Franz Ferdinand brought high-octane energy to Portugal's Ageas Cooljazz Festival in Cascais, turning a laid-back jazz event into a rock party. The Glaswegian band performed on August 21, 2026, and motivated the crowd to get up and rush to the front of the stage with their hit song The Dark of the Matinée.
A Unique Festival Experience
The annual open-air event runs almost the whole of July and, as the name suggests, it's one for jazz lovers. But the band's vocalist, Alex Kapranos, said: "I love this surge of energy," as the outdoor space filled with rock fans and British tourists.
Connecting to the Hipódromo Manuel Possolo is the Parque Marechal Carmona, a family-friendly green space where peacocks, roosters and turtles roam freely. Right next to the food and drink stalls, there is a small amphitheatre stage to keep punters entertained.
High-Energy Performances
Compared to Sónar Barcelona or BST Hyde Park, Cooljazz Festival is definitely more laid-back. VIPs and corporate guests have a covered seating box on the side overlooking the stage and the audience while they enjoy drinks and small plates. The setup would have been perfect for a relaxing jazz night, but Franz Ferdinand fans were desperate for a high-energy dance when Love Illumination was on.
It was Take Me Out that got everybody moving, with some 80-year-olds pumping their fists up in the air. Some youngsters tried to rush to the pit for a proper headbanging, pogoing rave. Bob Hardy, the band's bassist, told Time Out: "What we love most is when the audience stops being mere spectators and becomes active participants in the party. We’re going to bring songs from our whole career, the big singles, and it’s going to be a beautiful celebration. Even if people are seated, that doesn’t intimidate us. We like the challenge of getting people out of their seat."
More Than Just Jazz
Throughout the entire Cooljazz Festival, there were also special performers injecting other music genres, including rock singer David Bryne, afro-urban DJ Mei Glez, and jazz funk band Jamiroquai. Meanwhile, tourists or locals can explore museums around the area, including the Paula Rego museum, which houses some of the most important works from the British-Portuguese artist known for her powerful figurative paintings.
Further down the marina is the Santa Maria lighthouse, a beautiful blue-and-white striped tower built in 1868 that is still in use to guide fishermen and sailors. The Ageas Cooljazz Festival is due to return next year in July, offering a laid-back music-listening experience for those who get tickets.
