REVIEW: Ratboys Make Their Welcomed Return to The Capital Region
03/11 @ No Fun, Troy
All Photos by Kiki Vassilakis
“There’s something to be said about the band’s chemistry as a collective group, too. Each of the four members brought their own spunk and poise to the part they played, making viewers want to take the proper time to gaze and study the magic of each performer.”
International touring act, Ratboys, sold out Troy’s No Fun on March 11, standing on business during their first Capital Region performance since 2017.
Presented by Byrdhouse Records, Ratboys paired with local Albany rock group, Bruiser and Bicycle, who opened the night. People flooded in early to catch their set – oftentimes a rarity in today’s world for the opening band, but something we love to see. The gaps revealing the checkerboard tiles quickly disappeared as everyone inched closer and got involved in Bruiser and Bicycle’s set, with some fans front and center singing along.
Label buddies with Ratboys, the group showcased their multi-genre sounds right from the first jam of the night, with varying riffs and playful tones that made eyebrows raise with intrigue. Bruiser and Bicycle offered a musical taste of something for everyone, but despite involving so many different sounds, they never sounded messy or unfocused. While toying with fun, honky-tonk keyboard notes, the bandmates remained polished and intentional with their songs.
The vocalists’ unique voices meshed well together, layering in with the rise and fall in tempo on behalf of the drums and strings. They sang of 21st century humor and Casper The Ghost as they got the crowd loosened up for the night.
When Ratboys took the stage, they wasted no time taking advantage of the high energy felt reverberating around the now packed-to-the-brim No Fun. Opening with the fitting, “Making Noise for the Ones You Love,” which features a loud, fast-paced, riveting drum beat, the song was followed by an introduction from the band’s lead, Julia Steiner, who proclaimed how happy they were to be back in the area, home to many of their friends.
Audience members soon realized that expectations were high, as Steiner also shared that the last time the Chicago-based rockers played a show in the Capital Region, a fan brought a literal rat up their sleeve as a companion.
Just a few songs in, some may have been wondering if the roof was going to blow off the venue – that’s how energetic and thunderous the vibes were, in the best way. The drummer was bouncing out of his seat by this point, absolutely crushing every song. There’s something to be said about the band’s chemistry as a collective group, too. Each of the four members brought their own spunk and poise to the part they played, making viewers want to take the proper time to gaze and study the magic of each performer.
Their alternative rock sound also boasted notes of chilled-out country that intertwined with Steiner’s soothing, delicate voice with ease. As she sang each word, raw emotion was apparent in her facial expressions, which were performative and engaging, yet intentional and concentrated.
Ratboys sang of familiar topics, like dealing with the loss of a pet and taking in the fresh air of the outdoors. They also performed three songs off of their newly recorded, unreleased album. One of these tracks was told from the point of view of guitarist Dave Sagan’s parents’ anxious dog – we all know and love one. They even dedicated a song to Sagan’s destroyed phone that got run over by a car outside of Gus’s before the show.
The shades of blue lights bouncing around the stage and the reflecting disco ball nestled in the corner featured a familiar color palette: that of the band’s most recent album, “The Window,” released in 2023, which got lots of love on the Tuesday evening’s setlist. Title track “The Window” and “It’s Alive!” saw a particularly lively reaction from the crowd, though fans could be seen swaying and head banging through the end of the night.
Ratboys certainly delivered in their set, providing a uniting rock performance for fans and friends eager for their long-awaited return to the Troy area. Thankfully, they promised to return again soon.
