Thursday - October 2, 2008
The third song I played tonight was Bird Priest by Ratatat. Ratatat is a personal favorite of the GC student population and I actually wrote an article in our school newspaper about a bunch of students attending this concert at Calvin College. I’ve included that below for your reading pleasure!
Ratatat is a music duo comprised of Evan Mast on synthesizer, and Mike Stroud on guitar. An additional member, Eric Mast, Evan’s brother, joined Ratatat on stage Saturday night. Eric’s own band, E*Rock, opened for Ratatat, as well as the band Panther. Goshen College students had mixed feelings about the opening bands. Hannah Schlabaugh explained that, “E*Rock had great visuals, but bizarre and repetitive music.” Others thought that both opening bands had tasteful sets, but the ultimate highlight of the night was the anticipated and danceable band Ratatat. When asked about the concert, Jacob Brenneman quoted that Ratatat “laid some gnar beats and we [Goshen College students] all got funky.” Funky would be an accurate description of the dancing, supernatural music, and hypnotic visual projections the audience experienced Saturday night.
Ratatat, performing Goshen students favorites from their 2006 album Classics, as well as new pieces from their July release LP3, gathered the audience together in an intimate setting of dancing, moving the audience away from the confinement of stationary seats into a much broader dance domain. “Each of us were in our own little dance world, where we were just free to dance to the music however we wanted to dance, yet everyone was in that auditorium together, dancing as a whole,” explained Lauren Morales. She also commented on the visual effect of the concert: “Overall it was very stimulating, both visually and audibly. Those two things together made it such a sweet experience.”
“It was crazy seeing so many Goshen College students at one concert,” said Clayton Matthews. The turnout of fifty Goshen College students was in fact an impressive number. Why did this concert draw such a large Goshen crowd compared to other concerts in the area? “It’s Goshen College dance music!” Allison Yoder explained. Chase Snyder elaborated with, “It’s unique, electronic music with a funky twist.” Derek Swartz also added that the electronic indie music of Ratatat is what is current and popular: “In ten years we’ll probably look back at this music and think it really stinks. But right now, it is what is in.”
While fellow students understand Ratatat’s significance on campus, a much wider audience is also aware of what Ratatat means to Goshen College students thanks to the nationally syndicated program The World Café. On June 28th the NPR program, hosted by David Dye, broadcasted Ratatat’s new album LP3. When discussing the band, Dye explained that whenever he goes places, he always asks for new music. A couple years ago Dye visited Goshen College’s radio station, WGCS, and the students suggested he listen to Ratatat. During his June 28th broadcast Dye was quoted saying, “The students in Goshen asked me if I knew Ratatat. I didn't. In fact, I didn't even know if they were a local Goshen band or what. This is a time when the burned CD someone gives me proves to be one of my favorites, and I have been in love with this instrumental mostly electronic band ever since.” Thanks to Goshen students, Ratatat received national coverage on NPR, and it is now known everywhere that Goshen students are fans of Ratatat.
The overall consensus made by students was that Ratatat put on an incredible and energetic live show. Dan Adams concluded wishfully, “It would be sweet if we could have bands like Ratatat come to Goshen College.” So perhaps next time we can see Ratatat in our own back yard. But no matter what, we’ll always have “Seventeen Years,” the song lovingly received as Ratatat’s final encore piece, as our Goshen College student dance song.
Cara Beth Satalino was a new artist I discovered this week. Check out her MySpace website at myspace.com/carabeth
“This weeks “Eight O’Clock Double Shot” feature was Ben Folds, with his new album Way To Normal. I played my favorite off of this album, Cologne, as well as the song Brainwasch.
50 Goshen College students attend Ratatat concert
The New York based rock-meets-electronica band Ratatat made an appearance at Calvin College on Saturday, September 20. Not only did Ratatat show up at the Michigan college, but also nearly 50 Goshen College students trekked two and a half hours onto the same scene in anticipation for the beloved band.
Posted at 19:12 #