Ra Ra Riot Work Out The Kinks At New York Gig, By Kim Stolz

New York's Ra Ra Riot opened for Regina Spektor Thursday night at the Bowery. Their latest LP, The Rhumb Line, is worth a few listens, so was looking forward to taking a friend to their live performance. As the concert started, the band immediately put forward the excuse of not having performed in a few months — never a good sign. Maybe that made me expect them not to be good, and sure enough, the band's energy left something to be desired. Each of the six bandmembers seemed excited and enthusiastic, but that energy didn't translate into a cohesive set, which is precisely is what a band at Ra Ra Riot's level needs to do. They have a relatively big fanbase and the blogosphere certainly knows them, but they haven't quite broken through yet. However, after a few more shows, hopefully they will find their rhythm. If The Rhumb Line is any indication of what is to come, the future looks bright.