Ra Ra Riot @ South Street Seaport 6/29

I believe all people handle tragedy in different ways. Some curl up into a little ball and let the grief take over their lives, some hide it all inside of themselves until their grief winds up consuming them, and some wind up growing from it and using it as a catalyst to propel themselves up in any way they can. On Friday night Ra Ra Riot proved they weren't going to let tragedy stop them, nor were they planning on wasting the time they had all spent together creating this very special band.

As most of you know already, Friday night marked the first time Ra Ra Riot was playing live since the tragic death of their drummer John Pike. The band took the stage wearing pins of John as a South Park character, and proceeded to do his memory complete justice with frenetic 45-minute long set. As they always do the band bounced around on stage, bumping into each other, and playing their brand of indie rock with an elan that few bands could ever hope to match.

Opening the set with "A Manner to Act", the band immediately had the crowd jumping along with them through each verse and singing along to each chorus, especially during the crowd pleasers "Can You Tell" and "Dying is Fine". Of course the band took a break for a moment to remember John, by playing one of his own songs "St. Peter's Day Festival". It was a somber moment, but didn't last too long as the band wouldn't have it that way. Instead they poured their all into finishing their set in the raucous way they usually do, by jumping around, accidentally unplugging each other's instruments, and showing the joy they get from playing to people.

Considering all the band has been through in the past month this was a remarkable performance, it was exhilarating and uplifting and proved without a doubt that Ra Ra Riot are here to stay and to get their music heard.

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