Modern romance via computer is a common mating option.
Yet during the early Eighties, it still seemed like something
out of a sci-fi movie or TV show. That concept, musical era (think: Devo,
Kraftwerk, Sparks) and books by futuristic authors (William Gibson, Ray
Kurzweil), all had a major affect on Ra Ra Riot’s engaging third album “Beta
Love.”
On the title track, front man Wes Miles sings “I might be a
prototype/But we’re both real inside.” He also wonders “Who wants a human love?”
amid “I Shut Off,” while “Binary Mind” references a “technocratic future world.”
Wednesday night at Observatory in Santa Ana, a large excitable audience saw the
acclaimed New York City
band deftly combine those fresh, sugary New Wave-influenced melodies with trademark
chamber pop accents. Ra Ra Riot was dazzlingly illuminated
by light bars a bigger, major label act would
typically use.
Frequently turning up on tastemaker SoCal radio shows like KCRW’s
“Morning Becomes Eclectic” (which hosted the group’s performance today, Feb.
14) as well as KROQ’s Rodney on the Roq and Jonesy’s Jukebox, Ra Ra Riot is
currently #4 on the CMJ New Music Report top 20 album chart. A recent swing
through The Orient found them sharing stages with Dirty Projectors and Best Coast.
Here, the musicians on electric guitar, bass, drums and violin were augmented by a fantastic tour
drummer and cellist who doubled on keyboards/backing vocals. Having previously only seen a quick glimpse of Ra Ra Riot in
the Mojave tent at Coachella ’10, I was pleased to finally witness a complete show
in OC – and I definitely wasn’t disappointed.
The 65-minute, 18-song set got off to a frenetic start with “Too
Too Too Fast,” off 2008 debut CD, “The Rhumb Line.” Then squelching synthesizer
dominated the hyper “Binary Mind,” the first of eight tracks played from the
new release.
Miles had no trouble replicating his helium falsetto during
“Beta Love” and several other songs: the aptly-titled “Dance with Me”
(many fans obliged all evening), a hauntingly dramatic “When I Dream” (reminiscent
of mid-period Radiohead) and jittery, keyboard-driven highlight “For Once.”
Another standout was the dense, Arcade Fire-styled “Ghost
Under Rocks,” which swelled with intensity and concluded with crashing drums.
Exuberant main set ender “Boy” was capped by the mild-mannered vocalist jumping
off the drum riser.
Formed last year under the moniker Koko, Santa Ana’s own Pacific Air toured with Walk
the Moon and Passion Pit and released an EP. Led by brothers Ryan and Taylor Lawhon, the
dream pop duo (expanded to five members live) delivered a solid half hour performance that brought to mind
MGMT fronted by a less flamboyant Adam Lambert. Previewing a major label full-length debut album due this spring on
Republic Records, they fared best on the infectious “Roses” (with a cool recorder
intro) and whimsical “Float,” complete with whistling and sleigh bells.
Earlier, Cayucas’ half-hour opening set was
spirited and fun, along the lines of Vampire Weekend. The preppy LA
alt-rock band infused
their songs with plenty of group chants, surf guitar stabs and
tambourine.
Fronted by unassuming singer Zach Yudin, the laconic title track to
their album
“Bigfoot” (released by hip indie label Secretly Canadian), the tribal
“High
School Lover” and “Will the Thrill” made the most indelible marks.
Next: 9 p.m. Feb. 15, Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach,
$20-$22, (858) 481-8140 or bellyup.com
Ra Ra Riot, The Observatory, Santa Ana, Feb. 13, 2013
Setlist: Too Too Too Fast/Shadowcasting/Binary Mind/Oh,
La/Beta Love/Angel, Please/Too Dramatic/St.
Peter’s Day Festival/Is It Too Much/Dance with Me/Can You Tell/When I Dream/Run
My Mouth/For Once/Ghost Under Rocks/Boy
Encore: Dying is Fine/I Shut Off
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