Celebrating their return to Los Angeles and the illustrious Wiltern Theatre, the veteran Scottish rock act pulled out every stop imaginable to a sold-out crowd over the weekend. Preceded by a rousing introduction by up-and-coming New York act Telescreens, the stage was set for a memorable performance from Glassgow greats. In an appropriate homage to the cinematic history of Los Angeles, the band walked onstage to the theme song from the classic “Naked Gun” films as the crowd could hardly contain their excitement.
Wasting no time getting the energy up, Frontman Alex Kapranos and company started their set off with “Bar Lonely,” a single from their newest album. With the mood adequately set, the band proceeded to play a string of hits from across their many decades together, including “The Dark of Matinée,” “Do You Want To,” and “No You Girls.”
Perhaps inspired by the presence of the St. Sophia Greek Orthodox cathedral just a mile down the road, midway through the performance, Kapranos picked up a Bouzouki and embraced his Hellenic roots as he elated the crowd with a cover of their recent single “Black Eyelashes.” A sentimental piece at its core about rediscovering one’s own identity, the audience invested in the message wholeheartedly and embraced the song’s Rebetiko undertones.
Immediately after, Kapranos took a moment to engage with the audience as a fan threw a short portfolio onstage, pausing to pick it up and peruse through it. Humbled by the gesture, he announced his admiration for the drawings, stating, “I was going to dedicate this song to everyone in the room… but it's to you instead” before building the tempo with their 2003 hit “Michael.”
Continuing with a diverse grouping of the band’s work, the artists continued in dramatic fashion playing “Cats,” “Love Illumination,” and “Ulysses” before walking off to their career-defining 2004 hit “Take Me Out.” After a brief break, the group ran back onstage as Kapranos pleaded with the crowd, “I’m a very polite Scottish man, so I’m going to go through the convention, now. Would you like to hear another song?” Prompting expected cheers from the audience, he responded with, “Let me prepare,” as he proceeded to remove his jacket and begin the encore with their 2025 single “Hooked.”
Leaving little to be desired, the group played a six-song encore, including “Evil and a Heathen,” Jacqueline,” and “The Birds,” before ending with their classic single “Outsiders” with each member picking up a percussive instrument in the final moments and forming an intimate drum corps to play the final notes of the evening. In giving fans all they could have asked for, Kapranos was gracious in his departure, announcing, “We have been Franz Ferdinand, and you have been incredible.”
