Ra Ra Riot Rocks the Music Hall of Williamsburg - 10/17/08

Last Friday I saw Ra Ra Riot at The Music Hall of Williamsburg. It is a very cool venue, equipped with a large downstairs area, couches, and a big bar. Upstairs is the performance space, and it is about as intimate as they come. Besides the dance floor there is a second level a few more feet up, allowing a view that is close to the band but over the heads of those on the floor. Up a bit more is the third level which has tables and chairs. The doors opened at eight and the first band went on at nine. And The Moneynotes played to an enthusiastic but small crowd, entertaining us with their music as well as their quirky and upbeat stage presence. My favorite was the electric violin player who moved his legs like a cartoon character and had a face as expressive as a silent movie star. Their mix of folk and rock was certainly the right tone to amp up the room.

Next came Walter Meego, who brought in a totally different sound with their techno beats and slow singing. The band consisted of three men, one whom worked his ass off running from one station to the other, playing keyboards, creating sounds, and spinning records. The singer was not one of my favorites but the music was interesting and certainly had the now bigger crowd dancing and bopping.

Ra Ra Riot came on at 11pm. The group is made up of four guys and two girls: vocalist Wes Miles, bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci, cellist Alexandra Lawn, and violinist Rebecca Zeller. The lead singer is absolutely adorable and has a sweet voice to boot, but the ones who held my attention are the ladies. Each armed with their strings instrument, Alexandra and Rebecca own every song with their long sad notes and intense quick paced strokes.

The beautiful and talented Alexandra is the master of her instrument, dancing and moving with a cello as I have never seen anyone do. She bends and dips and dances as she plays, slipping her fingers and bow around with an almost sexual joy. As my boyfriend so aptly pointed out “She really loves that cello, huh?”

Ra Ra Riot’s songs are a mix between sweet and haunting, light and heavy. This sort of mood embodies the group themselves, as on stage they are all smiles and dances, connecting with one another as I have seen few groups do. But offstage their history is laden with loss and trouble; they suffered through the tragic loss of their original drummer John Ryan Pike, who went missing after a performance and was found drowned the next day. This sort of loss provides a depth to the sweet tunes that the band produces. They put on a wonderful show and the crowd was extremely receptive.