Photos and review by Jennie Book
@jenniebookphotography

Franz Ferdinand hit the stage at San Francisco’s Warfield on March 28, 2025, with the kind of kinetic energy that makes you wonder if frontman Alex Kapranos’ legs are spring-loaded. Touring their sixth studio album, The Human Fear, the Scottish indie-rock favorites came out swinging with opener “The Doctor,” instantly cranking the dial to eleven and showing everyone that their newest effort is packed with some instant classics.

The current lineup—new drummer Audrey Trait and guitarist Dino Bardot have joined originals Kapranos, bassist Bob Hardy, and multi-instrumentalist Julian Corrie—have great chemistry, and they looked like they’d all been playing together for decades.

Kapranos, the charismatic crooner and perpetual motion machine, defied gravity with his vertical stage jumps, which excited both fans and photographers, and flashed smiles that said he was having as much fun as the fans against the barricade. Mid-set, the crowd was treated to “Black Eyelashes,” a new track where we saw Kapranos whip out a bouzouki to give the room a dose of folk nostalgia. That juxtaposed with fan favorites—with a setlist they rearrange for every concert—made for a great mix of old and new cuts that gave everyone a lot to enjoy.

The hits that made Franz Ferdinand festival mainstays and indie favorites for the past few decades were big crowd favorites. “Take Me Out” still has the power to make bodies move, while seeing “Michael” and “No You Girls” live is always a great rocking experience.

The four-song encore kicked off with “Bar Lonely” and “40’” before winding through “The Birds” and wrapping up with a ferocious rendition of “This Fire”—a song that’s aged like a fine Scotch, still burning after all these years.

Two decades on, Franz Ferdinand is still the life of the party, their shows still an hour and a half of solid fun on stage. For all the latest tour news and info check out www.franzferdinand.com.