CONCERT REVIEWS: A fantastic week of music for Paris – Frightened Rabbit and The Very Best
April 15th, 2010 • Concert Review, Electronic, Rock, Video
It was a fantastic week for music in Paris. Frightened Rabbit played Tuesday night at Le Flèche d’Or, and The Very Best graced Social Club the following evening. The groups put on shows that are practically polar opposites, but both nights proved to be brilliant in their own right.
Frightened Rabbit is a indie rock act signed onto Fat Cat Records, and was formed in 2003 by Scottish brothers Scott and Grant Hutchison. The band expanded to include Billy Kennedy, Andy Monaghan and Gordon Skene, and has since released three albums: Sing the Greys in 2006, The Midnight Organ Fight in 2008 and The Winter of Mixed Drinks in March of this year. Their sound is melodic, if somewhat melancholy, but beautiful beyond a shadow of a doubt.
The show Wednesday night was a world apart. The Very Best is the product of collaboration between Esau Mwamwaya and London’s own Radioclit. The group released their first full-length album Warm Heart of Africa in Obctober of last year through a joint effort by record labels Green Owl, Moshi Moshi and Ghettopop.
Their sound is heavily inspired by traditional Malawi music, which evidently translates to instigating an irresistible dance party. The Very Best is a must-see live act. The group puts on the kind of show where, from the moment they start until the second they finish, their stage presence is the only thing that exists. Unsurprisingly, their captivating and intoxicating performance was not at all lost on the Parisian audience, and got the entire crowd at Social Club fired up.
Frightened Rabbit will continue on their tour Stateside until December, whereas The Very Best will keep making more international moves until September.
-Liz Rowley
Liz Rowley is a 3-year WRBC Veteran. She is currently studying abroad in Paris, France.