More than half a decade since their last Australian tour, Glasgow rockers Franz Ferdinand return down under late 2025.
After the release of their sixth studio album 'The Human Fear' in January, the band – known for such bangers as 'Take Me Out', 'No You Girls' and 'Do You Want To – will headline concerts in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Wollongong and Sydney in late November, early December.The Sydney concert will see the band perform live on the Opera House's famed steps. "I've seen videos of New Order playing there recently and thought, 'I can't believe we're going to get to do this!' There'll be photographic evidence of me outside. It's just so cool," the group's bassist Bob Hardy told us – stay tune for the band article in the coming days.
Recorded with producer Mark Ralph (Rag'n'Bone Man, Rudimental, Becky Hill), 'The Human Fear' features 11 cuts including the singles 'Audacious', 'Night Or Day' and 'Hooked'. "You could see that each of the songs is kind of about different kinds of fears," Hardy says. "Some more overtly, some less so."
However, it's not all doom and gloom. In fact, Hardy offers a refreshing take. "All the best things in life are on the other side of fear. You have to go through it to get there – and once you overcome it, that's when you feel the most alive."
'The Human Fear' is also the band's first studio project with new members, guitarist Dino Bardot, who joined the band after the recording of 2018's 'Always Ascending', and drummer Audrey Tait, who replaced original member Paul Thomson in 2021.
"Audrey's a fantastic drummer and as a bass player, that's the key requirement, really!" Hardy laughs. "She's really into contemporary pop, in a cool way, and just brings a different energy.
"Dino, our guitarist, has been touring with us since 2017 and comes from a more esoteric '70s prog background. Together they've brought enthusiasm and personality to the band."
Tickets on sale from 10am (local time) on 14 May.
Franz Ferdinand 2025 Tour Dates
Wed 26 Nov - Red Hill Auditorium (Perth)Fri 28 Nov - Live At The Gardens @ Royal Botanic Gardens (Melbourne)
Sat 29 Nov - The Riverstage (Brisbane)
Tue 2 Dec - Anita's Theatre (Wollongong)
Wed 3 Dec - On The Steps @ Sydney Opera House Forecourt
