LocAlchella #1

The middle two weekends of April coincide with The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (or "Coachella" as it's better known). Just think Glastonbury, but held in the middle of a desert, where if you're lucky the temperature only hovers in the low 80s (high 20s celcius)... 

It also means that those of us living within the environs of the L.A. region can often catch a few of the acts at rather more intimate venues during the week between the two festivals. 

This year was again no exception, as Tuesday saw Franz Ferdinand and current UK media darlings, the Palma Violets play the intimate Fonda on Hollywood Boulevard. Seeing as it was my ** cough *** think of a large number ** cough ** birthday, the significantly better half had hovered over her keyboard and blagged us a couple of tickets to a gig that sold out within twenty minutes...

Show openers, the Palma Violets are, back in the UK at least, arguably on the rise  with both a critically acclaimed album (180) and airplay on Radio 1. It also appears that some of the buzz has made it's way across to the West Coast, as the rather-more-expectant-than-could-be-anticipated-for-a-support-act crowd eagerly demonstrated. Driven by a testosterone (or something) fueled bassist Alex Jesson, the band literally ripped through a blistering album-heavy set, which left everyone - including the band - wanting more. If they're playing in a town near you, they're definitely worth checking out!  

And so to Franz Ferdinand. 

To be honest I didn't know what to expect, given that their last studio album was released back in 2009 (and 4 years is a lifetime darlings don't you know?). However, from the opening bars of "Michael", it was fairly obvious that here was a band that were both on-form and out to have some fun. Drawing on a set that heavily featured material from their debut 2004 album, the band treated those present to nigh on a two hour set, which also featured material that will hopefully appear on their long-awaited new album ("Fresh strawberries", "I'll never get your bullet out of my head" and "Trees & animals" to name but three). The crowd were treated to storming versions of their hits, including  "The dark of the matinée", "Jacqueline", "Take Me Out", "Do you want to" and "Ulysses", as well as "Can't stop feeling" which segued seamlessly into Donna Summer's "I feel love". 

The main set closed with "Outsiders", ending on a crescendo as all four members hit nine shades of crap out of Paul Thomson's drum kit and with the crowd baying for more, we were treated to a four song encore, culminating in a blistering version of "This Fire".

Franz Ferdinand? Should have never doubted them. Never been away...