Today is Scott Hutchinson's birthday. I'm doing my part, with clumsy fingers, to keep Frightened Rabbit's music alive.
Showing posts with label frightened rabbit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frightened rabbit. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Friday, May 11, 2018
I've got this disease I can't shake and I'm just rattling through life
The news that Scott Hutchinson of Frightened Rabbit succumbed to his demons and took his own life has struck me rather hard.
It’s not the same grief as when an icon you never met died, either suddenly or by natural causes. Frightened Rabbit were far from a household name, but they have a niche of very devoted supporters.
I’ve been following the band for over ten years, almost as long as they have been in existence. They had a good social media presence, you knew what they were working on, and where. Hutchinson wrote so eloquently and honestly about the human condition, flaws and all. He really put himself out there, to the point of a twitter meltdown a couple of years ago in which he asked us to not buy his records. The disease was speaking.
I saw them live in 2013 here, and the band delivered the goods as promised. It was a catharsis for both band and audience as we all got to yell scream and shout for a couple of hours.
The band came through town again in 2016, and tweeted that they were looking for a bar where they could watch the Leicester City soccer match. Several of us recommended a place.
The morning of the match I was there, along with other soccer fans, waiting for the game to statr. The band came in. I have to say there were very approachable, even when people wanted to give them their privacy, to let them watch the match in peace - they were very cool about it.
I got to talk to Scott briefly, to thank him for the good work he was doing. Handed over a couple of bottles of Irn-Bru, which they gratefully accepted. Grant cracked open a bottle right on the spot. They signed my CD, took some names for Monday’s guest list and that was it.
Did not get to go to the show, figured I’d catch them next time. You know how that goes.
See ‘em while you can, there may not be a next time.
Scott spoke openly about his condition, his depression and dark side and put them in his music.
Whatever he was listening to when he put out those two last, cryptic, tweets was lying to him so hard. The beast lies. Depression lies. As the band said today, he’s no longer in pain, may he have finally found some peace.
It’s not the same grief as when an icon you never met died, either suddenly or by natural causes. Frightened Rabbit were far from a household name, but they have a niche of very devoted supporters.
I’ve been following the band for over ten years, almost as long as they have been in existence. They had a good social media presence, you knew what they were working on, and where. Hutchinson wrote so eloquently and honestly about the human condition, flaws and all. He really put himself out there, to the point of a twitter meltdown a couple of years ago in which he asked us to not buy his records. The disease was speaking.
I saw them live in 2013 here, and the band delivered the goods as promised. It was a catharsis for both band and audience as we all got to yell scream and shout for a couple of hours.
The band came through town again in 2016, and tweeted that they were looking for a bar where they could watch the Leicester City soccer match. Several of us recommended a place.
The morning of the match I was there, along with other soccer fans, waiting for the game to statr. The band came in. I have to say there were very approachable, even when people wanted to give them their privacy, to let them watch the match in peace - they were very cool about it.
I got to talk to Scott briefly, to thank him for the good work he was doing. Handed over a couple of bottles of Irn-Bru, which they gratefully accepted. Grant cracked open a bottle right on the spot. They signed my CD, took some names for Monday’s guest list and that was it.
Did not get to go to the show, figured I’d catch them next time. You know how that goes.
See ‘em while you can, there may not be a next time.
Scott spoke openly about his condition, his depression and dark side and put them in his music.
Whatever he was listening to when he put out those two last, cryptic, tweets was lying to him so hard. The beast lies. Depression lies. As the band said today, he’s no longer in pain, may he have finally found some peace.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Bandwagonleicester
It is probably the best sports team story I have seen in my lifetime. The rise of Leicester City Football Club from Division One of the English Premier League to the top level, only to barely hang on to their spot last season.
Now, the team is a hair's width from winning the Premier League Championship, which would earn a team with one of the five lowest payrolls in the league hundreds of millions of dollars. If team manager Claudio Ranieri is not Manager of the Century, I do not know what it would take.
So many stories have been written about their rise in the ranks. It's been quite The Struggle, as my friend Graham, who is from Leicester and now calls Columbus home put it this morning. I cannot imagine the joy, the incredible impossibilities that are going through his mind as his boyhood team is so close to winning it all, for the first time ever.
I went to a local brewpub this morning to watch the match, and provide backup support. I had heard members of a Scottish band I like were looking for a place to watch as today was their day off before a Monday night show in town. Even brought a couple bottles of Irn-Bru in case. An offering to boys far from home. They did show up, and were extremely pleased with the gift, the brewpub, the match, and everything I think. As a neutral, I want to see this magic happen and am winning to deal with Everton losing to them next week so they can win the title at home. If chelsea were to beat Tottenham tomorrow, the point is moot, Leicester City win. Game on.
Now, the team is a hair's width from winning the Premier League Championship, which would earn a team with one of the five lowest payrolls in the league hundreds of millions of dollars. If team manager Claudio Ranieri is not Manager of the Century, I do not know what it would take.
So many stories have been written about their rise in the ranks. It's been quite The Struggle, as my friend Graham, who is from Leicester and now calls Columbus home put it this morning. I cannot imagine the joy, the incredible impossibilities that are going through his mind as his boyhood team is so close to winning it all, for the first time ever.
I went to a local brewpub this morning to watch the match, and provide backup support. I had heard members of a Scottish band I like were looking for a place to watch as today was their day off before a Monday night show in town. Even brought a couple bottles of Irn-Bru in case. An offering to boys far from home. They did show up, and were extremely pleased with the gift, the brewpub, the match, and everything I think. As a neutral, I want to see this magic happen and am winning to deal with Everton losing to them next week so they can win the title at home. If chelsea were to beat Tottenham tomorrow, the point is moot, Leicester City win. Game on.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Here's your shovel, there's the ground
My third, and probably final, concert this year was the band Frightened Rabbit. I've wanted to see these guys for about five years. The Midnight Organ Fight really helped get me through the crazy time of 2008. They've passed through Columbus a few times, but my own scheduling made it impossible to attend. This time, my lovely wife took care of my son and gave my the opportunity.

It had been six years since I've seen a show at the Newport (Lez Zeppelin) and it felt good to be back as it's one of the better venues in town. The band did a decent mix of material from their last three albums and it felt good to shout, howl and otherwise have a good time for a night. They had me when they did The Modern Leper with their second song and I could have gone home immediately after, when Nothing Like You was performed. But there was more to come. It was a good audience, and we had no problem staking out a spot on the floor for the evening.

Had a beer too many, but already took the next day off in advance, so that was good planning on my part. I'm not sure about the future ambitions of the band, where do they go from here? They're not ready for headlining an arena, but in the confines of a medium sized theater, Frightened Rabbit were successful in swinging for the fences.
It had been six years since I've seen a show at the Newport (Lez Zeppelin) and it felt good to be back as it's one of the better venues in town. The band did a decent mix of material from their last three albums and it felt good to shout, howl and otherwise have a good time for a night. They had me when they did The Modern Leper with their second song and I could have gone home immediately after, when Nothing Like You was performed. But there was more to come. It was a good audience, and we had no problem staking out a spot on the floor for the evening.
Had a beer too many, but already took the next day off in advance, so that was good planning on my part. I'm not sure about the future ambitions of the band, where do they go from here? They're not ready for headlining an arena, but in the confines of a medium sized theater, Frightened Rabbit were successful in swinging for the fences.
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