Introduction
In early December 2014, Status Quo reunited their classic Frantic Four lineup—Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster, and John Coghlan—for a farewell show at Dublin’s O2 Arena on December 4, 2014.
This concert capped off “The Frantic Four’s Final Fling,” capturing four childhood friends turned rock legends sharing one last stage together.
The original quartet hadn’t played together since the early 1980s until a surprise “Back2SQ1” reunion tour in spring 2013, which sold out UK dates in under eight minutes.
Buoyed by that success, they announced additional European dates in 2014—culminating in this emotional Dublin finale.
“Down Down” was first released on November 29, 1974, peaking at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for a week in January 1975—Status Quo’s only UK chart-topper to date.
Written by Francis Rossi and Bob Young, its relentless riff and chant-along chorus defined the band’s boogie-rock sound.
On the live album The Frantic Four’s Final Fling, “Down Down” clocks in at 6:24, complete with Rick Parfitt’s powerful solo and call-and-response breaks.
Track 16 on the album (released September 30, 2014), it sits between “Big Fat Mama” and “Roadhouse Blues,” underscoring its place among fan favorites.
Thousands of fans filled the arena, their voices melding into one when the chorus hit. Phone lights swayed like a sea of fireflies, and for a moment, time felt suspended—a testament to rock music’s power to unite strangers as friends.
This final fling reaffirmed that original chemistry endures. Even after health struggles (Alan Lancaster famously played despite ongoing challenges) and decades apart, the Frantic Four delivered tight, heartfelt performances that reminded everyone why they fell in love with Status Quo in the first place