Photo by Breanna Keohane for WXPN

Free at Noon Flashback: Ra Ra Riot is back and better than ever

February 13, 2016

02:02 PM

Photo by Breanna Keohane for WXPN

Fans anxiously lined the three stories of steps leading to the downstairs stage of World Cafe Live on Friday, waiting for the doors to open for Ra Ra Riot. As the room filled, the crowd was almost as energetic as the band as they came out on stage.

The New York natives came out with a full band, bedazzled violin and all. Guitarist Mathieu Santos, vocalist Wes Miles and violinist Rebecca Zeller took turns on keyboard throughout the set with Kenny Bernard on drums. While the band saw a minor set-back in 2012 when cellist Alexandra Lawn decided to part ways with the band, they came into Philadelphia with a touring cellist to round out their baroque pop sound.

Ra Ra Riot kicked off their set with “Every Time I’m Ready to Hug” off their much-anticipated new album Need Your Light. While their album Beta Love, released back in 2013, swayed more towards synthpop than the previous albums, the new songs combined the electronic sound with their original vibe of strong violin and cello sounds. The band has recently released their single “Absolutely,” along with “Foreign Lovers” off of the upcoming album, to stream on Spotify and Apple Music as teasers for what to expect.

Ra Ra Riot’s performance today kicks off their 2016 tour, and the band will be back Saturday, March 5th at Union Transfer. The album Need Your Light is up for pre-order and will be released on February 12. Listen back to the Free at Noon and check out a photo gallery from the show below.

[xpnplayer action=”audio” category=”Free At Noon” artist=”Ra Ra Riot 2.12.16 ” date=”2016″ button=”yes”][/xpnplayer]