LIVE REVIEW: Ratboys at The Rath

Chicago indie-rock band Ratboys rolled up to the UW-Madison campus on a freezing Friday in February for their highly anticipated set at the Rathskeller. Proudly sporting a Bernie 2020 beanie, lead singer Julia Steiner captivated and excited young students who filled the quaint college venue with both her contagious energy and melodic, versatile vocals.

Along with Steiner, the group is also composed of guitarist Dava Sagan, drummer Marcus Nuccio and bassist Sean Neumann.

At the time of their performance, Ratboys was mere days away from releasing their newest album Printer’s Devil, which they debuted on February 28th, 2020. The group graced the audience with early access to this project and also revisited some of their older works. Ratboys’ earlier sounds, such as from their first album AOID, come off as noticeably angsty and lo-fi when compared to Printer’s Devil, an album filled with mostly upbeat, energetic tracks.

In combination, each track on Ratboys’ setlist worked together and did not fail to entertain the crowd. The most memorable song of the set was “Alien with a Sleep Mask On.” This track is one of Ratboys brightest, most energetic tracks. This energy reflected perfectly in a live context, as the crowd jumped and chanted the quirky, abnormal song title in unison with Steiner.

Ratboys got the Rathskeller moving in a way that certainly did not disappoint. While I previously mentioned the group’s musical progression in the five years since they’ve formed, I don’t think they’re anywhere near the peak of their careers. Printer’s Devil is an incredibly impressive album, both experienced live and streamed digitally. In the direction that Ratboys is moving in, I’m confident they’ll continue to see success.