Franz Ferdinand rock Leeds O2 Academy for first time since 2009

You would be forgiven for not going weak at the knees at the news that Franz Ferdinand are rolling into Leeds to play the O2 Academy. The Scottish indie rockers have been off the scene for quite a while now, with their last visit to Leeds being a whopping four years ago. But with a crowd of more than 2,000 eager fans, it seems that absence makes the heart grow fonder.

They were greeted with a hero’s welcome as they took to the stage in a peculiar ensemble of mismatched black and white outfits and delivered a raucous set of their characteristically sharp, witty and undeniably catchy hits, spanning almost two hours. Opening song Bullet, from their new album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions, set the show off to a swinging start followed by toe-tapping favourite The Dark of the Matinee.

Whilst the crowd responded enthusiastically enough to new hits Evil Eye and Fresh Strawberries, it was the classic hits from the bands back catalogue that really lifted the roof. No You Girls, Do You Want To and Take Me Out were the obvious fan favourites, with fans eagerly snatching the chorus from frontman Alex Kapranos leaving him with little to do in the way of getting the crowd going.

Note-perfect singer and guitarist Alex was not the most flamboyant or talkative of frontmen, but he had an undeniable stage presence and commanded the show with ease. Alex and rhythm guitarist, Nick McCarthy, were undoubtedly the leaders of the show, with both giving an admirably energetic and spirited performance which led fans into a sweat-fuelled, po-going frenzy.

It was a shame their enthusiasm failed to be matched by bass player, Bob Hardy, who barely raised a smile through the entire set and looked decidedly unenthused by the whole event. Despite a rather reserved performance from Bob, the set did maintain its pace throughout and the band should be commended for their fantastic instrumental interludes.

The instrumental sections of the show, including a drum solo performed by all members of the band at the end of Outsiders, perfectly showcased their superb musical talents reminding fans exactly why they are a platinum-selling band.

The band delivered an impressive lengthy encore, with singer Alex taking a request from a fan at the front to play Jacqueline, before closing the show with This Fire and Goodbye Lovers & Friends.

After delivering an exciting live show with an impressive array of infectiously catchy hits, Franz Ferdinand have proved that time hasn’t taken away any of their charm or shine.

Elton John - Official Opening of First Direct Arena, Leeds

Last week I went to see Elton John on the opening night of the brand new First Direct Arena in Leeds. The wait for this arena has been a long time coming but the wait was certainly worth it. As a Leeds resident I’ve always had to travel down to either Sheffield or Manchester arena to see my favourite bands play which has always been a bit of a hassle and caused more expense. So I’m very excited that the new arena is now up and running! 

The arena itself is a very modern, state-of-the-art building, with a 13, 500 seating capacity. I must admit, at first glance the building is very peculiar – it looks almost futuristic, like a strange looking space ship. The front of the building features multi-coloured lights which are lit up at night and change colour – the colours that night were very vibrant and bright, possibly to reflect the flamboyant style of Elton John. Inside the arena, the seats are set out very much like an amphitheatre. They are arranged in a semicircle, as opposed to a circle like in most arenas, allowing everybody to face the stage directly. This arrangement is supposed to make everyone feel closer to the stage and provide good views from wherever you are sat. So the further away your seat, the steeper it got! 

     The show kicked off with a performance from support act 2Cellos, who played a few of their own numbers before being joined by members of Elton’s band followed by the man himself. Opening number ‘The Bitch Is Back’ got the night off to a swinging start, followed by the crowd pleasing ‘Benny and the Jets’ which managed to get a fair amount of people up on their feet. I must say, Elton and his band sounded brilliant and the sound system in the arena was fantastic – my ears were still buzzing a day later. For his first concert back after having his appendix removed, he put on an amazing show as ever. His recent illness certainly hadn’t hindered any of his showmanship and he most definitely proved he was a worthy choice for the official opening, powering through a massive 26 song set and playing for almost 3 hours. 

     He played a string of hits from his back catalogue, including 'Tiny Dancer', 'Candle in the Wind' and 'Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me', as well as two new songs from his upcoming album ‘The Diving Board.’ Needless to say, whatever he played went down a storm. He also played my personal favourite 'I’m Still Standing, during which fans were invited to stand right up next to the stage, followed by the equally lively 'Crocodile Rock' and 'Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting.' Before closing the show with Your Song, Elton returned to the stage to sign some autographs for fans standing at the front of the stage. I have never seen any musician do this at a concert before, but I thought it was exceptionally cool of him to take the time to stop and do that. The chance to get anything signed by someone as legendary as Elton John is pretty slim, so I commend him for giving people that opportunity. He is clearly an artist who appreciates his fans and that was so nice to see. If you ever get the chance to go and see him in concert I would urge you to go; you are guaranteed a great performance and a fantastic show.

Below is a short video from the show. Enjoy!

Back To Blogging

Movies and music are things I absolutely adore. The past five years of my life have felt like they revolved solely around school work, essays and exams and the almighty pressure to do well. Whilst battling these stresses, movies and music have become my ultimate form of escapism. Having just recently finished my final year of Uni studying English Language, I wanted to write about something fun that I really love as opposed to something that has frequently made me want to put my head through a wall. I will mainly write about movies, both old and new, my favourite actors and movie quotes and many Top 10 movie and actor based lists!

In addition movies, I am also a massive music lover. Over the years I have been lucky enough to see some amazing bands and I’ve stumbled across some great albums. Sadly, barely anyone I know has the same music taste as me (punk rock lovers anyone?!). So I’m hoping this blog may lead me to more likeminded people who are equally as enthusiastic and excited by the same things as me (Well, here’s hoping!). I will write about my favourite bands, new albums, recent tours that I’ve been to and other music related things I think may be of interest.

I may also write about books and travel destinations/points of interest that I might happen upon.

Hope you enjoy!

I do have another blog which is still up and running (at clairelaura.blogspot. com). Unfortunately, due to the demands of Uni work it has become a bit neglected. But I occasionally write for a magazine called The Motion Online and I always post these reviews onto this blog, so I may still post on there from time to time but it will mostly be music reviews. Feel free to have a gander if you fancy!