Frightened Rabbit show!

So several months ago, I decided to go to see Frightened Rabbit when they came through DC. Tickets were cheap enough and you know, why not? Also, Tart said that if I (and anyone else who reads her blog and had the opportunity to go) didn't go, I was stupid, and I certainly don't want to be viewed as stupid :) And Matthew (from Song By Toad) was talking on a podcast that I was listening to when I heard about this show about his experiences going to shows alone and how he always had a great time. This was in line with the experience I had going to Warped Tour alone in 2003, so I decided that, on April 27th, I would be seeing Frightened Rabbit.

So I worked all day and then came home for a quick meal with K, and then drove off to DC with my overnight bag (my Mother-in-Law lives in Alexandria [15 minutes or so from the venue] and I was killing two birds with one stone because she also lives near our dentist [who is way farther away from where we live, but he's a really good dentist and it's only twice a year] so I scheduled my checkup for the morning after the concert!). I admittedly left later than I intended, but the GPS said I'd get there with like 5 minutes to spare before 8 (which is when my tickets said the doors opened [which I somehow interpreted as the start of the show]). And I did, but then I couldn't find parking. So I drove around looking for somewhere to parallel park (which I suck suck suck at) and I was passing the venue again when I saw a sign that said "Park Here." Since I always do what signs tell me to do, I pulled immediately off the road and on to this side street, rolling down my window to ask the attendant how much it was to park. It was TWENTY FREAKING DOLLARS. Fully half of the money I had taken out of the ATM for the show. But, it was literally across thee street from the place, so I shelled it out and ran in at roughly 8:05, hoping that I hadn't missed the first song (wanted a complete set list for the blog post, you know.).

I got my hand stamped at two different locations and made my way upstairs. This was at a venue I'd never been to before (the Black Cat), so I really just followed the people ahead of me. I walked into a room that was obviously the right place and there were MAYBE 20 people there. For future reference, "Doors at 8" means the first band goes on at like 830ish. That was another thing I hadn't accounted for. Opening bands. The ticket just said "Frightened Rabbit" on it, so the fact that they probably wouldn't be playing alone had escaped me. So I stood around patiently listening to the 60's girl group music they were piping in over the sound system until that cut off and Bad Veins came out.

It was two guys. A drummer and a guitar/keyboards/vocalist. The drummer reached over and turned on the reel-to-reel tape player for their horn section and away they went. It has been a long time since I've been introduced to a band I've never heard of as I'm seeing them live. It's such a fantastic experience. They had so much energy, but played with such precision. I was pretty sure before they ended the first song of their set ("Found") that I would be purchasing their album. But then they sealed it by saying "Everything we're playing tonight is on our album." It made me stop worrying if the songs that I was especially enjoying ("Afraid", "Crosseyed") were on an album that wouldn't be available for purchase. Or, worse, that they would be available for purchase, but I wouldn't have enough money to get them.

Bad Veins - Go Home from Bad Veins (This is the song that their VERY pleasant and gracious Press representative, Jill, suggested I post. They didn't happen to play this song, but you can go here and listen to other songs from their album that they DID play!)

Then Maps and Atlases came on. I'm going to give you the comparison I gave a couple of friends when I was talking about the show the next day. They sounded like Claudio from Coheed and Cambria leading a Dillinger Escape Plan cover band composed of members of Carbon Leaf and Vampire Weekend (Think high-pitched male falsetto in front of a very technically talented band with roots in equal parts metal, Celtic, and Afropop.) I think in another setting it would have been a lot better received but the crowd seemed rather confused about how to respond. I would actually like the opportunity to see them again to get another opinion.

And then there was the main event. Frightened Rabbit came out and just absolutely rocked the house. There were hands in the air, beer glasses raised in the air, audience clapping to the beat. Just everything I had hoped that it would be. I diligently took down the setlist and it was relatively painless, only I can't for the life of me recognize "Footshooter". It's the weirdest thing. All the other songs are so recognizable. "The Wrestle" can be tough, but it was that line in it about "Bare those teeth to me/Maneater" which I like to think is addressing a girl, but which is almost certainly addressing a shark.

Skip the Youth
The Modern Leper
Old Old Fashioned
The Loneliness and the Scream
The Wrestle
The Twist
Swim Until You Can't See Land
Footshooter
My Backwards Walk
Nothing Like You
Head Rolls Off
Good Arms vs. Bad Arms

Encore:
Poke
Living in Colour
Keep Yourself Warm

I had a fantastic time at this show and a fairly decent time writing this novel. I hope you've enjoyed reading it and if you get a chance to see this tour when it comes through your town, you should!!!