Franz Ferdinand – Academy, Manchester 22/03/14

Few records have demonstrated the value in going back to what you know quite as spectacularly as Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, on which absolutely everything – even the title – screamed Franz Ferdinand. The last time the Glaswegians played in this room was a full five years ago; they hid it well, but Alex Kapranos has since claimed that they were burnt out to the degree that they might have ended up splitting if they hadn’t taken an extended break.

Last August saw them stage quite the comeback, though, and even if Right Thoughts didn’t quite scale the heights of their first two records, it at least succeeded in winning the band back a place in the hearts and minds of those put off by the change in direction on Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. It’s easy to forget that, on the back of You Could Have It So Much Better, they headlined Reading and Leeds (so did Razorlight, to be fair) and toured arenas; generally speaking, you don’t come out the other side of those kinds of experiences weaker for it, but as accomplished a live band as Franz Ferdinand are, they’ve still shaken off the rust of their time away from the stage at some pace.

When I saw the band play just three weeks ago at the 6 Music Festival, I was impressed with the faith they placed in their new record – including a slew of material in front of a non-partisan crowd – and only two of its tracks don’t make the cut tonight. The early part of the set tonight, though, sees them fizzing through some oldies – the raucous singalong “Do You Want To” is an obvious crowd favourite, and “The Dark of the Matinee” serves as proof that it’s the band’s mastery of the catchy guitar riff, not the big chorus, that represents their strongest suit. There’s a more muted response to “Lucid Dreams”, which is a shame; it’s probably the most intriguing track in the Franz catalogue, and its gradual live metamorphosis to this current version, unrecognisable next to its studio counterpart, has been fascinating to watch; it’s the perfect distillation of the sound that they were so clearly aiming for on that dancier third album.

Another track from that record, “Can’t Stop Feeling”, helps contribute to a minor mid-set lull; one of the band’s oldest songs, you can’t help but think that the fuzzy synth was likely shoehorned in to complement that album’s overall sound. “Stand on the Horizon” is a little too one-track, and “Brief Encounters”, a cheeky ode to swinging that contains some of my favourite Kapranos lyricism in a while, feels a tad out of place.

When the familiar opening flourish of “Take Me Out” rings out, though, it’s the beginning of a genuinely blistering run to the finish, comprised almost exclusively of stone-cold classics. “Michael”’s scintillating guitar work sounds even more vital than it did a decade ago, “This Fire” is every bit as vivacious as its riotous subject matter, and the best is saved for last with “Ulysses”, a mystifying flop when released as a single. The menacing throb of the bass, the terse bite of the synth and, best of all, Kapranos’ descent from ominous whisper to outright aggression on the chorus all serve to mark the track out as one of the band’s finest moments.

In fact, the low-key encore struggles to match the sheer scintillation of the set’s second half; “Right Action” is catchy but forgettable, and the extended version of “Outsiders”, complete with mass drumming at the climax, is a little overwrought. It’s left to “Goodbye Lovers & Friends” to close proceedings on a calmer note; it’s actually the only suggestion we get all night that Franz Ferdinand might be mellowing. Ten years on from their debut, they don’t look to be anywhere near exhausting their supply of vim and vigour; I’m not sure they’ll find themselves frequenting arenas again any time soon, but as long as they’re turning in performances this polished, it’s certainly a transition they’re capable of making.

• Photo by Gaëlle Beri from London Roundhouse. See the full gallery here.