Live Review
Frankie & The Heartstrings, Fibbers, York
25th May 2014
Frontman Frankie Francis’ showmanship is complemented by the new on-stage dynamic.
Anyone who’s been under the impression Frankie & The Heartstrings have been a bit quiet of late are, well, wrong. When not busy running their own record shop (Pop Recs Ltd in Sunderland) or recruiting new guitarists (Ross Millard of The Futureheads), they’ve been working on new material and plotting this brief tour to showcase just where they’re going next.
The final night of their four-date jaunt across the North sees the band performing for a particularly rowdy Sunday night York crowd. Avoiding all formalities, they open with brand new number, 'Save It For Tonight'. Frontman Frankie Francis' showmanship is complemented by the new on-stage dynamic, the band actively interacting with each other and the audience - mostly to make jokes about Sunderland.
The biggest problem when you've released such a hit as 2011's 'Hunger' is following it up. So while 'That Girl, That Scene' didn't quite match those heights, newbies 'Anna', 'Balconette' and 'Hate Me' could, as they blend in nicely with older material while still sounding fresh and upbeat.
'Fragile' is still the band's choice for set closer, its build-ups and big chorus leaving the venue buzzing and cheering for an encore that doesn't appear. Tonight, Frankie & The Heartstrings hint that there's an ace up their sleeve waiting to be played strategically on album number three.
Read More
Frankie & the Heartstrings announce new album ‘Decency’, share ‘Save It For Tonight’
Third album is out this July via Pop Sex Ltd.
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