With English Teacher and Cowboy Hunters
SWG3, 13 August 2025
There’s very little to beat a hometown boy returning with his band to entertain a few thousand fans who had headed to SWG3 on a sunny Glasgow night.
In Alex Kapranos, Franz Ferdinand has the consummate frontman. Whether on vocals or guitar, whether singing or taking a time to talk to a couple of fans at the front of the stage, there is a presence about him that re-enforces the fan-based values of a band that released their debut album over twenty years ago.
Going back to talking to the fans, Kapranos even changed the setlist to meet one fan’s request, on this occasion Lucid Dreams, and this endeared him even more to everyone watching.
The setlist itself was as much about the new as the older tracks that have formed the backbone of their success with number-one hits and a collection of awards – think NME, Brits, Mercury Prize, each at some point, in some category, has Franz Ferdinand etched into history.
2025 also saw the release of The Human Fear, an album full of catchy songs that sit comfortably with their back catalogue.
In truth though, the audience come alive at the opening bars to each of the songs from both the self-titled debut album and the follow up You Could Have It So Much Better. On this evening few would agree with this statement as the band delivered an electric set the simple but effective backdrops providing a visual experience that improved as the sun set and darkness crept in.
While Alex Kapranos remained front and centre throughout the show, there was plenty of scope provided for the band of Bob Hardy, Dino Bardot, Julian Corrie, and Audrey Tait to show their own virtuosity and a guest appearance by Master Peace for Hooked was a surprising and stylish touch.
Gig curfews sometimes appear non-sensical and the early end to the show with Outsiders suggested some would be home in time for the 10 o’clock news. However, an extended encore kicking off with Audacious, added energy right across the venue, the young fan favourite Lucid Dreams, preceding the final run in of fan favourites Jacqueline, Darts of Pleasure and finally an extended This Fire.
An appropriate title to end the performance. The band themselves were on fire. The audience had basked in the balmy heat of Glasgow, and the hometown boy could look back on a city that he has given so much pleasure to over the years.
Support – English Teacher
With a band member lost in transit, the band, rather than cancel their appearance at very short notice, took to the stage to deliver a lively acoustic set that would have gained them many plaudits from those not too familiar with their music.
A revised setlist with the keyboard player sucked into lead guitar duties, there was little sign of the nervousness that they alluded to before kicking off their set.
The band promised that their next visit to Glasgow would be different, more energetic, louder. On this showing though, the band displayed all the musicianship and songwriting structures that deservedly won them a Mercury Prize award in 2024.
It’s little wonder that their headline gig at The Barrowland Ballroom is heading for a sell-out.
Support – Cowboy Hunters
Kicking off the evening at SWG3 Cowboy Hunters strutted onto the stage, dancing wildly to the musical backdrop that introduced us all to the start of the show.
Over the course of the next thirty minutes or so they demonstrated that music is all about a rich mix of styles. Megan Pollock and Desmond Johnston had a couldn’t really care less attitude, or at least so it seemed. Their songs were short, sharp with a mix of anger and humour combining to add a sense of shock and awe to their performance. They interchanged guitars/drums, both either led or took backing vocal duties.
A few in the audience were familiar with their material. Most weren’t and while they might not have won over everyone, there was something in their music, their personality, their antics that might just see them stand out from the crowd for fans who lean towards the punk spirit.
