Franz Ferdinand – The Fillmore – Minneapolis MN – April 3rd 2025

Franz Ferdinand live at The Fillmore Minneapolis on April 4th 2025

Review and photos by Kyle Hansen

Under a ceiling of flickering LED panels and sweat-drenched anticipation, Telescreens delivered one of their most unhinged and emotionally charged sets to date at The Fillmore in Minneapolis. It was loud. It was gritty. And it was something close to spiritual.

Opening with the pulsing heartbeat of “Games,” the band didn’t ease the crowd in — they detonated. From the moment Jackson Hamm stepped onto the stage, drenched in red light and feedback, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a regular night. His presence was volcanic — like if David Byrne had grown up on Nine Inch Nails and post-punk zines.

The Minneapolis crowd, usually measured and cool, lost their minds early. By the time “Lost Arts” hit, a full-on mosh pit had swallowed the center of the floor. The Fillmore’s usually pristine vibe was transformed into a warehouse rave lit by guitar noise and collective release.

Highlights included a blistering version of “Johhny” with an extended synth breakdown that felt like drowning in chrome, and an unreleased track, working title “Phone Booth,” that twisted glitch beats and lullaby melodies into something unnerving and beautiful. Hamm’s vocals cracked halfway through, and instead of pulling back, he leaned in — letting the imperfection become part of the moment.

The encore was pure chaos “Lost” that they deconstructed into a swirling, dissonant wall of sound, with the crowd chanting the chorus like it was gospel. Hamm dove into the audience during the final chorus of “Echo Ritual,” and for a moment, it felt like the entire building levitated.

Final Thoughts:
Telescreens don’t just play music — they weaponize it. The Minneapolis show was less of a concert and more of a communal purge. It was glitchy, jagged, cathartic, and impossibly alive.

Score: 9.3/10 — The future of rock might sound like a broken machine, but Telescreens are making sure it still feels like salvation.

Twenty years after their breakout hit asked if we wanted to take them out, Franz Ferdinand proved that not only do we still want to — we’ll follow them anywhere.

Playing to a sold-out crowd at The Fillmore in Minneapolis, the Glasgow art-rock legends delivered a set that was part nostalgia trip, part full-body cardio workout. From the first guitar stabs of “The Dark of the Matinée” to the riotous finale of “This Fire,” the band barely let the crowd catch its breath — and nobody was complaining.

Alex Kapranos, now a little greyer but every bit the dapper showman, moved with the same jittery swagger he brought to the stage in 2005. He worked the room like a lounge-punk preacher, grinning through each riff, coaxing claps, shouts, and even some coordinated jumping out of the crowd. “This city knows how to move,” he said mid-set, and Minneapolis responded in kind.

Their setlist was a tightrope walk between hits and deep cuts — all killer, no filler. “Do You Want To,” “Ulysses,” and “No You Girls” all got the kind of shout-along treatment that turned The Fillmore into a massive indie disco. But it was the newer material — especially a glitchy new song rumored to be from an upcoming EP — that showed the band still has creative fuel in the tank. It leaned heavier into electronic textures, but Kapranos’ voice sliced right through, sharp and clear.

The band’s chemistry was electric, with Paul Thomson’s drumming still as lean and punchy as ever. Bob Hardy’s basslines kept everything moving like a conveyor belt under your feet, and the whole thing clicked like they’d never taken a day off.

The moment of the night? “Take Me Out,” of course — extended, slowed down, teased out for a full minute before that iconic riff finally exploded, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Phones went up, voices went louder, and for four perfect minutes, it felt like 2004 again — in the best way.

Final Word:
Franz Ferdinand aren’t just living on past glories — they’re celebrating them, evolving beyond them, and reminding everyone that angular guitars and smart hooks still matter. The Fillmore show was sweaty, loud, stylish, and cathartic — everything a rock show should be.

Rating: 9/10 — A triumphant night from a band that refuses to fade quietly. Franz is still fuego.