-yous as they left, the chants of “Franz” once again filled the air. The crowd slowly moved toward the exits, and the line for merchandise built up once again. Outside, fans posed for pictures with the shining marquee. The young crowd took off in all directions to continue their evening. Franz Ferdinand came to Madison and conquered. Their performance was lively and full of heart. For over two decades, they have produced iconic tracks and built a fan base that spans generations. One would suspect that Madison will remain on their list of cities to return to, judging by the reaction.
