Master Peace took the stage while the audience was still settling in, and it was clear early on that the crowd wasn’t too familiar with his music. Master Peace brings a gritty energy to the crowd. The lighting on his set was mainly very dark until the last couple of songs. His set built momentum very steadily. The crowd quickly started to warm up to Master Peace.
Musically, he mixes catchy hooks with edgy and introspective lyrics. His set included some of his songs, such as “Los Narcos”, “Veronica”, “Start You Up”, and “There’s No More Underground”, which is my personal favorite song of his. Overall, Master Peace left a powerful impression on the crowd.
From the time Franz Ferdinand came out to when they left the stage, the energy was crazy. They came out swinging, and they didn’t let up. The crowd was already primed, and the band delivered a great mix of their older songs with their newer songs from their 2025 album “The Human Fear”. The setlist included their staples like “Take Me Out”, “Ulysses”, “Do You Want To”, and “This Fire”. The blend of their songs felt natural and wasn’t predictable at all. Usually, a band will play their most popular song last, but they didn’t follow that norm, so that was a pretty cool surprise.
Frontman Alex Kapranos was absolutely magnetic. He danced and jumped all around the stage and engaged with the crowd frequently, which created a feeling of intimacy in the show. The rest of the band- Bob Hardy (bass), Dino Bardot (guitar), Julian Corrie (keys), and new drummer Ausrey Tait- played with great chemistry. The transitions between songs were fluid, and the pace was perfect.
One of the show's highlights was when Master Peace joined Franz Ferdinand on stage for a rendition of “Hooked”, which was such a great moment, and it made the crowd erupt. Their encore included four songs and ended with “This Fire,” which helped wrap things up on a euphoric note. Ending with that specific song was a great touch. It called back to the band's history and gave fans one more song to sing along to.
The Admiral once again impressed me. Their sound and their lighting are unmatched compared to a lot of venues around the same size in the area. The mix was crisp, the vocals were clear, and the instruments all sounded great together. The lighting on the stage was beautiful and not too bright or overwhelming. The use of backlighting, spotlights, and mood color shifts- especially during their moodier songs gave texture to the evening without being too much of a distraction.
Overall, the October 7, 2025, performance at The Admiral was a reminder of why Franz Ferdinand remains a great live band to go see. They brought their energy, craft, showmanship, and joy to the audience. They weren’t just playing their hits and nostalgic songs. They were pushing forward and making new and old fans engage in their current work while still honoring their legacy.
