Friday night in Stirling. This ancient city has been a prominent backdrop to Scotland’s history, a witness to the rise and fall of many Kings and Queens. Tonight though, in the Albert Halls, nestled beside the castle, another type of Scottish royalty lay claim to the city.

 A small venue for Franz Ferdinand, Stirling’s Albert Halls provides the ideal setting for the band and fans to get a little closer. This short run of shows in lesser-played locations gives the band the opportunity to christen new material, including the bubbly and defiant Audacious, the lead single from newly-announced sixth LP “The Human Fear”. While these new songs don’t quite provoke the same response as classics like “Take Me Out,” the band continue to pour their energy into them and perform them as proudly as any of their hits.

 It would be remiss to describe Alex Kapranos plainly as a frontman; he’s a showman, an entertainer, and – chatting away with the audience you almost feel – an old pal. Twenty years on from Franz Ferdinand’s beloved debut, their hits still have the crowd bouncing and vying to out-sing the band themselves. Tonight, away from arena shows and festival headliners, there’s an understated confidence to the band, an assurance both in themselves as artists, and in the security of their own spot in Scottish history.

Words & Images: Elliot Hetherton