When I Woke Up Tonight

The other night I put my ticket wall up and I must say I've been to a great many rock shows in my time. Many have been good. Some have been only so-so (I'm looking at you Sonar). But only four have been truly great*. Sadly I don't have a ticket for the first really great concert I went to, but Sophie and I have determined that half of the really great concerts I've been to have been at Merriweather Post Pavilion (which has horrible parking by the way.) The first (and only time) I saw the Killers and Keane was amazing. I stood on the lawn grinning like a complete idiot during the Killers' set and Keane were amazing (though I had no clue who they were, so it was a bit different.) Since I've only been to Merriweather Post Pavilion you can guess what the other brilliant show I've seen is.
I got into Franz Ferdinand in 2005(ish). I was a year behind then and rather unfortunately when I stepped on the completely trashed lawn of the West Stage of this year's Virgin Free Fest I was 5 years behind in gig-going. Up until this past Sunday I had been unable, for one reason or another, to attend a Franz Ferdinand show. Needless to say I was really excited and wasn't exactly sure what to expect.
They were amazing. I smile just thinking about what a great show it was. Sure they didn't say a lot, but even Bob (the bassist) had a certain energy that was just irrepressible. You couldn't help but rock out has hard as is physically possible (or at least I couldn't help doing that.) It was a tight little set that fooled you into thinking it was shorter than it actually was (encore included I would say it was an hour at most.) It's hard to properly describe something that was so...almost spiritual (how overwrought, eh?) Still, it was a brilliant show and the sore neck and throat, the sleep deprivation and insane schedule I put up with in the aftermath was worth it a million times over. After a string of mediocre and lack luster concerts, it was really, really brilliant to see a show so wonderful. As a person I once knew said, if you get the chance, go see Franz Ferdinand.

Set List

1. No You Girls
2. Dark of the Matinee
3. Do You Want To?
4. This Fire
5. Turn It On
6. Tell Her Tonight
7. Take Me Out
8. Ulysses
9. What She Came For
10. Outsiders

Encore

• Michael
• Darts of Pleasure
• Lucid Dreams [a strange combination of the single and album versions of the song and at the end, one by one they left the stage]

*The four best concerts I've been to in chronological order: The Killers (June 8, 2005); 1st Kaiser Chiefs (Jul. 22, 2005); 2nd Swell Season (May 17, 2008); Franz Ferdinand (Aug. 30, 2009)