Incite a Riot: Syracuse University alums Ra Ra Riot performed new songs and old favorites at The Westcott

By: Caitlin Dewey

Posted: 3/30/09

On a colder night, Kate McLaughlin may not have laughed at the fact that she was stuck outside the doors of The Westcott Theater, with virtually no hope of getting to see the riotous show inside. But McLaughlin, a second-year doctoral student in Syracuse University's School of Education, could only shake her head and trade cracks about hipsters as the first strains of Ra Ra Riot's sold-out show filtered out onto the street.

"Yeah, I'm disappointed, but I knew it would sell out," she said. "It's Ra Ra Riot - they're local, they're incredible, and they're getting big."

McLaughlin was one of more than 50 disappointed concert-goers turned away from The Westcott Saturday night. The 9 p.m. show sold out shortly before 7 p.m., as 700 fans snatched up chances to see hometown hero Ra Ra Riot and supporting acts Cut Off Your Hands, So Many Dynamos and Sophistafunk.

Only one year ago, the classically influenced pop quintet was still playing its Syracuse shows from Funk 'N' Waffles' tiny, crowded stage. After a year of touring, however, and the release of a critically acclaimed debut album, "The Rhumb Line," Syracuse University's music grads have officially outgrown the venue that created them.

"I think they're the type of people who are very down to earth and they won't forget their roots, but they're getting huge," said Kevin Kearns, a senior television, radio and film major. "Since the album came out, they're blowing up." Both anticipation and near-stifling humidity hung in the air as the packed venue awaited Ra Ra Riot's set.

The crowd was more than willing to scream, dance and mosh along to any song the openers tossed at them, be it a spitfire lyrical flow from Funk 'N' Waffles fixture Sophistafunk or a semi-clichéd - but nevertheless exuberant - powerpop anthem from New Zealand import Cut Off Your Hands.

No one appeared to mind or even notice the absence of well-known electro opener Passion Pit, who dropped out of the tour last week. Credit that success to So Many Dynamos, Passion Pit's infectious dance-punk replacement. With a Ben Gibbard aesthetic, a Les Savy Fav sound, and energy and baselines and breakdowns to spare, So Many Dynamos easily played the best opening set of the night.

The band's epileptic dancing, performed to a collage of distorted space-age synth and hardcore-informed electro, drove the 700-person crowd into fits on songs like "Progress" and "We Vibrate, We Do."

But the mixed crowd, composed primarily of SU students, was there to see Ra Ra Riot - a fact reflected by the rabid anticipation before Ra Ra's set.

"I was anxious for them to get going. As much as the other bands were cool and everything, they weren't really the reason I was there," said Alexis Pokorny, a sophomore public relations major. "When Ra Ra Riot started getting ready … everyone was really antsy and excited. One person would come (onstage) and everyone would start cheering."

Despite the fact that the band graduated three years ago and that most of its friends and contemporaries have likewise since departed, utter hysteria accompanied Ra Ra's emergence onstage at 11:48p.m. - and lasted for the duration of its hour-plus set.

As good as Ra Ra Riot sounds on album, absolutely nothing compares to the force of its live show. The chemistry between band members is palpable. The emotion in their performance and their immaculate string arrangements transform what could be a standard indie set into an utter force of nature.

"Everybody absolutely loves them," said Jessie Zehr, a senior illustration major. "It was absolutely beautiful. It was one of those (sets) that was so powerful and strong and intense and just - beautiful." Ra Ra Riot played the entirety of its debut album, "The Rhumb Line," as well as several selections from its 2007 self-titled EP.

The crowd sang along to popular singles like "Each Year," "Dying Is Fine" and "Can You Tell," at times growing louder than the band itself. Ra Ra also previewed several yet-to-be-named new songs, which the band plans to record next fall.

Ra Ra Riot has essentially been using the same material since its EP release two years ago, but the band will need new songs in the upcoming months - Ra Ra Riot will begin playing high-profile arena shows with Death Cab for Cutie next week.

"They're getting really big. It's so exciting because they started here," Zehr said. "I hope they get bigger venues and bigger shows - I will be there if they do."

cedewey@syr.edu