FFS tour review: Franz Ferdinand and Sparks show this town is big enough for both of them

A decade of mutual appreciation between the two bands has resulted in a musical collaboration really does work, says Andre Paine
Mutual attraction: Sparks’ Russell Mael and Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos (Picture: Angela Lubrano/Livepix)
ANGELA LUBRANO/LIVEPIX
Andre Paine30 June 2015

As well as an impolite acronym, FFS is also the band name for the coming together of Franz Ferdinand and Sparks. The decade of mutual appreciation between the Glasgow-based art-rock group and the Mael brothers from Los Angeles has finally resulted in an album.

On last night’s opening song, Johnny Delusional, Russell Mael’s soaring vocal was a perfect fit with the lower register of Franz frontman Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy’s choppy guitars. If keyboard player Ron Mael seemed a forbidding presence with his pencil moustache and permanent scowl, it’s a role he’s been perfecting for more than 40 years in Sparks.

Kapranos and Russell Mael were natural show-offs, although FFS took a few songs to warm up. The set really kicked into life with the surreal, sinister pop of Dictator’s Son followed by Achoo, featuring Russell Mael’s sneezing chorus.

The Number One Song In Heaven (actually No 14 in 1979) was even more eccentric: 69-year-old Ron Mael loosened his tie, got up from his keyboard and danced. He was soon back in his seat, seemingly oblivious to the cheers. There was an equally giddy reaction to Franz Ferdinand’s Take Me Out. This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us, Sparks’ No 2 single from 1974, was blessed with Russell Mael’s ageless falsetto.

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Both bands’ hits were rationed so this was largely an FFS show of arch, energetic songs ranging from the synth-pop perfection of So Desu Ne to the camp, comical Piss Off. At which point FFS did, although they returned for an encore of Call Girl.

They concluded with the operatic pop of Collaborations Don’t Work, a self-referential joke FFS can afford to make. This musical collaboration really does work — let’s hope it’s not a one-off.

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