A sleek, stylish Ra Ra Riot turned Union Transfer into a dance club

Ra Ra Riot | Photo by Michelle Montgomery for WXPN | michellemontgomeryphotography.com

Indie pop band Ra Ra Riot brought their string-filled electro-pop sounds to Union Transfer on Saturday night. Touring in support of their recently-released fourth studio album Need Your Light, the group played an upbeat set of their newest music as well as crowd favorites from their previous albums.

Need Your Light is a sleeker, but natural follow-up to 2013’s Beta Love. On it, Ra Ra Riot continues to explore a synth-heavy, electronic soundscape accentuated with strings and percussion. Frontman / vocalist Wes Miles, bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Monacci, violinist Rebecca Zeller, drummer Kenny Bernard, and touring cellist Emily Brausa played a fun set of their catchy tunes, quickly transforming Union Transfer into a dance club throughout the rest of the night.

Queer punk band PWR BTTM opened the show to a crowd of eager fans. Throughout their set, guitarist Ben Hopkins and drummer Liv Bruce interacted with the crowd, frequently sharing funny stories and inspirations behind some of their songs. The garage punk duo played a playful and feisty set in support of their debut album, Ugly Cherries, released last year.

Baltimore-based indie rock group Sun Club followed PWR BTTM’s set with an energetic performance in support of their 2015 debut album, The Dongo Durango. The quintet’s experimental elements to their upbeat songs, along with their bouncy delivery immediately captivated the crowd’s attention. With dancing and mosh pits abound, the crowd was more than energized for Ra Ra Riot’s set.