Seeing a band several times can be a good thing and a bad thing. Of course, if you love them, then it's obviously pretty good. Hearing songs you love and adore. But sometimes there is a feeling of repetition. A feeling of 'I've seen this before'. Frightened Rabbit are a band we love. Naturally. But their show on Thursday night was one I was looking forward to, but in all honestly I was maybe thinking it would be good but maybe not great. Fatigue. How wrong I was. By the end of their set at the Metro Theatre I was wanting more. My heart was bleeding. My face was aching with joy. I guess that's the power of music and the inherent quality of a great band. Thank you Frightened Rabbit.

There were two moments that really set this night apart. Made it extra special. Of course we enjoyed the greatness of songs like "The Modern Leper" and "Fast Blood" and "State Hospital". But it was towards the end of the set that things went up a notch. Firstly Scott Hutchison gave us "Nitrous Gas" on electric guitar with only his brother Grant and Gordon Skene providing harmonies. That was special enough but soon it was just Scott on acoustic blowing us away with "Poke". After this there was rapturous applause. But it was more than that. It was sustained. Long. Overwhelming. Rare. Special. Then Scott said that this would be the band's last proper gig for a while and wanted to make it a little special. So he gave us two more solo numbers in "Floating In The Forth" and "Fuck This Place". At this point the gig could have ended and it would have been fine. But there was more. An encore of encores (please see below). An encore for the ages. "The Loneliness And The Scream" is now the traditional closer and it's anthemic to say the least. Full of crashing moments and joyous thunder. It ends with the band and audience in sync, a chorus of 'whoas'. But as the band left the stage, spent and joyous, the audience continued. For seemingly a good five minutes. Singing with unrestrained joy. I don't even think it was an attempt to entice another encore but more that we were all having such a great time that we never wanted the end to come. It was that good. So yeah, basically, I'll definitely be seeing you guys again.
Thank you Frightened Rabbit!


Set List
Holy
The Modern Leper
Nothing Like You
Living In Colour
Backyard Skulls
Dead Now
Old Old Fashioned
December's Traditions
Music Now
Fast Blood
State Hospital
Head Rolls Off
Nitrous Gas
Poke (solo)
Floating In The Forth (solo)
Fuck This Place (solo)
My Backwards Walk
The Oil Slick
Acts Of Man

The Woodpile
Keep Yourself Warm
The Loneliness And The Scream