If you were fan enough of Frightened Rabbit to inquire about the free acoustic show at Reward Boutique in Old City, however you heard about it, part of you had to be in partial disbelief that a) a band from Scotland would be playing at a tiny boutique in our own back yard, and b) that they would do it for free.
It was with this “Too good to be true” mentality that I stood in the queue outside 55 N. 2nd Street Thursday evening. I had seen Frightened Rabbit back in October at the First Unitarian Church when they opened for The Spinto Band at their Record Release party. When they had concluded that set, the crowd pleaded for an encore which the band had to politely decline. “We’ll be back in January,” they promised. They played Johnny Brenda’s on the 16th, and were back for an intimate acoustic show before moving on to NYC February 2nd.
When the doors opened at 7:00 the crowd shuffled into the quaint little shop, grabbed a PBR from the makeshift bar, and got warm and cozy on the floor amongst the candles and the garment-lined walls. “We have no set list tonight,” singer Scott Hutchison forewarned with beer in hand, “so just call out requests. You’re running the show.”
And so the night began with the self-loathing “The Modern Leper,” albeit a quieter, more crude rendition than is heard on Midnight Organ Fight. Still, with drum sticks replaced with brushes, the song drove at a foot-tapping tempo that held the integrity of the album recording, especially through the vocal harmonies coming from drummer Grant Hutchison, and guitarists Billy Kennedy and Andy Monaghan.
The beat of the kick drum and the tambourine kept the rhythm for the lively “Old Old Fashioned,” a song that pitches the idea of turning off modern life for a while and having a good time without the TV: “Put the wall clock in the top drawer/Turn off the lights so we can see/We will waltz across the carpet/1-2-3-2-2-3.” The song was suitable for an evening where the fancy lights of the bigger venue and the bigger crowd were forgone for an evening among friends and quality time with Frightened Rabbit.
By request, Scott played a solo cover of Neutral Milk Hotel’s “Song Against Sex.” His voice cracked through many of the notes, but he kept it going without missing a beat or breath. With his eyes closed he plowed through all 376 words, at times straining so much that his face turned red.
For the tender “Poke,” Scott chose to ditch (or “dinghy” as he called it, like the inflatable boat) the microphone and step out into his audience where every delicate word could be heard in the story of two lovers who have grown apart. It is in addressing some of the sad truths that exist in human relationships that Frightened Rabbit succeed most. “And now we’re unrelated and rid of all the shit we hated/But I hate when I feel like this and I never hated you,” he sings at the end, like one who has no regrets, but has to accept that a beautiful thing has died.
By the end of the set, all of the favorites were covered: “The Twist,” “Fast Blood,” “Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms,” Backwards Walk,” and “Floating in the Forth,” and none of them suffered too badly from the lack of electric vibrancy that gives a rock show energy. Because they were limited as to how much they could really rock out as a band, the focus was on the lyrics and allowed for more appreciation of the cleverness, wit, and honesty that are packed into each and every Frightened Rabbit song. There were moments when the restraints were felt, but you knew that his words were true when Scott assured “We’ll be rocking out on the inside tonight.”
Two songs go in, one comes out. Pick a side.
Columbus Short Would be an excellent match for Sam Cooke (especially if this movie was to include Sam’s Soul Stirrer years). Just as long as in the movie Sam does the singing of course lol. But as far as physical resemblance my boy Columbus Short all the way. View this clip of Cadillac Records were he played lil walter… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxTbcnW6bY
by Akin Z on Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 12.37 am from the entry: Sam Cooke to get a movie
Oops meant Aloe Blacc not Black. Sorry about the typo. If you doubt that he should play Sam check him out here on you tube singing Loving you is Killing me. The likeness is uncanny - but the voice is quite different.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yJuyaVcL2I&feature=artist
by Tamara L on Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 08.30 am from the entry: Sam Cooke to get a movie
I have read the Peter Guralnick book and it is thoroughly researched down to the minutest detail. Amazing.
I would go for Aloe Black because he looks so much like Sam, but for heaven’s sake why are we talking about the quality of the actor’s singing? Sam’s singing has got to be dubbed in. We want the real thing not an impersonator. There is only one Sam Cooke. The actor can act, let Sam do the songs.
by Tamara L on Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 08.24 am from the entry: Sam Cooke to get a movie
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by Dirty Ice on Tue Jan 24, 2012 at 11.04 pm from the entry: Yasiin Bey - Fete (Providence, RI; Dec.10, 2011)
John Boutte should play Sam Cooke. Except the point someone made about him dying young, this is true. Boutte may be a bit too old.
by Brendan on Tue Jan 17, 2012 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Sam Cooke to get a movie
La cara de kurt de: NO ME DIJERON NADA :| ajajjajajaja
by asdsad on Tue Jan 17, 2012 at 04.29 am from the entry: Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic Weigh In On Kurt Avatar
Blacks say the word 50+ times a day. Fuck the double standard, stop trying to create controversy.
by Steve C on Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 02.00 pm from the entry: John Mayer is about to get swallowed up in public outrage
man i wish i could have seen that. my favorite album of 2008 by far