Franz Ferdinand and MGMT have been blitzing stages across the country with alternative beats and translucent pyrotechnics.
A double headline throwback from the mid-early-2000s, the indie bands united for one all-ages party at the Horden Pavilion to get fans moving and shaking towards the end of the week. Crowded, yet not sold out, the Horden auditorium was filled with an assortment of devoted, hard-core fanatics and mainstream radio listeners, fans of the groups’ poppy earworms.
Taking to the stage first, Franz Ferdinand came out dulcet with tracks from their latest feature album Always Ascending. Despite the softer beats and chart success of the group’s newest creation, the audience seemed ready to taste out the Scott’s more tech-inspired sound.
While the audience, especially the Franz Ferdinand novices, bopped along amicably to the new sound, audience morale was given bouts of adrenalin by the group’s classics. Mainly from the band’s first two albums, Do You Want To and Walk Away, reminded why the world fell in love with the punky style beats of Franz Ferdinand and others.
Soon, the ember lighting turned a stark white and the band was accompanied by an assortment of young boggiers on stage. With guitars strumming a recognisable opening chord, Take Me Out got hands flopping.
The Mick Jagger of his generation, minus the back catalogue of hits, frontman Alex Kapranos oozed sex appeal, even at the rip age of 46. His band of fellow musicians paled in power and prowess to their main man.
Leaving the crowd energised, the thirty-minute interval was arduous, but soon enough a inflatable doll was erected, a hypnotic light show activated and dance-pop-rockers MGMT arrived.
Donning attire found on the hip streets of Newtown, the American group strummed their way through an eclectic mix of mellow tunes and techno-funk. By the time they came around to playing the universally adored Electric Feel, the audience was hyped enough to shake and shimmy away. Following the uplifting Kids, the band returned for an oddly selected encore. Closing with TSLAMP and The Youth, the track selection provided a somewhat muted end to the set. Some revellers even chose to forgo the final songs all together.
The trouble with a double-act is comparisons will inevitably be drawn. While Franz Ferdinand were both elating and elated to be in Sydney, MGMT seemed somewhat disconnected from an anticipating crowd. Nevertheless, the groups musicianship shone, through fluoro pops of fun stage lighting.
Holding a mid-week crowd diverse in age and knowledge proves that no matter their conviction, both MGMT and Franz Ferdinand are much more than forgotten indie heroes.
