Well, being back in Texas is a little rough on the concert going end of things – Chicago just had it all. But occasionally down here we get a good show or 2 every month or 2, just not the good show or 2 every week we had up there. But this show last night was one I was very excited to check out from the dance/rock/80s stylings of Ratatat. I had picked up their album when it came out last month, and I really liked it alot, but it is one of those albums that sounded to me like it really would bring the noize live, and it sure as shit did.

Their style is mostly instrumental (maybe all instrumental), with kind of quirky dance/synth beats and groove laying the backdrop for some very 80s guitar riffs. It is an interesting combination to be sure, but I think it works really well, especially live. You could tell immediately that the crowd was into it, which in my experience is a bit of a rarity in Dallas, but these guys brought it. I can only hope that we get the same energy at the upcoming Hot Chip and Cut Copy shows.

They came on stage to a roar, with just their name backdropped on the video screen as they were shrouded in darkness. That was how the show was presented largely, with videos on the screen and not really any lights on the guys on stage. Sometimes this doesn’t really work, but I was thoroughly enjoying the videos, and I dare say they have the best background videos of any band I have ever seen. All you need to know is “Predator”. Yes, that’s right. The movie “Predator” is edited in there as the video for one of the songs, mixing footage of the infared Predator vision with shots of villagers getting their shit blown up, finally ending the song on a shot of Dutch (Schwarzenegger). Amazing. Another one had a fucked up wacky funhouse mirror version of the Paul Simon video for “You Can Call Me Al” featuring Chevy Chase. Another one had fucked up images of Abba (I think). Sometimes bizarre, but also pretty awesome.

The show started out fairly benign, but as it went on, the songs got progressively more dance-y and the crowd got more fired up, and by the end pretty much everyone was dancing. It is hard to describe the music really, but it is pretty much just cool little riffs over dance beats, and the songs really build nicely and work really well live with a lot of volume. I kind of expected something kind of similar to Justice’s live show, and it kind of is, just less dancy and a little more live band-ish. But it gets the crowd going for sure. They hit with a lot of the songs on the new album, as well as a few old ones, and all sounded pretty cool.

These guys are still on tour for a little while longer I believe, and I would strongly recommend checking them out if you get a chance. They definitely put on a great live show, and if you want to party you won’t be disappointed.

Sep 17 2008 8:00P the marquee tulsa, Oklahoma
Sep 19 2008 8:00P first avenue minneapolis, Minnesota
Sep 20 2008 8:00P calvin college grand rapids, Michigan
Sep 21 2008 8:00P hideout block party chicago, Illinois
Sep 22 2008 8:00P turner hall milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sep 23 2008 8:00P oberlin college (SOLD OUT) oberlin, Ohio
Sep 25 2008 8:00P the masquerade atlanta, Georgia
Sep 26 2008 8:00P cat’s cradle (SOLD OUT) carrboro, North Carolina
Sep 27 2008 8:00P terminal 5 (SOLD OUT) new york, New York
Sep 28 2008 8:00P paradise (SOLD OUT) boston, Massachusetts
Sep 29 2008 8:00P paradise (SOLD OUT) boston, Massachusetts
Oct 1 2008 8:00P starlite ballroom philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 2 2008 8:00P black cat (SOLD OUT) washington DC, Washington DC
Oct 3 2008 8:00P club soda (SOLD OUT) montreal
Oct 4 2008 8:00P phoenix concert theatre toronto
Oct 5 2008 8:00P sonar baltimore, Maryland
Nov 21 2008 8:00P moby dick madrid
Nov 24 2008 8:00P Nouveau Casino Paris
Nov 25 2008 8:00P L’ Abordage Evreux
Nov 26 2008 8:00P Cave au Poete Roubaix lille
Nov 27 2008 8:00P olympic nantes
Nov 28 2008 8:00P La Plateforme lyon
Nov 29 2008 8:00P Laiterie Club strasbourg
Dec 1 2008 8:00P Palace Theatre st. gallen
Dec 2 2008 8:00P rote fabrik zurich

Ratatat – Mirando – From LP3