Review: Frightened Rabbit Maybe the Best of 2010

Not to brag or anything, but we go to a lot of shows. 2010 has been especially kind to us, offering a healthy dose of old bands coming through, as well as new ones that we can't wait to watch the progress of.
That's why we hold much heaviness to the statement that Frightened Rabbit, who we got to see last Thursday at the Showbox, put on the best show we've been to thus far this year.
There was stomping. There was clapping. There was witty banter, and there were tears (tears!) seeping from the eyes of fellow concert goers during random moments in the show. And we thought that only happened in movies.
Yes, we were expecting good things, but not quite the extent of good we were handed. Lead singer/songwriter/mastermind Scott Hutchison, complimented and magnified by his four bandmates, created an environment that generated an energy and sharpness to the songs that we were baffled by the quality of when we heard them live.

Plants and Animals did a great job at setting the mood with their haunting and vibes-y stoner rock, and Bad Veins have potential to be the best opening band for the evening that we've seen in a long, long while, catching the spirit of catchy and emotional songs with a unique aesthetic.

Outstanding live tracks of FR's set included “The Twist,” “My Backwards Walk,” and the acoustic version of “Poke.” While Hutchison's songwriting leans towards dark matter of heavy drinking, disappearing coasts and black eyes, which we attribute largely to the gritty city of Glasgow that they call home, the songs radiate a cheerfulness reminiscent of a long night of drinking with close friends. Their ability to capture and preserve a familiarity was impressive- by the end of the night, all we wanted to do was drink whiskey with them in a creaky barn somewhere in the rolling hills of Scotland.

They made it clear that they wouldn’t be back in our city for a while, which was finalized by a twitter update explaining that they’ll be back after they record their next record. Do yourself a favor and see them when they return. We're already eagerly anticipating it, and will make do with listening to their albums until then. Here's to a dark and gray winter, filled with songs of human heat, stones, and holding on for dear life!

Set list:
Things
The Modern Leper
Nothing Like You
Old Old Fashioned
Swim Until You Can't See Land
The Wrestle
I Feel Better
Fast Blood
My Backwards Walk
Not Miserable
Head Rolls Off
Be Less Rude
Good Arms vs Bad Arms
Living in Colour
Keep Yourself Warm
Encore:
Poke
The Twist
The Loneliness and The Scream