Ra Ra Riot @ South Street Seaport (29 June 2007)

It was the show we’ve all been waiting for…

After the unexpected and untimely departure of drummer John Pike, Ra Ra Riot returned to New York City. Everyone I had spoken to prior to the show didn’t know what to expect…What we got was an amazingly energetic performance. The opening song exploded in my face with an unknown drummer pounding out the beat. I’ve never seen the members of Ra Ra Riot move that much on stage. Maybe it was the fresh air, or perhaps it was some pent up aggression being released, but they were out to prove to the naysayers that it wasn’t over for them. The show ended up being the performance by them that I’ve seen so far.

Man Man @ McCarren Pool (1 July 2007)

Sunday saw me in the deep end of McCarren Pool to see Dengue Fever and Man Man. LA’s Dengue, with their culturally fused funk was the best way to jump into another Man Man show while the DJs slowly switched from those sweet summer jams to a more sparsely infused percussive sound as Man Man donned their white war paint and took the stage. Being from Philly, I’ve come to expect a great live show from the boys, but it had been 15 months since I saw them last and this was outdoors so I was left to wonder if that energy transfer or would it be dispersed among the few clouds that dotted the afternoon sky. Of course my doubt was wiped away in a matter of moments. They never cease to amaze me with how tight they continue to become, and with their on stage ‘antics’ if you will…I’d be hard pressed to find a better all around live show. Man Man changed my idea of what a live show could be, and I highly recommend you making the effort to see them when they come through your city.