As I've said before, Sunday-style gigs rule. Admittedly, this time a few of us had been out the night before (what with it being a Saturday and that) and were suffering from slight jaundice. A bigass Wagamama meal (incidentally, also the choice of the Franz drummer geezer) plus boozes boosted the energies, combined with the euphoria of Ted arriving in good time. So, it was a rare sight to see the posse (Ted, Me, Ale, Andy, Emma, Chris, Pablo and Gill) piling into the City of Rock before the first support band had taken to the stage.

Sons And Daughters are probably best reviewed by Ted as he has intimate experience of them from his visits to Glasgow and that. Indeed, as Ted described drunkenly and emphatically failing to chat up the foxy bass/guitar mandolin player lady I couldn't help but fnd myself enjoying the band but not feeling totally engaged. But that probably says more about me.

Next up were the Fiery Furnaces. Now until the previous night, when it got an airing at Rescue Rooms, I didn't even know there was a loud and raucous version of what I had previously known as the beautifully languid 'Tropical Iceland'. I even thought the RR had played some kinda Fatboy Slim remix or summat. It was therefore slightly disparaging to find much of the FF's material to be besmirched (sp?) by crazy blur-style wurlitzer organy tones, and a little tiring to experience the whole set playedwithoutanygapsatallbetweensongsnotevenamillisecondtobreathe. Having said that, they were probably better than The Locust were last week..

And so to the mighty Franz Ferdinand. The album has been glued to my turntable (lodged in the CD drive of my computer has less of a ring, natch?) for some time now, after initial doubts (which mainly centered on bewilderment that they'd re-recorded 'Darts Of Pleasure' for the album, rendering it slightly less fallesque (i.e. less shambolic), and the incessant fear that FF had covered 'Disco Down' by Shed Seven a dozen times) there was no fear that this was going to be anything other than a joy. And so it proved.

The Ferds got a tumultuous reception, starting with a glorious 'Cheating On You' and 'Tell Her Tonight' combo, which emphasised the important vocal role of that bloke on guitar with the dark hair. Quite frankly, it was a stunning start, and the band looked as euphoric as the audience. Alex wittered something about it being hot in here and thanking us for dancing, before announcing that the next one would be 'easy to dance to' and launching into the Top 3 chart smash. The wonderful '40ft' was done before the halfway point and cracking versions of '..Matinee' and 'Michael' (which sounds less of an Interpol ripoff live) were delivered. 'Van Tango' got an airing, which was a shame 'cause it sounds well out of date now..I was hoping for 'All For You, Sophia', but no cigar there I'm afraid. The inevitable 'Shopping For Blood' in the encore and 'Darts Of Pleasure' finale rounded off the gig in great style, leaving the Franz up a step further in my already high estimation. Blimey, it's been a good 7 days for giggage for an oldster like me.