Francis of Delirium brought energy of all flavours to The Bodega, warming up the room with their evolved grunge sounds, tales of love and obsession, and inspiring commitment...
Positive energy personified: that was Daisy Peacock as she opened what was to prove an electrifying night at The Bodega.
Fizzy indie pop seems to run through the Sheffield-born singers veins, and overflows in the form of peppy, personal songs with the general theme of relationship highs and lows. Several times, Daisy said how excited she was to be playing for us - and that was pretty obvious with just a glance at her face at any given moment.
Many of her songs feature spoken word sections, which bring a different dimension of interest, before being emphasised by sung passages. During the half hour, she switched deftly between vocals-alone - giving her more time and space to expend some of that energy and use the full expanse of the Tardis-like Bodega stage - and vocals supported by confidently strummed acoustic guitar.
She opened with Giving Up On Apologies, immediately setting the scene for what was to be a full-on support set. During the set she also aired Make You Think Twice, The Middle and an unreleased song Thank God You've Got a Girlfriend. Each of these songs had its own character although it was also clear that they were drawn from the same songwriting palette.
Daisy was a great choice to start the evening, leading by example and inspiring the crowd with her words, music and moves. The definition of infectious enthusiasm.
Jana Bahrich has clearly found success and satisfaction with her Francis of Delirium project. Listening through their impressive bank of songs so far, you can feel how Jana has grown in confidence and allowed her music to morph and grow along with her and the band. From the earliest, most grungy tunes recorded on three EPs, through the subtly softer debut album Lighthouse (a rich and beautifully cathartic record which vividly tells the story of love in all its phases) and then follow-up Run, Run Pure Beauty, although FOD's work has evolved, Jana's soul has always been present.
Taking to the stage in Nottingham for the opening night of FOD's UK tour - after an 11-hour drive from Paris - Jana looked distinctly determined. She is a fiercely independent and creative artist: the band's merch stand came complete with a handwritten "FoD Fish" to which attendees were invited to add with their own words and pictures (the only rule being to "keep it respectful").
FoD operate as a trio: Jana on lead guitar plus her surprisingly tender vocals, Jeff Hennico (and acting as hype man), and Denis Schumacher on drums. With the help of a laptop and some impressive pedal boards, they produce an immense, immersive sound.
The first two from the new album opened the show, too: Aliens then Out Tonight. A decently sized Nottingham crowd were at The Bodega, almost selling out the gig, but it took a while this Thursday evening to persuade them to relax and feed back at the level the band wanted. At several points, Jana exhorted us all to shout, yell, sing - just enter a dialogue with her. Of course, we obliged, but it wasn't until Lighthouse favourite Blue Tuesday that things really got going.
That first trio of songs was a superb introduction to the FoD live experience - full, rich, melodic and hugely emotive. As the evening continued with Real Love and then Little Black Dress, we were reminded just how many superb songs FoD have. Jana really is one of this era's best indie-rock songwriters, deserving of far more recognition, and FoD have consequently built a solid bank of work. Jana's writing flows easily, forming songs built on a solid and accessible framework, but she sprinkles in just the right number of offbeat hits, unexpected melodic turns and slow-downs.
After those six songs, a sudden slowdown, with Jana given space to deliver Requiem for a Dying Day. This is an intense, slow song which shows off Jana's beautiful vocal range, and tonight she unexpectedly and pleasingly began the song with the first two lines of Another Brick In The Wall.
As the song went on, and the hush deepened, it turned into one of those rare and precious ethereal experiences that live music can sometimes deliver; a collective sense of amazement and gratefulness flowed across the floor.
Later, after Modern Madonna, Jana explained how she and Jeff had developed a kind of friendly rivalry on tour, competing to see who could get the best (read: craziest) reaction from the audience. They accordingly split The Bodega gig-goers into two for tonight's instalment... (I'm happy to say I was on the winning side - Jeff's - this time, thanks mainly to some very uninhibited fans nearby).
A soaring, sweeping, Higher followed, and then FOD's album title track, which itself led to the announcement that the night was almost over. First, though there was time for a crisply executed First Touch with its multiple drums fills acting like rhythmic markers and then the closing song, Damned.
At this point, I'm sure everyone at The Bodega would have welcomed at least another hour of this heartfelt musical energy but even FOD are only human and were probably longing for some rest by this point. You could never have read that from their faces and aptitude. Their energy seemed boundless; a combination of adrenaline, passion and commitment to sharing love for music and life with all its many facets.
Let's hope they return soon.
Francis of Delirium performed at The Bodega on 17 September 2026, with support from Daisy Peacock.
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