Ra Ra Riot

Infobox musical artist
Name = Ra Ra Riot

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Img_capt = Ra Ra Riot performing High Noon at Cedar Street in Austin, TX, on March 16, 2007.
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Flagicon|USA Syracuse, NY, USA
Genre = Indie rock, Indie Pop
Years_active = 2006–present
Label = Rebel Group V2 Barsuk
URL = [http://www.rarariot.com Official Site]
Current_members = Wes Miles Mathieu Santos Milo Bonacci Alexandra Lawn Rebecca Zeller
Past_members = John Ryan Pike Shaw Flick Cameron Wisch

Ra Ra Riot is an American indie rock band from Syracuse, New York, consisting of vocalist Wes Miles, bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci, cellist Alexandra Lawn, and violinist Rebecca Zeller.

History

Ra Ra Riot formed in 2006, playing at houses and venues around the Syracuse University campus. The band started to attract attention due to their energetic live shows, enough to gain an appearance at the CMJ Music Marathon, less than six months after their formation. Following this appearance, their live show received the first of several favorable reviews from SPIN.com, who called them "one of the best young bands we've heard in a really long time". [cite web|language=English|url=http://www.spin.com/mp3/2007/04/070418_rarariot/|title=SPIN.com - We Depict a Ra Ra Riot|publisher=SPIN Magazine|accessdate=2008-02-27] They went on to open for Art Brut and Bow Wow Wow in New York City, toured the UK twice on their own, [cite web|language=English|url=http://www.nme.com/news/club-nme/27470|title=Ra Ra Riot announce debut UK shows|publisher=NME|accessdate=2007-08-16|date=2007-04-02] then returned, opening for the Editors; [cite web|language=English|url=http://www.egigs.co.uk/index.php?a=11919|title=Ra Ra Riot to accompany Editors on tour|accessdate=2008-02-28|date=2007-09-17] they also toured North America supporting Tokyo Police Club. Their first solo headlining tour of the U.S. was completed in 2007, and in early 2008, they embarked on a second. [cite web|language=English|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/47991-ra-ra-riot-amped-for-tour|title=Ra Ra Riot Amped for Tour|publisher=Pitchfork Media|accessdate=2008-02-28|date=2007-01-23] The band was also invited to play the Iceland Airwaves Festival, in Reykjavik, Iceland. They have recorded three sessions on the national online radio station WOXY and two for the acclaimed [cite web | title = Best Music Blog Winners | publisher = Nielsen | url = http://www.heynielsen.com/blog/2007/12/best-music-blog-winners.html | accessdate = 2007-12-25] Daytrotter sessions at "Futureappletree studio 1" in Rock Island, Illinois.

In 2007, they made their first appearance at South by Southwest and headlined a show at the South Street Music Festival in New York City. The band returned to appear again at the South by Southwest Music Conference in March 2008. [cite web|language=English|url=http://2008.sxsw.com/music/showcases/band/64784.html |title=Ra Ra Riot listing at SXSW festival|publisher=South By Southwest Festivals and Conferences|accessdate=2007-02-27|date=2008-01-19]

After a show in Providence, the band's original drummer, John Ryan Pike, of Hamilton, Massachusetts, went missing in the early morning of June 2, 2007 at Wilbur's Point in Fairhaven. His body was discovered the following day in nearby Buzzards Bay; Pike was believed to have drowned. [cite web|language=English|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/43372-ra-ra-riot-drummer-john-pike-found-dead|title=Ra Ra Riot Drummer John Pike Found Dead|publisher=Pitchfork Media|accessdate=2008-02-28|date=2007-06-04] Ra Ra Riot issued a statement a few weeks after Pike's funeral that they would continue as a band.

In the winter of 2007, the band signed to major label V2 Records. To celebrate their new label deal, Ra Ra Riot released "Dying is Fine" and "Each Year (RAC Mix)" on 7" vinyl as an A/B single. In December 2007, the band announced that they had finished recording new songs for their debut LP. During their show in Cambridge, MA on April 25, 2008, the band announced their new album "would be released in August. If not August then September" 2008. [citeweb|title=Ra Ra Riot News|url=http://www.rarariot.com/news.php]

On May 19, 2008, the band announced that they had signed to Barsuk Records. Their debut album "The Rhumb Line" was released on August 19, 2008 in the United States and Canada. It is due to be released in Europe via V2/Cooperative Music on September 22, 2008.

Discography

Albums and EPs

*"Ra Ra Riot" EP (2007, [http://www.therebelgroup.com/ Rebel Group] )
*"The Rhumb Line" (2008, Barsuk) #109 US

ingles

*"Each Year" (2007, Fandango Records)
*"Dying is Fine" (2007), V2)

References

External links

* [http://www.rarariot.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/rarariot Ra Ra Riot on Myspace]
* [http://www.bandega.com/band/view/ra-ra-riot#interview 2008 Ra Ra Riot Interview at Bandega.com]
* [http://www.spin.com/mp3/2007/04/070418_rarariot/ SPIN Magazine feature on Ra Ra Riot]
* [http://www.nypress.com/20/26/music/music4.cfm New York Press Article Regarding Departure of Shaw Flick]
* [http://www.bmoretunes.com/?page_id=179 Bmore Tunes interview with Allie Lawn]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93941360 Ra Ra Riot on NPR Music]