Frightened Rabbit played to a packed, sweaty Maxwell’s (video)
Before starting their encore, Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit admitted to the crowd, “We had such a crazy year of touring last year that it was like ‘Oh fuck, touring again?’ But you guys have changed our mind tonight.” It was clear that he was being sincere. The sold out crowd at Maxwell’s in Hoboken (7/17) was a rabid one. They cheered loudly after each song, listened intently to most, and sang along to a few. The band grew more comfortable as the set went on despite how hot the room got.
It was my first time seeing the band live and it took a bit to accept the fact that they play their songs differently than the recorded versions on the albums I’ve grown to love so much (specifically The Midnight Organ Fight, which might be my favorite album of the past few years). Once I got over it, I enjoyed every song they played. It was their first show in Jersey, and after making a Bon Jovi reference, Scott went to the keyboard and played the first few notes of Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” He said, “Is he from New Jersey too, that prick?” After a loud boo from the crowd, he responded, “Oh, I didn’t realize he was from Nazi Germany,” clearly not aware of apparent Jersey hate for Long Island.
More review & set list after the jump…
He went on to play “The Twist” on the keys which may have been their best song of the night and was the one tune that came across better live than on the record. While the band crafts perfect pop songs, none of them come across as brilliant musicians. It’s the desperate lyrics and the way their sung that really stand out and when Hutchison sings, “I need company, I need human heat” you believe him.
They closed the set with “Keep Yourself Warm” (see video above) and invited Mike from Oxford Collapse (who opened the show) to join them. By this point, the crowd was wound up and sang along. The band responded by allowing the audience to carry some of the choruses and the extra guitar on stage added more bite to an already rocking tune. They returned for a two song encore and then vacated the room to make room for Grand Duchy who was playing the late show. Overall, a great show, and I’m already looking forward to seeing them again.
I missed Siren this year…anyone catch their set down there? Thoughts?
Setlist
Modern Leper
First Blood
Old Old Fashioned
I Feel Better
Good Arms vs. Bad Arms
???? (Tune from first album never played live before)
The Twist
Head Rolls Off
Music Now
Keep Yourself Warm (with Michael Pace from Oxford Collapse)
Encore:
The Greys
Square 9
I was there! Nice review. I think the song you’re missing is Yawns.
Do you know if they played on the street at all after the show? Scott kept saying they would, but then it was raining when the show ended. I grabbed a bite to eat but when I was done it was still raining and no sign of anyone on the street.
Thanks for reading. Not sure if they played on the street. I passed Scott on my way out. He was walking in from outside just after the show, but then I put my head down and walked in the rain back to the PATH.
well…i guess its obvious.
this music blows…. big time.
makes me feel like i’m trapped in a counting crows turd that was shit after being eaten by dave mathews.
and to think that the crowd knows the words?
jesus fucking crist.
at least my ego is stroked a bit in knowing that nyc is a dead sack of lamb flem creatively at the moment.
we’ve always know that hoboken has been.
oh god.
please save is.
He played one song outside in the rain. It was great….but I can’t remember which song it was…
Scott played “Poke” outside the door to Maxwell’s in the rain after the set was over. I only caught the second half of the song, as it took a few minutes to file out of the packed back room, but what I heard sounded awesome.
Ah, that makes sense. I was buried in the back of the room, so by the time I walked outside, he must have just finished and passed me on his way in. I heard some applause too but just figured the crowd was cheering for him as he walked past. Sucks! I would have loved to have heard Poke solo acoustic on the sidewalk.
jj – go kill yourself.
Saw you on the Brooklyn Vegan! Awesome. Keep at it.
thanks jj,
i eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast.