Dear Ra Ra Riot,

Notes from Ra Ra Riot @ the Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, 5/9/08

Dear Ra Ra Riot,

I've seen you perform live twice now, and I'm as enthralled as ever. Your musical talents are certainly evident in the live setting, but your group dynamic is what makes things so compelling. After seeing you at the Monolith Festival last September I couldn't stop talking about how much fun you were having on stage (I also kept your EP on my car stereo for days). It was an infectious performance. The merchandise tent afterwards was proof enough that you stole the festival from the bigger acts. That performance brought me to a dingy club in Colorado Springs last Friday Night. Once again, you put on an incredibly memorable show. It was a great night with an intimate audience, although I'm sorry only 30 or so people showed up to witness it. Nevertheless, you played your asses off and were humble and entertaining between songs.

My constructive criticism is very short: don't loose your passion for each other and for playing together. There could be hundreds of external factors (especially including your crowd size), but the love you showed each other during your performance dropped slightly from when I saw you at Monolith to the Black Sheep. On that make-shift stage underneath Red Rocks in September you were constantly smiling and making physical contact with each other anyway you could. At the Black Sheep I saw the same actions, just to a lesser extent. Don't let the grind of touring wear out you enthusiasm. Also, it would be amazing if you lengthened some of the songs in the live setting (such as "Dying is Fine").

Normally I single out certain band members for their performances, good or bad, but with you guys I just can't do it. You define the most collective definitions of the word "band" and you are all great performers. If there was only one young, up-and-coming band that I could champion, it would be you guys. Expect to hear your songs on my radio show regularly for some time to come.

Sincerely,
Grant

P.S. I'll see you at the Westword Music Festival, June 14th in Denver.

Ra Ra Riot official site
my thoughts from the Monolith Festival
Dying is Fine video
Each Year (RAC remix)
Pitchfork's Monolith Photos

Set List: (thanks to the band for filling in the new song titles)
Manner to Act
Everest
Too Too Fast
St. Peter's Day Festival
Can You Tell
Oh, LA
Winter '05
Ghost Under Rocks
Each Year
Dying is Fine
Hounds of Love (Kate Bush cover)