Image by Carlye Wisel
Frightened Rabbit gets intense at its last U.S. tour stop
July 2, 2008, at Southpaw
By Carlye Wisel
Published: July 5th, 2008 | 1:35pm
Scott Hutchison was sweaty. Lively, loud, and sweaty. And, while the bodily secretions of a band’s lead guitarist would regularly be considered insignificant, for Wednesday night’s Frightened Rabbit show in Brooklyn, it was actually somewhat notable. Playing in a packed venue, this performance was the last of Frightened Rabbit’s tour, which had the band trekking across America since late May. And, instead of being worn out from the relentless schedule, the group still managed to stay energized for its electrifying show.
“Your country’s big,” remarked one of the members early on in the set, the first utterance of their amusing yet difficult to understand banter. Commenting on everything from song dedications and the crowd (“I think this is the most people who intended to see us”) to a pornographic photo torn from a magazine that somehow made its way onstage, the foursome relaxed into their set in between the music.
Paired with incredibly loud drumming and heavy guitar underpinnings, songs such as “Fast Blood” and “Heads Roll Off” still held a certain sense of beauty solely contained in the vocals and a careful intertwining of strength and balance through the instrumentals. Catchy in all the right ways, Frightened Rabbit’s impassioned performance carried an undeniable passion, making up for and any sort quiet intimacy Hutchison’s voice lost in the live venue.
Drummer Grant Hutchison — Scott's brother — bathed in white light and ironically dressed in a shirt depicting muppet Animal playing the same instrument, was the most visually engaging, though Scott and his semi-frequent trips to the stage’s edge were just as significant.
The inherent intensity of Frightened Rabbit's music, though apparent on its April release The Midnight Organ Fight (Fat Cat), truly shines when presented onstage. With their poppy hooks and Scottish-accented melodies, the boys of Frightened Rabbit simply don’t need to rock as hard as they do. Their music could easily speak for itself, as it is catchy and addictive like Vampire Weekend, but for a listener with a backbone. While this sentiment lied beneath the entire set, it became apparent during a mid-show rendition of audience favorite “The Modern Leper.” Stunningly melodic, this tune in particular highlights the Frightened Rabbit's exciting, energetic spirit, thus creating a foolproof equation for success; its simplistically addictive nature makes it impossibly likeable.
The band rounded out the set with the drummer from opening act Oxford Collapse joining in and a stunning rendition of “Backwards Walk,” ending with everyone walking offstage one by one, until only the drummer was left.
While the show was tireless and loud, “Poke,” the first song of the encore, was peaceful and unbelievably special. Standing alone at the front of the stage, Scott's voice sounded off-key at first, though with the demeanor of singing alone, the mood had completely shifted. He stepped away from the microphone multiple times to encourage the crowd to “Ooh” along, but no one was biting, as it felt too personal, too intrusive to join in on the moment he had created. But, ending the show with Oxford Collapse playing and thrashing about alongside on “Keep Yourself Warm” a rock-heavy ballad with emotional infusions, Frightened Rabbit proved not only its versatility, but its sheer skill.
Comments
Please login to be able to comment on this article.
more