Four years ago, when Franz Ferdinand's second album was one of 2005's big releases, the Glasgow four-piece played London's Alexandra Palace, an 8000-capacity landmark looming over north London. Now, in the year their third record 'Tonight: Franz Ferdinand' has emerged after a troubled gestation, the band are playing Brixton Academy, a venue half the size?

Trouble in the capital? Not really. Friday night's Brixton show is the first of two, and possibly a desire by one of Britain's biggest bands to swap yawning spaces for something slightly more intimate. Their second show is an all-nighter, with the band being followed by Rob Da Bank, Hot Chip, Noze, The Glimmers and Matt Waites.

Spinner has caught the band over the year at festivals, the afore-mentioned Palace (Ally Pally, to self-respecting Londoners), a workingmen's club and a six-song surprise appearance at a London club earlier this year. The Academy brought out the best of them; a live show drilled but never too slick, the songs punchy, the band confident but still looking endearingly mismatched.

Alex Kapranos and co. have honed this live show over a year, one which leans equally on all three albums: the elongated opening of 'Take Me Out' which builds to perfect release; the loping, dub-infected 'Ulysses'; the by-now trademark all-band drumming routine at the front of the stage during the end of 'Outsiders ' which brings the set proper to a close.

And for encores? Covers time, with a version of LCD Soundsystem's 'All My Friends' filled with keyboardist/guitarist Nick Mccarthy's flourishes.

After Saturday night's party, the band head to Russia for two dates in Moscow and St Petersburg. On this form, they're in for a treat.