I finally made it out to catch the full lineup of Gogol Bordello, New Order, Mando Diao, and Franz Ferdinand.
Honestly, all four sets were solid, but Franz Ferdinand was absolutely killer. I haven't really been actively spinning Gogol lately, but apparently, I didn't need to—they were perfect for just losing yourself in the dance and jumping around. Huge props to them for playing a straight hour without even a single break(!)... Now, I originally bought my ticket specifically for New Order, and they delivered exactly what I wanted: an experience I’ll be thinking about for a long time. Given their age (especially Barney and Stephen) and the fact that they haven't dropped an album in seven years, you really couldn't ask for more. The encore with 'Temptation' was great, though I have no clue why Barney insists on telling us it's a "very good song" before every single time he plays it; obviously, it's his absolute favorite.
Expectations were pretty high for Mando Diao, but the performance felt a bit lukewarm, even if they kicked things off strong with 'God Knows' and the encore was decent enough. If anything, the girls definitely made up for any lackluster moments in the set—not necessarily because of the music, but because of Gustaf and Bjorn showing off their bare chests... On the other hand, Franz Ferdinand showed everyone how you actually play a show and work a crowd. It was my first time seeing them live, and I was floored, as did most of the crowd. There wasn't a single dull moment from start to finish; '40', 'Outsiders', and 'This Fire' were nothing short of genius.
If I had one gripe, it was that some of the acts tried way too hard to engage the crowd, especially the Swedes. Still, I'm definitely walking away remembering Hutz's bare ass, Barney's wild hair, and Kapranos's little Hitler-style mustache.🙂
Honestly, all four sets were solid, but Franz Ferdinand was absolutely killer. I haven't really been actively spinning Gogol lately, but apparently, I didn't need to—they were perfect for just losing yourself in the dance and jumping around. Huge props to them for playing a straight hour without even a single break(!)... Now, I originally bought my ticket specifically for New Order, and they delivered exactly what I wanted: an experience I’ll be thinking about for a long time. Given their age (especially Barney and Stephen) and the fact that they haven't dropped an album in seven years, you really couldn't ask for more. The encore with 'Temptation' was great, though I have no clue why Barney insists on telling us it's a "very good song" before every single time he plays it; obviously, it's his absolute favorite.
Expectations were pretty high for Mando Diao, but the performance felt a bit lukewarm, even if they kicked things off strong with 'God Knows' and the encore was decent enough. If anything, the girls definitely made up for any lackluster moments in the set—not necessarily because of the music, but because of Gustaf and Bjorn showing off their bare chests... On the other hand, Franz Ferdinand showed everyone how you actually play a show and work a crowd. It was my first time seeing them live, and I was floored, as did most of the crowd. There wasn't a single dull moment from start to finish; '40', 'Outsiders', and 'This Fire' were nothing short of genius.
If I had one gripe, it was that some of the acts tried way too hard to engage the crowd, especially the Swedes. Still, I'm definitely walking away remembering Hutz's bare ass, Barney's wild hair, and Kapranos's little Hitler-style mustache.🙂