A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Bowery

Wednesday night was Franz Ferdinand at Bowery. After working later than usual (7:30 pm is late to me - this is the girl that used to be in the elevator at 5:00 pm) and enduring a very annoying subway delay, I was not in the mood to go to the show sober. I downed two quick cheap vodka and sprites and Liz, Ryan and I were off.

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I was in more of a chipper mood after the quick drinks and a pitcher of pretzels and was fully ready to get my Franz on. Well, I got it on much sooner than expected - Alex Kapranos was walking in the same direction directly on our left! I tapped him and I think the first thing out of my mouth was "I'm in your 'Do You Want To' video!' The convo went something like this:

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Alex: I just came back from visiting Nick at the hotel. He's feeling sick, isn't going to make it.

Me: He's not going to play tonight?!?!?!

Alex: No.

My face: :/ ?????

Alex: Of course he is!

Me: We're on our way to the show!

Alex: You managed to get tickets?, I heard it was hard.

Me: Yeah! I'm the only one who managed to get them! Ryan doesn't have a ticket, can you get him in??

Alex: Uh. I only have 15 person maximum and I used it up. They won't give me anymore (says in a shocked voice.)

Me: Are you going to play 'What You Meant'? It's my favorite!!

Alex: No, we aren't.

Me: Are you going to play 'Michael'?

Alex: Yes we are!

Me: That's ok, it makes up for not playing 'What You Meant.' (me sounding like an idiot.)

Me: Are you going to play any new songs?

Alex: Yeah, we're going to play five new songs. Also, 'Shopping For Blood'? Do you know it?

Me: Yes, I have it, Superfan! (me being an idiot AGAIN.)

Liz: Do you have a cold?
Alex: (Pauses)...no?
Liz: (Something about how colds were going around.)

That was funny.

Ryan said something about the Bowery Ballroom and Alex was talking about how it was small and how he'd last he'd seen Klaxons and Bonde do Role there. I said me and Ryan had been there but missed BDR.

Alex: Are you all from NY?

Me: We are (me/Liz), but we just came back from living in London. He's (Ryan) English!

Then Alex was talking to Ryan about Huddersfield and they had a conversation about The Cribs and their new album and their last show and stuff.

We got to the Bowery and told him good luck. That was soo cool!

THEN I spotted Alan Donohoe of The Rakes. Before doing anything I took a photo of this random house that was being transported-

Then Liz and I went up to him and another guy and girl, and I was like, 'you're in The Rakes right? And they were like yeah (guy with Alan said that - I hadn't been sure but I assumed so.) Then we asked if we could take a photo with them and the girl volunteered to take it for us. They asked if we were going to their show later that night. I said no (and was really embarassed about it) and I went on to explain that I live in Queens and I'd die from the commute (they were supposed to go on at 1 am.) Then I said I'd seen them in London and I think the Rake whose name I didn't know was happy. Turns out they didn't have tickets for Franz and were trying to work their way in which was really funny.

So, the show was really great! I love FF live. They did the new songs which were all good, my favorite was 'Favorite Lie', and Liz's favorite was 'Turn It On', the final new one that had a crazy 80's beat that was super catchy.Songs I remember them playing (that I knew) in no particular order were:
Jacqueline
Take Me Out
Dark of the Matinee
40'
Michael
Walk Away
The Fallen (the best!!!)
Shopping For Blood

Here is 'Walk Away' -

'Outsiders' was the final song. They did that 3-people playing the drums thing which I LOVE LOVE LOVE (I've seen Doves and Tahiti 80 do that, it just makes the song sound amazing.) Some girls ended up on the stage at the end of the song and were jumping up and down. At first I thought they were cute but it looked very teenagerish and then I kind of wished they didn't do it. We couldn't even see the band leave the stage because of it.


These videos suck, they're a bit of footage of the song, the drummers, and the girls jumping around at the end. It's all bouncy because I didn't think the camera was working, but it was.

Anyways, great show.


Current Music: Jamie T - Calm Down Dearest