FRANCK CARDUCCI & THE FANTASTIC SQUAD

VENUE THE 1865, SOUTHAMPTON DATE 03/03/2024 SUPPORT RUBY DAWN

Just a handful of inquisitive fans greeted Franck Carducci and his earlier band on their first visit to Southampton nine years ago. Multiply that handful into triple figures and the airy south coast venue is looking healthily full for a Sunday night. Several fans have travelled significant distances to get their fix of France’s fantastic five.

Replacing Lesoir, the originally billed support, Ruby Dawn are hauntingly compelling, fusing rock dynamics and driving rhythms with mystical eastern vibes. Carola Baer sings with both delicate and gritty soulfulness, though her flowing keyboards sound muted in the overall mix.

A flurry of soundbites from classic rock songs heralds the arrival of shadeswearing Franck Carducci and his four playmates for super-charged opener Slave To Rock’n’Roll. Carducci carefully curates his shows, enabling each member to shine individually, both musically and theatrically. This immediately becomes apparent on Achilles, on which the brooding presence of Cédric Selzer gets into his groove with both tinkling keyboards and Hammond organ effects.

Mary Reynaud, Carducci’s long-time musical partner, is a shimmering, animated presence throughout. Highlights are her vocal gymnastics on Ennio Morricone’s The Ecstasy Of Gold, the ethereal beauty of Angel, lifted visually by her LED-lit wings and the physically seductive theremin solo on The Betrayal Of Blue.

Hair flying, guitarist Barth Sky riffs the proverbial doors off on the new song, slam-dunk rocker The Limits Of Freedom. The Zeppelin-like Torn Apart later sees him and Carducci elevating to full rock-god mode.

Artificial Paradises is a reminder that Carducci really knows how to construct a classy, complex prog song. Drummer Léa Fernandez is in her element, powering through all its tempo changes with a huge smile. Later, she delights with a thundering drum solo with distinct Bonham overtones. Carducci’s traditional acoustic guitar solo spot is a cover of Wish You Were Here, poignantly dedicated to a local fan who recently passed away. Everyone joins in.

Alice’s Eerie Dream, their burlesque retelling of the Lewis Carroll fairy tale, continues to evolve artistically so it now includes a stately dance trio sequence involving Reynaud, Selzer and Sky. They end as always with the unamplified fivepart vocal harmonies of On The Road To Nowhere, during which Selzer’s bass voice humorously comes to the fore.

Carducci’s tried and much-trusted formula is a masterclass in prog cabaret. Not even a broken guitar string nor scarf malfunction can detract from the joyous energy the band generates.