#324: FRIGHTENED RABBIT - LIVE AT HMV MANCHESTER

To celebrate the release of Frightened Rabbit's 5th studio album, "Painting of a Panic Attack", a few of the band members came to HMV Manchester to perform live and meet fans. Only lead vocalist and guitarist Scott Hutchinson performed in the live set. He came on the stage with a warm welcome from the 40 strong crowd of die hard fans. With just a microphone and his acoustic guitar, he launched into a lovely rendition of "Get Out" from the new album. It sounded like a post-break up song with the chorus "Get out of my heart". Instantly the folky, stripped down versions of the songs sounded fantastic, with strummed chords and Scott's incredibly passionate vocals. The next song "I Wish I Was Sober", also had very touching lyrics. Though he managed to contrast the downbeat lyrics well with his warm humour when he bantered with the crowd between songs. Scott's voice truly sailed across the shop as he sang his drunken blues away.

Scott then opened up requests from the crowd, half joking that he hoped he could remember how to play the chosen song. It seemed very successful though, and the crowd sang and cheered along. Scott finished on a song he said was inspired by fellow Scots Young Fathers, the closing track on the new album "Die Like a Rich Boy". The album has a full rock sound, with bright and deep production from The National's Aaron Dessner, yet I felt these intimate acoustic arrangements really opened the songs and the lyrics up even more. I felt that Scott's words and the emotion he sang them with was very touching and easy to connect with. His storytelling lyrics really spoke to the crowd and his fragile voice rang with true heart and soul. Perhaps it is a shame that the whole band didn't perform, but this solo performance certainly did Frightened Rabbit and the new album great justice. After a lovely performance, two of the other band members joined him to meet fans and sign copies of the new album.

___________________________
April 11th 2016 @ HMV Manchester.