Ratboys live at Washington DC’s Atlantis review

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As a music enthusiast and storyteller, I found myself utterly captivated by the recent concert at the Atlantis featuring Ratboys, Palehound, and youbet. Each band showcased their unique blend of sounds and emotions that resonated deeply with me.

20 minutes into Ratboys’ headlining show at Washington‘s Atlantis on Monday, Julia Steiner, their frontwoman, warmly welcomed the audience. This greeting followed her announcement that the band from Chicago would be recording a new album in February, and they were about to play a couple of fresh tunes. Before playing the first one, titled “The World So Madly,” she explained, “This song is about tuning into disturbing news each evening and then waking up the next day, trying to move on.

“Welcome to DC!”

Given the heated aftermath of a highly divisive election, it’s hardly unexpected that a concert bill showcasing nearly all transgender and queer artists would stir some political discussions. However, Steiner, alongside El Kemper from Palehound on guitar and vocals, and Micah Prussack from youbet on the bass, mostly kept their political sentiments under wraps during this event.

Ratboys are just here to play some rock and roll

In response to the question about changes following the election, Prussack simply stated, “We’re all about rocking out, and that’s exactly what we’ll continue to do regardless of the outcome.

The message was met with resounding cheers.

Witnessing three vibrant, relatively young bands sharing a stage together in 2024 stirred up a poignant thought from our recent history. Regrettably, we may never grasp the magnitude of music that was potentially silenced by the pandemic. Each of these bands, despite being at different points in their journeys, were on the brink of significant milestones in 2020. Youbet had just launched their first album on a small label and were ready to record new tracks. Palehound was slightly more established, with several albums under their belt, while Ratboys were about to release their third album, Printer’s Devil, as the world fell silent in early 2020.

Luckily, every group managed to carry on performing, and they’ve all produced their best albums over the past few years.

To start off their performance, Ratboys primarily played tracks from their earlier days. A tune called “Space Blows” was part of their pandemic venture, revisiting and re-recording several early songs, such as the one found on Happy Birthday, Ratboy. This transitioned smoothly into one of their latest creations, “No Way,” which carries a fresh resonance in the week following the national election. The song’s recurring line, “There’s no way you’ll control me again,” can be interpreted in various ways, encompassing both personal and political meanings.

Ratboys’ song ‘No Way’ showcases their growing stylistic intricacy, though they’re often referred to as ‘post country.’ However, they’ve been progressively distancing themselves from their twangy origins, venturing into contemporary power pop territory that beautifully combines Steiner’s soft vocals with Sagan’s fiery guitar solos. This track marked the start of many such bold excursions by Sagan.

Steiner’s vocals are softly expressed but don’t underestimate the strength in her performances, both vocally and in songwriting. When necessary, she can belt out loud over the commotion, with bassist Sean Neumann providing additional powerful backing vocals. Following an early hit, “Elvis Is in the Freezer” (a tribute to a deceased pet, not a singer), Steiner unveiled these new songs to the audience. She shared that the second one, “Burn It Down,” has recently taken on a new meaning for her, before making some strong comments about the Democratic Party – comments which I regret cannot be repeated here due to this site’s family-friendly policy.

Following a sequence of older and upcoming tracks, Steiner delved into a five-track sequence from the 2023 album “The Window“, which became a significant milestone for the band. They opted to play the album in reverse order, starting with the closing track “Bad Reaction” that offers a soft touch, and seamlessly transitioning into the powerful opening number “Making Noise for the Ones You Love”, driven by Marcus Nuccio’s relentless drum rhythm.

During this time, two songs stood out as embodying the current spirit of the band: “Morning Zoo” and “It’s Alive.” These tracks perfectly blend Steiner’s captivating pop melodies with Sagan’s intense, driving, grungy guitar riffs. The result is catchy tunes that are just as enjoyable for humming as they are for headbanging.

Steiner concluded the heart of the show playing “The Window‘s title song, a touching homage to her grandfather who will be turning 95 soon and would be thrilled by the Pittsburgh Steelers’ triumph over the Washington Commanders. This sparked some cheers from the audience, which Steiner pacified by confessing that Commanders’ quarterback Jayden Daniels is on her fantasy football roster, and she holds him in high regard.

On with the rock & roll.

Ratboys performed a couple of their classic tunes prior to wrapping up with an electrifying rendition of “Black Earth, WI” from their album “The Window“. Sagan was thoroughly ecstatic, immersed in over five minutes of exhilarating guitar melodies that left the completely packed audience on a euphoric note.

At the start of the evening in Brooklyn, youbet featured a 30-minute set by singer/guitarist Nick Llobet, who blended emo and shoegaze lyrics with a powerful bass and drum rhythm. Much of the performance was anchored by Prussack’s bass, providing space for Llobet to deliver sharp guitar riffs.

Prussack takes charge of the playful exchanges with the crowd, whereas Llobet, known for his cinematic charm, tends to keep a more reserved demeanor. In his past, Llobet has openly discussed dealing with impostor syndrome, and this shy disposition occasionally surfaces during breaks between songs. However, when it comes to performing with the band, he always puts on a confident front without any trace of shyness.

As a fervent admirer, I’d like to highlight that El Kempner, leading Palehound with grace, seems to have banished shyness entirely. They shine brilliantly both as an expressive vocalist and a virtuoso guitar player. On tour, Palehound has introduced a second guitar, providing Kempner ample space for their stunning solos. This is palpable on “The Clutch,” one of the standout tracks from the band’s recent album, “Eye on the Bat.

They performed “Independence Day,” “My Evil” from their latest album, along with “Good Sex” – Kempner’s amusing account of an awkward encounter that begins Eye on the Bat. These songs fit seamlessly into their current live performances as well. Kempner also delved into the past by performing a stripped-down, sincere version of “Your Boyfriend’s Gun” as a solo, allowing the rest of the band to take a brief interlude.

The night wasn’t perfect; there were some minor technical glitches here and there. When Palehound’s other members came back on stage, Kempner admitted they had accidentally skipped a song they were supposed to play. During youbet’s performance, Llobet experienced guitar troubles that forced them to pause and start over. At the end of one Ratboys’ song, there was an audible hum lingering in the air. Steiner queried Sagan if it was his fault, to which he replied, “Most likely.” They simply moved on to the next song after that.

On Tuesday evening, the same group of performers is set to take the stage at Atlantis for another performance. Ratboys is carrying on with their tour along the Eastern seaboard throughout the remainder of the month, while Palehound will only accompany them for a few more gigs. Kempner addressed the audience, revealing that they are scheduled for gender-affirming surgery in the coming week. It’s highly likely that Kempner and Palehound will return soon. These three bands have proven their resilience. As Ybet’s Prussack announced early on, they’re here to deliver some rock & roll tunes.

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2024-11-12 18:00