Web: rarariot.com
Contact: inge@goldatl.as
Players: Wes Miles, vocals, guitar; Rebecca Zeller, violin; Kenny Bernard, drums; Heartstrings Music, additional strings
Music organization The Wild Honey Pie hosted a community event in New York last month, bringing local music professionals to Rivian for a night of pizza and performance. Although not hosted in a typical music venue, the floor to ceiling windows kept the intimate event from feeling crowded. Instead, leafy plants and views of the Hudson River framed the stage. On a makeshift platform in the center of the showroom, Ra Ra Riot and Heartstrings welcomed the crowd. All mic equipment was powered by an electric car parked beside them, but the instrumental arrangement remained entirely acoustic.
After an introduction from the team at The Wild Honey Pie, powerful phrases from the strings enveloped the audience, opening the show with “Ghost Under Rocks.” The song surged forward quickly, sweeping the audience along in the river rapids, propelled by the energetic drumbeat, while the strings lingered on long notes. Miles’ clear and bright vocal timbre bounced over, splashing up out of the flow.
Dreamy strings guided listeners through “Oh, Lah” and “Water,” with harmonies floating over the crowd. Dark colors in the cellos kept the airy melodies grounded, shifting below a lilting vocal melody. In “I Need Your Light,” sharp, staccato notes and a thundering bass drum build undulating waves of intensity. The earnestness in “Water” gave the set release - an unbridled end, as if running towards freedom. On a whim, they decided to through in a fifth track as an encore. Miles’ laughed that it wasn’t rehearsed, instead following the spontaneity of the evening. They ended on a high note, with an upbeat, poppy track that invigorated the crowd.
The set was short and sweet, a special treat for the audience. After the show, the band and organizers invited the crowd for drinks across the street at a local bar. Part of The Wild Honey Pie’s mission is to support local nonprofits with music, highlighting the Bronx River Alliance as their choice for the night. It made the lyrics “We’ve got a lot to learn from each other/We have got to stick together” from “Oh, Lah” feel especially poignant. Although Ra Ra Riot isn’t currently planning to tour, their tremendous repertoire is available for fans online.
