SWIFTLY becoming one of the premiere rock bands in Britain, successfully breaking into the US market and challenging The Hives for the title of music's most dapper dressers, Franz Ferdinand have got a lot to be proud of.

Taking their name from the Archduke whose assassination sparked the First World War, according to GCSE history lessons anyway, the band could be accused of having a hint of pretentiousness.

But given that they make great music we can probably let them off.

The band - Alex Kapranos, Nick McCrathy, Bob Hardy and Paul Thompson - formed towards the end of 2001 in Glasgow and have not looked back since.

Their eponymous album, released at the beginning of this year, has spawned four hits - Darts of Pleasure, Take Me Out, Matinee and Michael - and also bagged them this year's Mercury Music Prize.

Franz Ferdinand's achievements over the last few years have been enormous, particularly given that they couldn't all actually play their instruments when they first got together, and it's clear that they are going to keep on getting bigger and better.

Make the most of this opportunity to catch them in a smaller venue while you still can.

Portsmouth Guildhall. Saturday, 23 October. Tickets: £13.50. Box office:023 9282 4355.