Scottish band Frightened Rabbit were back in Philly, this time at the union lunchroom come pseudo venue, for another night of fantastic music. I doubt I have seen any other band as much I have seen these five fellas and I can honestly say they have yet to disappoint me. We all have those bands whose shows we attend out of dedication and affinity for their work- even if you don’t like their latest album you just gotta go. Frightened Rabbit transcends that status as was on fine display during their most recent stop.
I have often mentioned that a large part of their live appeal is the genuine delivery of their material but as they’ve continued touring they’ve become masters of keeping it intriguing. During their set at The Starlight they found the prefect mix of old and new tunes. Opening with the rich guitar trance of “Things” off of their 2010 album Winter Of Mixed Drinks they enveloped the crowd in the swell of percussion and vocals that marks their work. For the rest of the show they volleyed between old and new encouraging the audience to sing along with Scott Hutchinson’s straightforward croon. It was awesome to see a room full of fans get fully swept up into their set.
The live version of “The Loneliness & The Scream” – which capped the evening- was even more dynamic than the album version, the dueling guitars and howled backing vocals pushed beyond the simple lyrics to alight the core energy of Frightened Rabbit’s sound- raw and fervent. Even when playing older material they gave it new spirit, no better demonstrated than by their refreshed version of “Backwards Walk,” now more reflective than relationship dirge. They even resurrected “Be Less Rude”a piece from their first album and one that never gets the attention it deserves. Their ability to avoid formulaic live shows along with the continue evolution of their songs assure me that Frightened Rabbit will continue to entertain.
[MP3] Be Less Rude (Daytrotter Session)