I’ve never thought of myself as one who revels in nostalgia but here I am off to see another band from my youth for the first time.

By Graeme Smith

Photos by Stuart Duthie

Earlier this month it was Ash, now Franz Ferdinand join the better late than never brigade. I still remember vividly hearing they’d won the Mercury prize. Like everyone else I knew Take Me Out but not much else of them.

So, I suppose this trip to Leeds O2 Academy is less a stroll down memory lane and more hearing the band properly for the first time.

Warming up the already packed-out venue were Home Counties. I didn’t realise I had seen before until they were on stage and I remembered their faces from the Sunday afternoon of 2024’s Deer Shed Festival. They were one of the highlights of the weekend, as I recalled, so I knew we’d be in for a treat.

They are, in a way, Franz Ferdinand: The Next Generation, though leaning more electronic than rock. When I last saw them, I made a terrible joke about the Queen and KORGs which doesn’t bear repeating. Twin vocals set them apart too, traded frequently and naturally, and they ended their set by turning the venue into a rave.

As is usually the case when seeing bands I don’t personally follow but have a big presence, I surprised myself with just how many Franz Ferdinand songs I recognised in their set, though I’d forgotten about them before hearing them. Memory is funny like that and this night was clearly one for stirring up forgotten details.

The Dark of the Matinee was their opening gambit, gaining a roar from the crowd as they settled into their 90-minute set.

The riffs stick with you. They prove instantly recognisable even if the lyrics are lost in time. Do You Want To signalled an escalation that didn’t let up as they ramped up to the inevitable drop of Take Me Out. This fffire was saved for the encore.

Home Counties and Franz Ferdinand was the perfect combo of the old and the new, recognisable tracks from genuine legends and a fresh set from some up and comers.

Home Counties and Franz Ferdinand played at Leeds O2 Academy on Wednesday 25 February 2026.