So yeah, I have been in a blog coma since February, but that is not to say I haven’t been listening to music, as usual. 2010 is not turning out to be such a great year for albums for me. However, at the top of the list so far is Frightened Rabbits’ The Winter of Mixed Drinks, in which Scott Hutchison, the nucleus of the band, continues to document his crawl up from the depths he detailed in the previous album, The Midnight Organ Fight (2008), still recovering from some truly horrendous romantic breakup.
In fact, I was listening to the delicious “Yes I Would” when I discovered FR would be playing the last date of their U.S. tour in Los Angeles on Sunday, May 23. Drunk on the song, I impulsively purchased tickets to see them at the Fonda Musicbox. Indie Mom won’t go to a show on a work night, but luckily for me, my lovely niece Chelsea agreed to be my date again (see also Band of Horses at the Fox, September 2009).
Frightened Rabbit offered an energetic but disciplined set of 15 songs, with plenty of humorous patter by Hutchison between songs. At one point someone yelled that he would pay $100 if the band sang a certain song. “Well, we are going to play that,” quipped Hutchison good-naturedly, holding out his hand, “so I’ll just take the money now.”
Song files below were taken from Frightened Rabbits’ performance on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic on May 21.
Set List:
1. Skip the Youth
2. Modern Leper
3. Old Old Fashioned
4. The Loneliness and the Scream
5. The Wrestle
6. The Twist
7. Swim Until You Can’t See Land
8. Frightened Rabbit - FootShooter (live)
9. My Backwards Walk
10. Frightened Rabbit - Nothing Like You (live)
11. Head Rolls Off 12. Good Arms vs Bad Arms
Encore:
Poke (acoustic solo by Scott - photo above)
Living In Colour
Keep Yourself Warm
Were you there? Click to enlarge and holla if you see yourself!
MySpace | WeAreFrightenedRabbits.com | Label: FatCat Records | Buy
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My wife and I were at the show. Hung out near the sound board for the opening acts (which weren’t very good). I thought the band was it’s usual self-deprecating, talented self, but the crowd seemed a bit disintersted. Could have been the Sunday night thing, or just an LA scene sort of vibe. But the new stuff fit in well and overall it was a great show. Too bad I didn’t make the pic though…
May 31st, 2010 at 11:16 pm
Hi, Jon! Thanks for reading, and thanks for the comment!
I think your assessment of the evening is right on. I was in the front, so I wasn’t as in-tune with the general crowd reaction, but I did note that people weren’t pressing tightly to the front as they usually do. Maybe L.A. isn’t a FR kind of town or something. I know some of their shows in other cities were sold out.
June 1st, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Heys from Korea. Thanks for adding these songs! Nice!
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Heys back to you, Melissa! That’s a cute blog you have at Running With Chopsticks. Thanks for the visit!
June 3rd, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Great to see you back Linda, and a live FR review is a jolly good way to start up again! I saw these guys last year and they were just wonderful. Scott signed my t-shirt too which was pretty bloody cool. You’ve brought back some great memories!
June 8th, 2010 at 5:31 am
i agree with agnes, this brings back great memories. i saw them in a fairly small setting, which i think makes for a more involved, engaged audience. also i think their last album was much more emotionally in-your-face, so maybe that has something to do with it.
anyway, glad to see you liked it well enough to awaken from your blog coma!
June 12th, 2010 at 6:48 pm